AGRONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF WILD BITTER GOURD (Momordica charantia Linn. var. abbreviata Seringe) GENETIC RESOURCES FROM NGHE AN PROVINCE

Abstract

Wild bitter melon “Dia” (Momordica charantia Linn. var. abbreviata Seringe), collected from Nghe An province, is widely cultivated for both culinary and medicinal purposes. Evaluation of its agronomic traits, yield and quality revealed that this genotype has a long growth duration (145 ± 4 days), with first female flowering occurring after 35 ± 3 days and harvesting at 42 ± 3 days, which is 25 - 40 days later than common cultivated varieties. Plants exhibit vigorous growth (vine length 3.8 - 4.6 m), bear small fruits (5 - 6 cm, 23 - 25 g) with intense bitterness and show strong tolerance to drought, poor soils and waterlogging. The incidence of downy mildew and powdery mildew remained low, without the need for plant protection chemicals. Actual yield ranges from 4.6 - 7.5 t/ha, exceeding some wild genotypes but lower than improved cultivars. Biochemical analyses indicate high levels of saponins (49.0 mg/g) and phenolics (0.27%), along with abundant minerals (K, Ca, Fe), vitamins (A, B₆, C), protein (18 g/100 g) and carbohydrates (64.5 g/100 g). The contents of heavy metals and aflatoxin complied with the national technical regulation QCVN 8-2:2011/BYT. Sensory evaluation scores for aroma (4.64/5) and taste (4.84/5) highlighted its distinctive bitter flavor with a sweet aftertaste. This genetic resource holds potential for organic production, functional food development, and biodiversity conservation.