How to Cultivate White Gourd

Introduction: This vegetable is known as �Chal Kumra� since the plant of this vegetable is lifted on the roof of hut (chal in Bengali) in the villages of the Bengal. Young fruit (jali) is used as curry and mature fruit is in preparing �morobba� or �halua�.

Varieties of White Gourd: There is no any recommended variety of ash gourd. But the variety named BARI ash gourd-1 developed by BARI is cultivated in all the regions of Bangladesh.

Soil: This is cultivated in loamy soil. But by adopting appropriate management practices, it can be cultivated in any type of soil except clayey soil.

Time of Sowing: February-May.

Valley Preparation: Land should be leveled after ploughing and breaking clods by laddering. The height of valley in the land should be 15- 20 cm, width 2.5 cm having suitable length. Thus valleys have to be prepared. Between two adjacent two valleys, 60 cm wide irrigation and drainage canal have to be made. In household garden, to cultivate white gourd, the plants are lifted on the matcha, roofs of hut or on the tree after sowing seeds in valley.

Fertilizer Application in the Valley: In each valley, 10 kg cow dung, 200 g TSP and 50 g MP should be applied.

Pit Preparation in the Valley: As like as sweet gourd cultivation.

Seed Sowing in the Pit of Valley: In each valley, 4-5 seeds have to be sown in rows. Seeds will germinate within 5-7 days. Some days after seedling emergence, 2-3 strong seedlings have to be kept in each valley.

Cultural Operations: Irrigation water has to be supplied if the valley becomes dry. Measures have to be taken for draining out stagnant rain water. The matcha has to be made to facilitate plant growth. Weeds on the valley have to be cleaned. Soil should be lifted on the base of the plants.

Pest Management: Fruit fly, red pumpkin beetle, epilachna beetle, red mite etc. damage the fruits. These insects should be controlled by applying insecticides. Besides, powdery mildew created white powder on upper leaf surface and downey mildew created white- pink color on the lower leaf surface etc. diseases make the plants week. Applying fungicides or bordue- mixture can save the plants from these diseases.