10 Graines Concombre/Melon amer, Margose, Momordica charantia

Cucumber/bitter melon, Margose, Momordica Charantia |

Margosis, bitter or momordic melon (Momordica Charangia), is a climbing vegetable plant from the cucurbitaceae family, cultivated in hot or temperate climates in annual plants. The term margosis designates the plant and the fruit, the plant is sometimes improperly named Margosier which designates in Creole Indian Ocean the Mélia (Melia Azedarach. L) 1. The fruit, the leaf and the seeds are edible and bitter (the red mucilage that surrounds the seed is the only gentle part of the plant). This bitterness comes from momordicines, substances close to quinine. Margosis is known for its culinary qualities and for its therapeutic properties in traditional medicine, especially in the treatment of diabetes and certain cancers.

10 Seeds - direct sowing

This species is presented as an annual climbing and lining plant whose height can reach 5 M. The stems are delicate and fitted with simple tendrils. The roots may present nodotes.

The alternate leaves are in shape comparable to the vine leaves, the limbes have 3, 5 or 7 lobes. The leaves have a strong smell and have a bitter taste.

The flowers are small and yellowish, carried by frail peduncles. The male flowers have three stamens and female flowers have a three -lobe stigma and an inferior ovary.

Depending on the cultivars, the surface of the fruit is more or less tuberculated, their lengths vary from 8 to 35 CM.

At maturity the fruit is luminous orange and is divided from the bottom to the top in 2 or 3 segments which reveal the seeds in their red, transparent and gelatinous mucilage. The fruit is decorative, but quickly spreads its seeds.

LCulture requires temperatures between 24 and 35 ° C, a fresh, but not soggy soil, an altitude below 1 700 M. The forcing of young plants in a protected environment is recommended in temperate climate. Flowering comes two months after sowing. Beyond 14 hours of day, flowering is slowed down. Fruiting can be extended up to 6 months by a regular harvest of green fruit. It would be almost indifferent to the length of the day37.

In culture, a tutor is expected to 2.5 M with net and a plant every 50 CM. Mulching allows you to hold the wet soil. Fertilization must be rich in nitrogen and prevent deficiency in BORE to which the margosis is sensitive. Contributions of micronutrients are favorable to growth and fruiting, a leaf spray of ZNSO4+ FESO4+ MGSO4 in solution at 0.5 %, 35 and 45 days after sowing was successfully experienced38 In 2017. A Romanian study shows that driving the plant on 2 branches increases the production and precocity of the fruits29.

A soil covered with mulch promotes an abundant and good quality harvest, earlier of a week with a plastic mulch. Better soil humidity is observed under plastic mulch or mineral mulch, according to a comparison of Indian systematic mulch (2018)39. In hydroponics, the Perlite + Vermiculite and Vermiculite + Coconut Fiber substrates give the best yields40.

Fungal diseases (Fusarium, Mildiou and Oïdium) cause damage, viruses (Geminiviridae, Mosaic viruses…) also, as well as the bacterial wilt. 3 Oïdium resistance genes were identified in 202141.

In tropical climate, the Melon Mouche is with aphids the main pest. In hot temperate climate, the culture is easy as long as the ceiling temperature is not exceeded.

 Contents subject to the CC-BY-SA 3.0license. Source : Article Momordica Charantia by Wikipedia in French (Authors)