Luffa Acutangula Research Articles

Molecular assessment of hybridity in F1 (Luffa acutangula × Luffa cylindrica) through SSR marker

Molecular assessment of hybridity in F1 (Luffa acutangula × Luffa cylindrica) through SSR marker

Green synthesis and characterization of copper oxide nanoparticles using Luffa acutangula peel extract and its antibacterial activity

In this current research project, the peel extract of Luffa acutangula was employed to synthesize copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) for the very first time. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were used to examine the synthesized nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction analysis determined that the nanoparticles have a monoclinic structure, with an average crystallite size of 26 nm. The Scanning Electron Microscopy revealed that the particles had a clustered, rectangular structure. The zeta potential of the particles was measured to be −34 mV using DLS, indicating good stability. Copper oxide-mediated by Luffa acutangula has demonstrated excellent bactericidal properties against both types of bacteria, Gram-negative and Gram-positive. The diameter of the growth inhibition area for Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli was measured as 15 mm, 15 mm, 16 mm, and 25 mm, respectively, in response to a concentration of 150 μg/μL.

Documentation On Medicinal Plants of Khanapur Forest Bidar District, Karnataka

The present study was undertaken to document medicinal plants of Khanapur forest Bidar district, karnataka the documentation of medicinal plants helps to recognize the overall ecological conditions and gives profound understanding of the economic medicinal and traditional importance of medicinal plants diversity. The present research documentation work was started in November 2023 and completed in February 2024. The present study reported that 119 Medicinal plant species belongs to 54 families distributed in Khanapur forest Bidar included angiosperms Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms. Abrus precatorius, Ephedra, Withania sominifera, Catharanthus roseus, Tinospora cardifolia, Andrographis paniculata, Phyllanthus amarus, allium sativum, Cocos nucifera, Coleus aromaticus, Curcuma longa, Martynia annua, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Tamarindus indica, Terminalia chebula,Tithonia diversifolia, Acalypha indica, Brassica juncea, Clitoria ternatea, Datura metal, Delonix elata, Euphorbia antiquorum, Luffa acutangula, Madhuca longifolia, Myristica fragrans, Santalum album and Vitex negundo are some of the important medicinal plants of Khanapur forest Bidar district of karnataka.

Assessment of self-medication practices and safety profile of medicines utilisation among pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Freetown, Sierra Leone: a multicentre cross-sectional study.

Despite the potential foetal and maternal risks of self-medication, studies on self-medication practice and the safety profile of medicines used during pregnancy are scarce in our setting. This study determined the self-medication practice and safety profile of medicines used among pregnant women. This cross-sectional study was conducted in face-to-face interviews among 345 pregnant women at three hospitals in Sierra Leone. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression to determine the prevalence and associated factors of self-medication. A total of 345 pregnant women participated in the study. The prevalence of self-medication prevalence among pregnant women with conventional and/or herbal medicine was 132 (38.3%). Also, 93 (75%) of the conventional medicines (CMs) were categorised as probably safe, of which paracetamol 36 (29.0%) was commonly used, followed by amoxicillin 23 (18.5%) and antimalarials 22 (17.7%) for common illnesses such as headache 30 (25.4%), urinary tract infection 23 (19.4%) and malaria 22 (18.6%). The most common reason for self-medication was previous experience with the disease 24 (27.3%). Luffa acutangula 19 (30.2%) was the most used herbal medicine (HM), and Oedema 30 (47.6%) was the most reported ailment. Among the HM users, 34 (54.0%) believe they are more effective than CMs. Secondary school education (AOR = 2.128, 95%CI = 1.191-3.804, p = 0.011), tertiary education (AOR = 2.915, 95%CI = 1.104-7.693, p = 0.031), monthly income of greater than NLe 1,000 (AOR = 4.084, 95% CI = 1.269-13.144, p = 0.018), and perceived maternal illness (AOR = 0.367, CI = 0.213-0.632, p = <0.001) were predictors of self-medication. Self-medication practice was highly prevalent and was associated with educational status, monthly income, and perceived maternal illness during pregnancy. Therefore, intervention programmes should be designed and implemented to minimise the practice and risk associated with self-medication among pregnant women.

