Pusa Sponge gourd-29: A high yielding Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) resistant variety of sponge gourd suitable for kharif season


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Authors

  • A D Munshi ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India image/svg+xml
  • Jogendra Singh ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India image/svg+xml
  • S S Dey ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India image/svg+xml
  • T K Behera 2ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560 089, India image/svg+xml
  • Amish K Sureja ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India image/svg+xml
  • B S Tomar ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India image/svg+xml
  • Amalendu Ghosh 2ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560 089, India image/svg+xml
  • V K Pandita Regional Station, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001, India image/svg+xml
  • Manjusha Verma ICAR- National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi 110 012, India image/svg+xml

Keywords:

DSG-29, Pusa Sponge Gourd-29, Resistant variety, Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi Virus

Abstract

Pusa Sponge Gourd-29 (DSG-29), developed by ICAR-IARI, New Delhi, is India's first public-sector-bred sponge gourd variety resistant to the devastating Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi Virus (ToLCNDV). Notified for the National Capital Territory of Delhi, this early-maturing variety allows farmers to safely cultivate sponge gourd during the kharif season- a period traditionally plagued by high whitefly
populations and severe viral outbreaks. Ready for harvest in just 45–50 days after sowing, it yields attractive, dark green, 22–24 cm long cylindrical fruits featuring thick skin and tender white flesh, highly prized by consumers. In multiyear open-field trials, DSG-29 achieved an impressive average yield of 17.77 t/ha, outperforming the resistant check and outyielding susceptible checks. Boasting
a remarkably low vulnerability index, this landmark variety offers a robust, high-yielding strategy to secure year-round availability and boost farmer income.

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Published

2026-09-30

Issue

Vol. 71 No. 05 (2026)

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Indian Horticulture

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Complete copyright vests with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, who will have the right to enter into an agreement with any organization in India or abroad engaged in reprography, photocopying, storage and dissemination of information contained in it, and neither author nor his/her legal heirs will have any claims on royalty.

How to Cite

Munshi, A. D. ., Singh, J. ., Dey, S. S. ., Behera, T. K. ., Sureja, A. K. ., Tomar, B. S. ., Ghosh, A. ., Pandita, V. K. ., & Verma, M. . (2026). Pusa Sponge gourd-29: A high yielding Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) resistant variety of sponge gourd suitable for kharif season. Indian Horticulture, 71(05), 6-7. https://epubs.icar.org.in/index.php/IndHort/article/view/167563