Evaluation of quality parameters in bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) involving 15 parents and their F₁ hybrids

Introduction

Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) is one of the most important cucurbitaceous vegetables cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. Commonly known as Karela or bitter melon, the crop is primarily grown for its immature fruits, which are consumed as a vegetable and valued for their medicinal and nutritional properties. Bitter gourd is believed to have originated in India and later spread to other parts of Asia (Schaefer and Renner, 2010) [9] . The fruits are rich in vitamin C, β-carotene, iron, calcium, and phosphorus, along with bioactive compounds such as charantin, polypeptide-P, and momordicin, known for their antidiabetic, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects (Behera et al., 2010) [2] . The biochemical composition-particularly ascorbic acid, β-carotene, and total soluble solids (TSS)-plays a major role in determining both nutritional and sensory quality (Bharathi and John, 2013) [3] . With rising consumer demand for nutrient-rich vegetables, breeding programs have increasingly focused on improving fruit quality in addition to yield. Quality traits such as TSS, ascorbic acid, vitamin C, chlorophyll, and β-carotene are genetically controlled yet influenced by environment, hence showing significant variability among genotypes. Understanding the magnitude of variability among parental lines and hybrids helps breeders identify promising combinations that can be exploited in hybridization programs. Previous studies have documented variation in yield and morphological characters (Kumar et al., 2020; Singh et al., 2023) [6,13] , but limited information is available on nutritional quality traits. Therefore, the present investigation was undertaken to assess the mean performance of fifteen parents and their F₁ hybrids of bitter gourd for five quality-related characters TSS, ascorbic acid, chlorophyll, vitamin C, and β-carotene and to identify nutritionally superior combinations for future breeding work.

Materials and Methods

The experiment was conducted at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut, during the Zaid season (2022-2023) using a set of fifteen parents and their F₁ hybrids, totaling sixty-five genotypes of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.). The material included four female parents (PUSA RASDAR, PUSA DO MAUSAMI, PUSA VISHESH, and PUSA AUSHADHI) and one variety (ARKA HARIT), crossed with ten male lines (IC65972, IC66023, IC505629, IC470535, IC470546, IC505638, IC116876, IC505640, IC505630, and IC470553). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. Each genotype was represented by a single row of 3 m length, with 3.0 × 0.5 m spacing between and within rows. Recommended agronomic practices were followed throughout. The soil of the experimental field was sandy loam, fertile, and welldrained under hot, humid tropical conditions favorable for cucurbit growth. Five quality traits were evaluated from three randomly selected fruits per genotype: total soluble solids (°Brix) measured by digital refractometer; ascorbic acid (mg/100 g) estimated by titration using 2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol dye; chlorophyll

Statistical Analysis

The experiment was conducted in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications to minimize environmental variation and ensure accuracy in the evaluation of parents and F₁ hybrids of bitter gourd for quality parameters. Each treatment (genotype or cross) was randomly allotted within each replication. The data recorded for each character were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) appropriate for RBD as outlined by Panse and Sukhatme (1985) [7] , in order to test the significance of differences among genotypes. The total variation was partitioned into replication, treatment, and error components. The significance of mean squares due to treatments was tested using the F-test at 5% and 1% probability levels. Standard error of mean (SEm), critical difference (C.D. at 5% and 1%), and coefficient of variation (C.V.%) were calculated to assess the precision and reliability of the experiment.

Results and Discussion 1. Total Soluble Solids (°Brix)

TSS content ranged from 3.79 °Brix (PUSA VISHESH × IC470553) to 6.32 °Brix (PUSA VISHESH × IC116876). Higher TSS values were observed in PUSA VISHESH × IC470535 (6.13 °Brix) and PUSA AUSHADHI × IC470535 (6.03 °Brix), indicating superior sweetness and better fruit taste. These findings are consistent with Priyadharshini et al.

(2018) [8] , who reported significant genotypic differences for TSS in bitter gourd. 2006) [1] and Singh et al.

Ascorbic

Chlorophyll content ranged between 0.50 mg/g (IC116876) and 1.37 mg/g (PUSA RASDAR × IC470546). Crosses such as PUSA RASDAR × IC505629 (1.21 mg/g) and PUSA AUSHADHI × IC66023 (1.20 mg/g) also exhibited higher chlorophyll accumulation, indicating better photosynthetic potential and greener fruits. Similar variability for pigment content was observed by Kumar et al. (2020) [6] .

Vitamin C content ranged from 50 mg/100 g in PUSA VISHESH × IC470535 to 107 mg/100 g in PUSA RASDAR × IC505630. The hybrids PUSA RASDAR × IC505640 (102 mg/100 g) and PUSA VISHESH × IC505638 (102 mg/100 g) also recorded superior vitamin C levels. Such variability emphasizes the influence of parental combinations on biochemical composition (Thakur et al., 2018) [14] .

β-Carotene content ranged from 25 mg/100 g (IC116876) to 68 mg/100 g (PUSA RASDAR × IC470546). Other crosses showing higher β-carotene were PUSA RASDAR × IC505629 (60 mg/100 g) and PUSA VISHESH × IC505629 (60 mg/100 g). The presence of wide variation suggests strong genetic potential for enhancing provitamin-A content through hybridization (Triveni et al., 2021) [ 15] . Overall, substantial differences were observed among the parental lines and hybrids for all quality parameters. The superiority of crosses involving PUSA RASDAR and IC505630 indicates additive and non-additive gene actions for nutrient-related traits. Similar trends were reported by Singh et al. (2019) [11] and Singh et al. (2023) [13] .

Conclusion

The study revealed considerable genetic variation among the fifteen parents and their F₁ hybrids for all five quality parameters in bitter gourd. PUSA RASDAR × IC505630 exhibited the highest ascorbic acid and vitamin C content, PUSA RASDAR × IC470546 showed maximum β-carotene, and PUSA VISHESH × IC116876 recorded the highest TSS. These hybrids may be utilized in breeding programs aimed at developing nutritionally superior cultivars of bitter gourd. The wide variability observed among the genotypes provides substantial scope for selection and hybridization in future genetic improvement programs.

Acknowledgement

AcknowledgementThe authors are grateful to the College of Horticulture, SVPUA&T, Meerut for providing the experimental materials and facilities to conduct this study. Appreciation is also extended to technical staff and field workers for their assistance in data collection and crop management.

References

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