ABSTRACT
Oriental pickling melon, which is very similar to pickling cucumber in taste, flavour and processing suitability, belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae. Oriental pickling melon is a valuable source of vitamins and minerals as it contains unique anti-oxidants in moderate ratio such as β-carotene, vitamin A and vitamin C. Its seeds are used as a source of antitussive, digestive, febrifuge and vermifuge, and the roots are used as a source of diuretic and emetic. Oriental pickling melon is essentially a warm season crop but can be successfully grown in tropical, subtropical and temperature regions. The ideal time for the sowing of oriental pickling melon is from January to March and from September to December. Oriental pickling melon is a cross pollinated crop. Insects especially bees are the main pollinators of this crop. Application of plant growth regulator such as etheral 100–250 ppm enhances the femaleness in oriental pickling melon.
