Putting the best bitter gourd forward

The 5th edition of Bitter Gourd Open Field Days showcased elite breeding lines of a popular Asian cucurbit.

Participants from FAVRI, Vietnam evaluating bitter gourd lines in the fields

Participants from FAVRI, Vietnam evaluating bitter gourd lines in the trial fields.

With 11 acres of field trials, the 5th Annual Bitter Gourd Open Field Days, held on 25-26 July 2019 at the WorldVeg East and Southeast Asia Research and Training Station, Kamphaeng Saen campus, Kasetsart University, Thailand, attracted 46 participants (cucurbit breeders, product development managers, marketing and sales managers, R & D heads and managing directors), two staff from the Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute, Vietnam and one staff from Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute) to view the unique diversity of Momordica charantia, a cucurbit that continues to grow in popularity across Asia.

The WorldVeg cucurbit team proudly showcased 700 elite bitter gourd breeding lines (S4-S7 generation), a large set of bitter gourd F1 hybrids in preliminary yield trials, and observational trials with early stage bitter gourd products of recurrent selection.

Cucurbit breeder Narinder Dhillon illustrated the distinctive traits of WorldVeg elite bitter gourd breeding lines and F1 hybrids, such as fruit quality (color, shape, skin pattern, shelf life) early and total yield potential, market segments, vine vigor, transport rigor, and resistance to fungal pathogens and begomoviruses. He revealed his approach to address the narrow genetic base of current commercial F1 hybrids: first, classify the WorldVeg bitter gourd breeding lines on the basis of market segments, color, shape and skin pattern, geographic origin and molecular diversity pattern and fungal/virus resistance; next, with the help of seed company breeders, attempt crosses with the best combiners available from individual seed companies; and finally, hold multilocation trials of the crosses for evaluation in target regions.

WorldVeg has developed a single source of begomovirus resistance which can be used in hybridization with elite best combiners of seed companies for immediate product development and long term line development programs. This strategy is likely to lead to the development of better bitter gourd products meeting the demands of the entire value chain: farmers, distributors, retailers and consumers in Asian countries where nutritious bitter gourd is a commercially important crop.

Seed company breeders shared information on their elite bitter gourd F1 hybrids developed using WorldVeg bitter gourd breeding lines. “WorldVeg’s global bitter gourd breeding program is the single source for obtaining genetically diversified and market- and trait-specific breeding lines, which are the result of nine years’ meticulous breeding work by my team led by Suwannee Laenoi and Supornpun Srimat (Assistant Specialists, Plant Breeding),” said Narinder. Former WorldVeg breeding specialists Supannika Sanguansil (now with Chia Tai Group) and Supunsa Phethin (with Monsanto) also contributed immensely during the formative years of the program.

Narinder and his team have built a strong support group among seed company breeders, who benefit from the Center’s current cucurbit breeding research. The seed company representatives were informed about other significant WorldVeg cucurbit breeding projects in the pipeline, including begomovirus resistance breeding programs in tropical pumpkin and Luffa.

Seed company breeders evaluating WorldVeg bitter gourd F1 hybrids

Seed company breeders evaluating WorldVeg bitter gourd F1 hybrids

Story: Narinder Dhillon

Photos: Sorawit Limisiriwat

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Narinder Dhillon discussing a point with the Vijay Kumar, breeder from Namdhari Seeds.

Narinder Dhillon (right) discussing a point with Vijay Kumar, breeder from Namdhari Seeds.

Monsanto's R & D Lead evaluating bitter gourd lines in the field

Monsanto’s R & D Lead evaluating bitter gourd lines in the field.

COMMENTS FROM THE PARTICIPANTS

Recurrent selection program initiated by your team for new line development was amazing and highly promising. We express our gratitude for your contribution to the seed industry which has strengthened our bitter gourd breeding program.

Shantanu Acharya, Head R & D Vegetable, J K Agri Genetics Ltd., Hyderabad, India


We highly appreciate the commendable work done by the WorldVeg Cucurbit breeding team under your experienced, dynamic and versatile leadership. The development of splendid pool of breeding lines addressing the different market needs of Asia is exceptional.

Obaid Ur Rehman, Director Seeds, CKD Seeds & Fertilizer, Gujranwala, Pakistan


We are visiting the program for the last four years. We could see promising hybrids in different segments, and also the recurrent selection program which is adding great value to the farmers and seed companies.

Vimal Chawda, VNR Seeds Private Limited, Raipur, India


Evaluation of hybrids gave us indication of combining ability of different parental lines. Few of them were good in medium to long spiny segment. Further, we would be interested to know more about Luffa and pumpkin projects of WorldVeg.

Manish Bhatnagar, R & D Lead, Enza Zaden, Bangalore, India


I enjoyed evaluating bitter gourd lines and hybrids related to the Bangladeshi market. Recurrent selection block and hybrids evaluation plots were really exciting for me. Congratulations for arranging successful Bitter Gourd Open Field Days.

Mohammed Abu Taher Masud, Senior Cucurbit Breeder, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh


Bitter gourd experiments were arranged professionally, scientifically and beautifully. I selected bitter gourd lines suitable for our breeding program aimed at the Vietnam market. You surrounded the fields with check variety susceptible to fungal diseases and thus it was easy for us to select fungal resistant lines from the plots.

Ngo Thi Hanh, Head, Division of vegetables and spice crops, Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute, Hanoi, Vietnam


Every time I visit the WorldVeg Bitter gourd open fields, I see a lot of progress in terms of development of new traits in bitter gourd such as fruit color, shape and disease resistance. Worth to mention is the recurrent selection program which can provide us really good materials for Indian markets. I feel that WorldVeg has become one point contact for bitter gourd germplasm required for the Asian market.

Thippeswamy, Lead breeder, SeedWorks International Private Limited, Bangalore, India

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