cucurbit_genetic_co-operative_ssd 202-AH

cucurbit_genetic_co-operative_ssd 202-AH Genetic Variability in Ascorbic Acid and Carotenoids Content in Indian Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.) Germplasm S.S.Dey, T.K.Behera and Charanjeet Kaur Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012, India. Email:tusar@rediffmail.com diameter from 2.55 cm to 5.98 cm and flesh Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) is one tof the important vegetables among the hickness of 0.31 cm to 2.08 cm. The color of cultivated cucurbits. The crop is widely the fruit was from milky white to dark green. cultivated through out the tropics. The origin Fruit surface also showed different of this important crop is probably India with a conformations i.e. continuously ridged to secondary centre of diversity in China (2). almost smooth. For analysis of ascorbic acid India is endowed with a wide range of and carotenoids, fruits were picked at diversity in this crop; hence, there is a vast commercial edible stage. Ascorbic acid was opportunity for genetic improvement. The determined by titrating a known weight of immature fruits are good source of iron, sample with 2,6-dichlorophenol-indophenol vitamin A, B, C, and inexpensive source of dye using metaphosphoric acid as stabilizing proteins and minerals (7) and the nutritive agent (1). Total carotenoids were determined values of bitter gourd fruits vary with the by a modified method of one described by varieties. The small-fruited (Momordica Ranganna (5). charantia var. muricata) types are found to be more nutritious than the large-fruited Data were averaged and statistically analysed. (Momordica charantia var. charantia) types The analysis of variance indicated highly (6). The systematic evaluation of bitter gourd significant differences among the genotypes genotypes based on ascorbic acid and for ascorbic acid and carotenoid content. This carotenoids content in bitter gourd is either suggests that there is a considerable amount lacking or scanty. Therefore, a study was of variation among the genotypes. Mean, made to evaluate bitter gourd germplasm with range, phenotypic (PCV) and genotypic high ascorbic acid and total carotenoids (GCV) coefficient of variation is presented in content besides several other traits. Table 1. The variability estimate revealed that the phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) A total of thirty eight accessions of bitter was higher than the genotypic coefficient of gourd collected and maintained at the variation (GCV) for all quantitative characters Division of Vegetable Science, Indian studied but the difference between PCV and Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi GCV for ascorbic acid and total carotenoid were grown in a randomized block design content was insignificant which indicated that with three replications during March to July these quality traits are least affected by 2004. The recommended agronomic practices environment. The above findings were in were adopted for optimum growth of the crop. agreement with the results obtained by Most of the economically important fruit and Jaiswal et.al. (3). The range of ascorbic acid plant characters were also observed during the content was 60.20 mg to 122.07 mg/100 g of cropping period. The predominant sex form fresh weight with a population mean of was monoecious; however, two very 82.14mg/100g of fresh weight (Fig. 1). promising gynoecious lines and two Similarly, total carotenoid content ranged predominantly female flowering types were from 0.205mg to 3.2mg with a population included in this study. Number of fruits per mean of 1.6mg/100g of fresh weight (Fig. 2). plant varied from 7.07 to 47.07 and weighted The highest amount of ascorbic acid was from 10.47g to 136.41g each. Fruit length found in genotype DBTG-3 (122.07mg) ranged from 3.26 cm to 28.72 cm with followed by DBTG-8 (120.53mg), DBTG-6 Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Report 28-29: 91-93 (2005-2006) 91 (115.13mg), DBTG-9 (108.43mg), DBTG-7 Literature Cited: (100.67mg) and DBTG-4 (92.15mg). The genotype, DBTG-8 recorded maximum total carotenoids content (3.2mg) followed by 1. Albrecht, J.A.1993. Ascorbic acid retention in lettuce. J. Food Quality 16: DBTG-9 (3.0mg), DBTG-101 (2.9mg), 311-316. DBTG-6 (2.8mg), DBTG-4 (2.7mg) and DBTG-2 (2.6mg). Among the above 2. Grubben, G.J.H. 1977. Tropical vegetable mentioned genotypes, DBTG-3, DBTG-8, and their genetic resources. IBPGR, DBTG-6 and DBTG-101 were small fruited Rome. pp. 51-52. genotypes ((Momordica charantia var. 3. Jaiswal, R.C., Sanjeev Kumar, D.K Singh, muricata) those were found superior with and S. Kumar.1990. Variation in quality traits in bitter gourd. Veg. Sci. 17: 186-respect to nutritional property. Among the 190. small-fruited genotypes, DBTG-8 was found to be highly promising for its better 4. Pal, R. K., T. K. Behera, Nita Sen and nutritional qualities long with higher fruit Manoj Singh. 2005. Influence of harvest maturity on respiration, ethylene yield. In large fruited group ((Momordica evolution, texture and nutritional charantia var. charantia), the genotype DBTG-4 was observed to be most promising properties of bitter gourd. J. Food Sci. with respect to fruit yield, fruit length, fruit Technol. 42: 197-199. 5. Ranganna, S. 1986. Manual of analysis of diameter, flesh thickness and high ascorbic stfruit and vegetable products. 1 edn. Tata acid and total carotenoid content. It was very interesting to note that some of the white-McGraw Hill, New Delhi, India. Pp.105. fruited genotypes like, Pusa Do Mausami 6. Tendulkar, S. 1997. Heterosis, combining ability and gene action in bitter gourd (White), Preethi and DBTG-10 contain very (Momordica charantia L.) Ph.D. thesis less amount of total carotenoids (less than 0.5mg/100g). It might be due to the fact that, submitted to PG School, IARI, New these genotypes contain less chlorophyll, Delhi, India. which may have contributed to less 7. Thamburaj, S. and Narender Singh. 2001. carotenoid synthesis (4). It is concluded that Cucurbitaceous Vegetables- Bitter gourd. genotypes with higher ascorbic acid and In: Textbook of Vegetables, Tuber Crops carotenoid content may be utilized for quality and Spices. ICAR, New Delhi, India. Pp. improvement of bitter gourd. These materials 279. are now being utilized for the genetic study and the inbreds are maintained in the Institute. 92 Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Report 28-29: 91-93 (2005-2006) Table 1.Total carotenoid and ascorbic acid content of 6 most important genotypes based on average values Characters Ascorbic acid (mg/100g) Total carotenoids (mg/100g) Range 92.15-122.07 2.6-3.2 Population mean 82.14 1.6 GCV 19.75 48.62 PCV 19.87 48.64 CD at 5% 2.99 0.03 High value genotypes DBTG-3, DBTG-8, DBTG-6, DBTG-DBTG-8, DBTG-9, DBTG-101, DBTG- 9, DBTG-7, DBTG-4 6, DBTG-4, DBTG-2 Ascorbic Acid Distribution Pattern 140 120 ASCORBIC100ACID80CONTENT 60GRAND MEANIN ASCORBIC40ACIDCONTENT20Ascorbic Acid (mg/100g) 0 14710131619222528313437 Genotypes Fig1. Ascorbic acid distribution pattern among the 38 genotypes based on average values Carotenoid distribution pattern 3.5 3 2.5Carotenoid content 2 1.5Population mean of carotenoid content1 0.5Carotenoid content 0(mg/100g)14710131619222528313437 Genotypes Fig2. Total carotenoid distribution pattern among the 38 genotypes based on average values Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Report 28-29: 91-93 (2005-2006) 93