Promising indigenous cucurbit varieties

Abstract

There is, an abundant scope, to utilize the exlstlnq indigenous genetic variablllty of cucurbit vegetables in hot arid ecosystem not only because of their drought hardy characteristics but also considering • good productivity even under acute water and abiotic stress conditions. There was a need to identify and develop standard vareieties of these cucurbits to enable their .commercial production for different uses. As a result of

collectlon of a wide variability followed by their purification and evaluation, standard varieties AHW 19 and AHW 65 of mateera (Citrullus lanatus), AHK 119 and AHK 200 of kachari (Cucumis callosus), AHS 10 and AHS 82 of snapmelon (Cucumis meta var. momordica) and AHC 2 and AHC ,13 of salad kakdi (Cucumis spp.) have been developed. This has made their systematic commercial production possible for economic sustenance to the arid zone farmers.