Documentation On Medicinal Plants of Deva Deva Vana Botanical Garden of Bidar District, Karnataka

The present study was undertaken to document medicinal plants of Deva Deva vana Botanical garden of Bidar district, karnataka. Deva Deva vana literally means ‘Forest of divine/celestial beings’ A Botanical garden maintained by the Forest department around 6 km from Bidar – Hyderabad Highway. It is home to around 200 medicinal plants and trees, and considered sacred. It is divided into around 10 gardens and a nursery which is classified according to a particular theme like Nandana vana, Ashoka vana, Navagraha vana, Rock Garden, shiva panchayath vana, Phala pushpa vana,..etc the documentation of medicinal plants helps to recognize the overall ecological conditions, conservation and gives profound understanding of the economic medicinal and traditional importance of medicinal plants diversity. The present research documentation work was started in February 2023 and completed in June 2024. The present study reported that 147 Medicinal plant species belongs to 64 families distributed and conserved in Deva Deva vana Botanical garden Bidar included angiosperms Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms. Abrus precatorius, Ephedra, Withania sominifera, Catharanthus roseus, Tinospora cardifolia, Andrographis paniculata, Phyllanthus amarus, allium sativum, Cocos nucifera, Coleus aromaticus, Curcuma longa, Martynia annua, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Tamarindus indica, Terminalia chebula,Tithonia diversifolia, Acalypha indica, Brassica juncea, Clitoria ternatea, Datura metal, Delonix elata, Euphorbia antiquorum, Luffa acutangula, Madhuca longifolia, Myristica fragrans, Santalum album and Vitex negundo are some of the important medicinal plants of Deva Deva vana Botanical garden Bidar district of karnataka.

Genome Assembly and Structural Variation Analysis of Luffa acutangula Provide Insights on Flowering Time and Ridge Development.

Luffa spp. is an important worldwide cultivated vegetable and medicinal plant from the Cucurbitaceae family. In this study, we report a high-quality chromosome-level genome of the high-generation inbred line SG261 of Luffa acutangula. The genomic sequence was determined by PacBio long reads, Hi-C sequencing reads, and 10× Genomics sequencing, with an assembly size of 739.82 Mb, contig N50 of 18.38 Mb, and scaffold N50 of 56.08 Mb. The genome of L. acutangula SG261 was predicted to contain 27,312 protein-coding genes and 72.56% repetitive sequences, of which long terminal repeats (LTRs) were an important form of repetitive sequences, accounting for 67.84% of the genome. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that L. acutangula evolved later than Luffa cylindrica, and Luffa is closely related to Momodica charantia. Comparing the genome of L. acutangula SG261 and L. cylindrica with PacBio data, 67,128 high-quality structural variations (SVs) and 55,978 presence-absence variations (PAVs) were identified in SG261, resulting in 2424 and 1094 genes with variation in the CDS region, respectively, and there are 287 identical genes affected by two different structural variation analyses. In addition, we found that the transcription factor FY (FLOWERING LOCUS Y) families had a large expansion in L. acutangula SG261 (flowering in the morning) compared to L. cylindrica (flowering in the afternoon), which may result in the early flowering time in L. acutangula SG261. This study provides valuable reference for the breeding of and pan-genome research into Luffa species.

Assessment of growth, yield, and quality of hybrid ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula L.) in the agro-climatic conditions of Prayagraj

Assessment of growth, yield, and quality of hybrid ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula L.) in the agro-climatic conditions of Prayagraj

Influence of host plant on the wing shape of Bactrocera cucurbitae and Bactrocera tau (Diptera: Tephritidae)

ABSTRACT Bactrocera fruit flies are a significant pest of fruits and vegetables. Some of them are polyphagous and show rapid reproduction. Our study evaluated the impact of three host plants: bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula), and cucumber (Cucumis sativus) on the shape and size of the wings of Bactrocera cucurbitae and B. tau by using geometric morphometrics. The wings of females were significantly larger than those of males, and the wings of B. cucurbitae were significantly smaller than those of B. tau. Individuals feeding on different host plants did not differ significantly in wing size. Wing shape differed significantly both between sexes and between species. Differences in wing shape between males and females were larger than differences between B. cucurbitae and B. tau. Wing shape can be used to identify males and females of the two species without errors. Wing shape differed significantly between males of the two species feeding on cucumber and bottle gourd. Wing shape can be used to identify males of B. cucurbitae and B. tau feeding on those two host plants without errors.

Effect of NPK fertigation on yield and quality of ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula L.)

