Karchikai (Momordica cymbalaria Hook f.): an untapped cucurbit indigenous to India

Abstract

The Karchikai (Momordica cymbalaria Hook f.) is a least concerned minor and underexploited tuber forming cucurbit member of the family cucurbitaceae, habitat to the Western and Eastern Ghats of India. The fruits and tubers were used in the traditional medicine and as well as vegetable food by the tribal farmers. This species is being conserved by farmers growing at the home province for ethnic usage as traditional knowledge. The nutritional and economic significance of this species is unexplored due to the lack of its popularity. Hence, a preliminary study was conducted to assess the biochemical and nutritional traits. The results revealed that it is the rich source of minerals mainly potassium (505.92 mg/100 g), calcium (73.57 mg/100 g), sodium (41.58 mg/100 g), zinc (2.76 mg/100 g), and iron (1.71 mg/100 g), and ascorbic acid (299.12 mg/100 g), total carotenoids (2.81 mg/100 g) and lycopene (1.86 mg/100 g). Further to evaluate the plant morphological traits, the results revealed that plants were monoecious sex form, bears white flower, and anthesis between 11 and 12 am, symmetrical anthers, the plant produces tuberous roots and ribbed fruits are the economical parts, plants were propagated by round oval seeds with hypogeal germination, and tubers also used for multiplication of plants. These preliminary understandings could use in the exploitation of genetic resource and their diversification by surveying and collection ecotypes, genetic improvement and breeding for sustainable and commercial cultivation of the minor vegetable.