ABSTRACT
Bitter melon, Momordica charantia (2n = 22), cucurbitaceous vegetable crop. It is also called bitter gourd, balsam pear, fukwa, karela, nigai uri, and ampalaya. It is normally grown in hot, humid areas as an annual crop and as a perennial in mild areas and during frost-free winters. Its cultivation initially started in South and East Asia and later spread to nontraditional climatic zones of other countries. California and Florida are the main producers of bitter melon in the United States, with an average yield of 5-7 t/acre. A considerable volume of bitter melon is also imported from Mexico, Dominican Republic, and Honduras.