The present research was carried out at Madhadi Baugh Farm, College of Horticulture, Junagadh AgriculturalUniversity, in the year summer 2023.The treatments comprised of three levels of nitrogen (N) viz., N1: 20 kg/ha; N2: 40 kg/ha and N3: 60 kg/ha; two levels of phosphorus (P) viz., P1: 12.5 kg/ha and P2: 25 kg/ha with two levels of potash (K) viz., K1: 12.5 kg/ha; K2: 25 kg/ha. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (Factorial) with twelve treatment combinations and three replications.The results indicated that among three levels of nitrogen, N3 (60 kg/ha) gave maximum vine length (374.00 cm), internodal length (19.32 cm) and maximum leaf area (240.52 cm2), minimum number of male flower per plant (153.16) and maximum number of female flower per plant (25.06), minimum sex ratio (6.44), number of fruits per plant (21.42), maximum fruit weight (130.34 gm), fruit girth (11.70 cm), maximum fruit length (26.13 cm), fruit yield per vine (2.49 kg), fruit yield per plot (25.30 kg) and fruit yield per hectare (14.35 t), TSS (5.26 ºBrix) and volume (123.52 cc). While, N1 (20 kg/ha) gave minimum days taken to first male flower (33.57) and days taken to first female flower (40.09), Phosphorus(25 kg/ha) gave maximum vine length (342.69 cm) and internodal length (18.34 cm), minimum days taken to first male flower (33.12), maximum number of female flower (25.75) and minimum sex ratio (6.69), number of fruits per plant (19.18), maximum fruit weight (128.29 gm), fruit girth (11.15 cm), fruit length (25.23), fruit yield per vine (2.28 kg), fruit yield per plot (22.59 kg) and fruit yield per hectare (12.31 t), TSS (5.15 ºBrix) and volume (119.63 cc), among two levels of potash, K2 (25 kg/ ha) gave maximum vine length (344.90 cm), maximum leaf area (228.45 cm2), minimum days taken to first female flower (41.83), minimum number of male flower (157.87), maximum number of female flower (25.30) and minimum sex ratio (6.70), number of fruits per plant (20.58), maximum fruit weight (144.34 gm), fruit girth (11.36 cm), fruit length (25.23 cm), maximum fruit yield per vine (2.45 kg), fruit yield per plot (24.79 kg), fruit yield per hectare (13.32 t), TSS (5.09 ºBrix) and volume (121.97 cc).

Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Ridge Gourd Seed (Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.) during Artificial Aging.

Seed aging is a complicated process influenced by environmental conditions, impacting biochemical processes in seeds and causing deterioration that results in reduced viability and vigor. In this study, we investigated the seed aging process of ridge gourd, which is one of the most exported commercial seeds in Thailand using sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra mass spectrometry. A total of 855 proteins were identified among the two groups (0 d/15 d and 0 d/30 d). The Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses of differentially expressed proteins revealed that in ridge gourd seeds, the aging process altered the abundance of proteins related to the oxidative stress response, nutrient reservoir, and metabolism pathway. The most identified DEPs were mitochondrial proteins, ubiquitin-proteasome system proteins, ribosomal proteins, carbohydrate metabolism-related proteins, and stress response-related proteins. This study also presented the involvement of aconitase and glutathione pathway-associated enzymes in seed aging, with aconitase and total glutathione being determined as possible suggestive biomarkers for aged ridge gourd seeds. This acquired knowledge has the potential to considerably improve growing methods and seed preservation techniques, enhancing seed storage and maintenance.

Trait Association and Path Analyses for Yield and Its Attributes in Ridge Gourd Commercial Hybrids (Luffa acutangula L.)

This study aims to explore the relationship between several traits among 18 ridge gourd hybrids. It was carried out during the rabi season of 2021–2022, at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru College of Agriculture and Research Institute, Karaikal, U.T. of Puducherry. Twenty yield-related qualities were assessed using a randomized block design with two replications in order to determine the associations among various characters. The yield per vine was found to have a highly significant and positive correlation with the following variables: vine length at final harvest, number of primary branches vine-1, number of female flowers vine-1, days to final harvest, fruit length, fruit girth, number of seeds fruit-1, total number of harvest, number of fruits vine-1 and weight of individual fruit. Path analysis revealed that the characters such as number of female flowers vine-1, days to first female flower anthesis, total number of harvest, sex ratio, total soluble solids, days to first male flower anthesis, vine length at final harvest, number of seeds fruit-1, days to first harvest, number of primary branches vine-1, fruit length, fruit girth, number of seeds fruit-1, number of fruits vine-1 and weight of individual fruit are considered as important traits which directly and indirectly influences towards yield. It implies that the characters strongly influence the yield vine-1 and hence selection for these traits would be considered important in selection of hybrids for yield.

