ABSTRACT

Nowadays, perennial cucurbits are gaining importance because of their ecological consideration and nutritional composition. The important perennial cucurbits are gac (Momordica cochinchinensis Spreng), spine gourd (Momordica dioica Roxb.), teasel gourd (Momordica subangulata ssp. renigera [G. Don] de Wilde), pointed gourd (Trichosanthes dioica Roxb.), ivy gourd (Coccinia cordifolia [Voigt] L.), and chow-chow (Sechium edule [Jack] Sw). The fruits of these cucurbits are consumed either raw or cooked and in pickled form and are cultivated in small scale and, to some extent, in commercial scale in tropical regions; however, they are still considered cucurbits

4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................95 4.2 Perennial Cucurbits: Uses and Preferences ............................................................................96 4.3 Cultivation Practices for Perennial Cucurbits ........................................................................98