Genetic Variation in Biochemical Traits of Momordica Dioica

Abstract

Among the vegetables, kakrol (teasle gourd) is a dioecious fruit Vegetables grown almost everywhere in Bangladesh and neighbouring countries. It has become an important and probably the most expensive summer vegetable in Bangladesh (Rashid, 1976). It has good transportability and long shelf life.Its centre of origin is unknown. But its wild types are found in the Himalayas, Chittagong Hilltract, Hills of Rajmahal, Hazaribagh, Rajgir in Bihar, hill region of the Rajasthan and SriLanka.The genus Momordica of the family. Urticaceae is distributed all over the tropics and subtropics but the largest concentration or species is in tropical Africa, Asia and South America (Sheshadri, 1986). It is a summer vegetable of lndo-Malayan origin (Rashid 1976, Singh, 1990). It is also grown luxuriantly in hot humid summer with minimum care. There is a good prospect of commercial production of kakrol for its export potential ns well as internal demand. Recently teasle gourd has become a major vegetable in Bangladesh because of its high export potential and demand in internal market. It is primarily exported to United Kingdom and Middle East countries. Its availability during March to October, the lean period of vegetables also acts in favour of its high demand. It may be cooked in different methods, fired or cooked with or without meat or fish and thus gives high palatability.