Some Unreported Medicinal Uses of Plants from the Tribal Area of Southern Rajasthan

Hitherto unreported folk medicinal uses of 41 species of plants belonging to 29 families used by the tribals of Southern Rajasthan have been dealt in this paper. Some plants with important ethnomedicinal new uses are Aegle marmelos, Leucas aspera and Pongamia pinnata in migraine; Acacia leucophloea as contraceptive; Borassus flabelifer, Grewia orientalis and Ziziphus xylopyra in developing complete sterility in female while Cocculus villosus in male; Citrus medica in kidney stone; Crinum asiaticum in breast cancer; Cryptolepis buchanani in piles; Gardenia turgida and Luffa acutangula as antidote in animal bite; lchnocarpus frutescens in swollen gums; Lannea coromandelica in earache; Nyctanthes arbortristis in obesity; Euphorbia acaulis, Grewia dumine, Xeromphis spinosa in skin diseases and Clitoris ternatea in colic. The plant part used and mode of administration in also given.

A Perspective on Male Contraceptive Therapeutics of Hydro-ethanol Extract of Seeds of &lt;i&gt;Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.&lt;/i&gt; in Human and Albino Rat: An &lt;i&gt;In-vitro&lt;/i&gt; Meta-Analysis Study

Traditionally Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. has been utilized as an herbal contraceptive. This in-vitro study has been performed to search out the male contraceptive efficacy of hydro-ethanol (60:40) extract of Luffa acutangula (LAHEE) seeds in a dose-specific manner (1, 2, and 4 mg/ml of in-vitro media). The percentages of motile, viable, hypo-osmotic swelled (HOS), and acrosomal intact of human and rat sperms were declined significantly (p&lt;0.05) at the above-mentioned doses of LAHEE-exposed groups against the placebo group. The inhibitory concentration 50% value (IC50) of LAHEE was 2.5 mg/ml in human and 1.2 mg/ml in rat spermatozoa immobilization. The ∆5,3β and 17β hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD) activities of rat’s testicular tissues were inhibited significantly at p&lt;0.05 in LAHEE-treated groups than the placebo group. Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase were significantly inhibited (p&lt;0.05) along with the significant increment (p&lt;0.05) in the quantity of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in rat’s testes and epididymis, sperm pellets of humans and rats in LAHEE-treated groups against the placebo group without any significant difference (p&gt;0.05) in above said sensors in the liver and cardiac tissues of rats. The non-toxic nature of LAHEE was indicated by no significant alterations (p&gt;0.05) in the activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) after LAHEE exposure in said tissues of rats. The LC-MS study of LAHEE identified the presence of oleic acid, dihydroquercetin, luteolin-7-glucoside, formononetin, luteolin 8-C-pentoside-6-C-hexoside, pterosin B, boldine and berberine. These findings interpreted that the LAHEE possesses spermiological inhibitory and hypo-testicular activities, which indicate a promising possibility to develop a potent herbal male contraceptive agent from this plant extract.

Investigation of Tensile and Hardness Properties of Luffa Acutangula and Cocos Nucefera Reinforced Composite

Investigation of Tensile and Hardness Properties of Luffa Acutangula and Cocos Nucefera Reinforced Composite

Status, Gaps and Perspectives of Powdery Mildew Resistance Research and Breeding in Cucurbits

Cucurbitaceae, the gourd family of flowering plants, is a very large and diverse family, the order Cucurbitales, contains 95 genera and 950–980 species of food and ornamental plants, and wild and weedy species mostly with high genetic diversity. This review is focused on the most important cucurbit crops (Cucumis sativus, Cucumis melo, Cucurbita spp., Citrullus lanatus, Momordica charantia, Lagenaria siceraria, and Luffa acutangula) and some their wild relatives as hosts of cucurbit powdery mildews (CPM). Powdery mildews (PM) (Ascomycota, Erysiphales) are one of the most frequently encountered and easily visible groups of plant pathogenic fungi with > 900 species. They are obligate biotrophs, they colonize above-ground plant tissues, mostly leaves, though they may also colonize stems, petioles, flowers and fruits, and they are usually debilitators, not killers. These parasitic fungi have been problematic on cucurbits for a long time world-wide, causing serious economic losses in yield and quality. All economically important cucurbit crops host CPM. Seven PM species with different taxonomic positions, host ranges, geographic distributions and ecological requirements are known on cucurbits. CPM species taxonomy and denomination rapidly changed during last few decades through detailed analyses and clarifications. At least three PM species frequently parasitize cucurbits: the endoparasite Leveillula taurica (Lt) with marginal economic importance; and two ectoparasitic species, Golovinomyces orontii (Go), and Podosphaera xanthii (Px), which are economically important world-wide. The two pathogens differ in ecological requirements and distribution, though they may occur together in mixed infections. They are highly variable at the population level for virulence, race identities, and fast adaptation of pathogens. Cucurbit-CPM species interactions are diverse and complicated, and differ between hosts and their respective pathogen genera and species. Here we present a critical overview of obstacles, gaps and recent progress in these matters for six cucurbit genera with respect to resistance resources, genetics of resistance, genetic mapping and development of molecular markers, physiology and mechanisms of resistance, developments in mlo-mediated resistance, patents, and CPM resistance breeding.

Standardization on Effect of Storage and Packaging Materials on Shelf Life and Quality of Ridge Gourd (Luffa acutangula L.)

An experiment was conducted on ‘‘Standardization on effect of storage and packaging materials on shelf life and quality of ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula L)’’ during Kharif 2021 and Summer 2022 on shelf life and quality of ridge gourd at PG laboratory, College of Horticulture, Rajendranagar. The experiment design is factorial completely randomized design with eight packaging materials as factor-1 and three elite treatments as factor-2 with a total of twenty four (24) treatments replicated thrice. The results revealed that, the Polyethylene 200 gauge with 2% vent and Vermicompost 12 t/ha + Arka microbial consortium recorded lowest physiological loss in weight, titrable acidity and highest shelf life, TSS, ascorbic acid, firmness, chlorophyll content with increase in days of storage.

Electroantennographic and Behavioral Responses of the Melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett), to Volatile Compounds of Ridge Gourd, Luffa acutangular L.

The melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett), is a major invasive pest, widely distributed in the Asia-Pacific region and some parts of Africa. Melon fly attractants could improve the effectiveness of current pest management measures. Previous studies have shown that some host fruits are attractive to melon flies but few have investigated the chemical compounds responsible for their attraction. In this study, we aimed to identify the volatile compounds from Luffa acutangula L that attract Z. cucurbitae. In headspace trapping, chemical profiling identified 19 compounds from ridge gourds, with 1-pentadecene being the major component. EAG results revealed that seven compounds elicited antennal responses in Z. cucurbitae, and significant differences in antennal responses between male and female Z. cucurbitae adults were recorded to p-xylene, alpha-pinene, and 1-octadecene. Behavioral experiments demonstrated that the EAG-active compounds methyl isovalerate and methyl myristate had either attractive or repellent effects on Z. cucurbitae at different concentrations, and 1-octadecene attracted Z. cucurbitae. Our findings provide a theoretical basis producing repellents or attractants for effective Integrated Pest Management of Z. cucurbitae.

First Report of Cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus infecting five cucurbits in India.

Cucurbits are among the most popular vegetables cultivated globally. They have high economic importance, especially in India, where they are cooked and eaten as vegetables (Dhillon et al. 2016). In February 2023, yellowing symptoms were observed on cucurbitaceous species, viz. Trichosanthes cucumerina (Snake gourd - SG), Luffa acutangula (Ridge gourd - RG), Lagenaria siceraria (Bottle gourd - BG), Luffa aegyptiaca (Sponge gourd - SPG) and yellow chlorotic spots were recorded on Benincasa hispida (Ash gourd - AG) growing in the experimental farm at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Regional Station, Pune (Supplementary Figure 1). The average disease incidence ranged from 5% to 30%. A total of 175 leaf samples, including thirty symptomatic and five asymptomatic plants of each cucurbit, were collected and tested by DAS-ELISA using antisera against cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus (CABYV) (DSMZ, Germany), cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) (Arsh Biotech, India), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV), and papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) (Agdia, USA). All 150 symptomatic cucurbit samples tested positive for CABYV, while five samples from SG, 14 from RG, two from AG, and 11 from SPG hosts were also positive for PRSV. Asymptomatic samples were negative for all viruses tested. In order to further confirm the presence of the virus, total RNA was extracted from ten samples of each cucurbit host that were positive only for CABYV and the asymptomatic samples using the RNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen, Germany) as per the manufacturer's protocol. Two-step RT-PCR was carried out using the extracted RNA and CABYV-specific primers, amplifying c. 484 bp of the coat protein gene region (Boubourakas et al. 2006). Amplicons of expected size were obtained in all symptomatic samples, whereas the asymptomatic samples tested negative. Three amplicons obtained from positive samples from each of the cucurbit species were directly sequenced and found to be identical to each other. A representative virus sequence obtained from each cucurbit was deposited in GenBank (Snake gourd - OQ921128, Ridge gourd - OQ921127, Bottle gourd - OQ921126, Ash gourd - OQ921125, Sponge gourd - OQ921129). In BLASTn analysis, the isolates shared from 94.23 to 100% nucleotide identities with the Indian CABYV isolates of various cucurbits and clustered closely with other Pune isolates in the phylogenetic analysis (Supplementary Figure 2). CABYV (genus Polerovirus) is a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus, and is known to infect and cause severe economic losses in cucurbits worldwide. Previously, occurrences of CABYV have been reported in cucurbits such as watermelon, bitter gourd, cucumber, squash, teasel gourd, and muskmelon in India (Nagendran et al. 2022; Tripathi et al. 2023). It has also been reported to infect a weed species - Abelmoschus moschatus from the same geographical region (Verma et al. 2023). To our knowledge, this is the first report of the natural occurrence of CABYV in snake gourd and ridge gourd worldwide and bottle gourd, ash gourd and sponge gourd in India. The present findings have significant epidemiological importance, as they demonstrate that CABYV is spreading to other cucurbits and occurring widely in India.

Evaluation of Different Genotypes of Ridge Gourd for Better Growth, Yield and Quality under Prayagraj Agro-Climatic Conditions

Ridge gourd, scientifically known as Luffa acutangula, is a tropical vine that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is commonly grown for its young and tender fruits, which are used as a vegetable in cooking. It is known by various names, including Kalitori, angled gourd, angled loofah, silky gourd, and ribbed gourd. Ridge gourd has a chromosome number of 2n = 26. This versatile vegetable can be incorporated into a wide range of dishes, such as stir-fries, curries, soups, and stews, thanks to its mild and slightly sweet flavor. In the Kharif season of 2022. a study was conducted at the Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, to assess the performance of different ridge gourd genotypes under the local agro-climatic conditions. The experiment followed a Randomized Block Design and involved nine genotypes with three replications each. The genotypes included G1 (IET 2021/RIGHYB-1), G2 (IET 2021/RIGHYB-2), G3 (IET 2021/RIGHYB-3), G4 (IET 2021/RIGHYB-4), G5 (IET 2021/RIGHYB-5), G6 (IET 2021/RIGHYB-6), G7 (IET 2021/RIGHYB-7), G8 (Dharidar-8), and G9 (Jaipuri Long-9).Based on the results of the experiment, it was determined that the genotype IET 2021/RIGHYB-5 exhibited the best performance in terms of growth parameters, such as vine length (222.10 cm) and early maturity, with the first fruit ready for picking in 60.00 days. It also excelled in yield parameters, including fruit length (25.03 cm), fruit diameter (5.65 cm), and fruit yield per plant (1528.31 g/plant). Additionally, IET 2021/RIGHYB-7 demonstrated outstanding performance in quality parameters, including Total Soluble Solids (TSS) at 4.23°Brix and Vitamin C content at 2.05 mg/100g.

Life table parameters and digestive physiology of Aulacophora lewisii Baly (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on three Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. (Cucurbitaceae) cultivars.

Aulacophora lewisii Baly (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) is an important pest of Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. (Cucurbitaceae) in India. Larvae of A. lewisii feed on the roots, while adults consume leaves of L. acutangula. In the current study, effects of three L. acutangula cultivars (Abhiskar, Debsundari, and Jaipur Long) on the life table parameters by age-stage, two-sex approach, and key digestive enzymatic activities (amylolytic, proteolytic, and lipolytic) of the larvae and adults of A. lewisii were determined. Further, nutrients (total carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, amino acids, and nitrogen content) and antinutrients (total phenols, flavonols, and tannins) present in the roots and leaves of three cultivars were estimated. The development time (egg to adult emergence) was fastest and slowest on Jaipur Long (31.80 days) and Abhiskar (40.91 days), respectively. Fecundity was highest and lowest on Jaipur Long (279.91 eggs) and Abhiskar (137.18 eggs), respectively. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) was lowest on Abhiskar (0.0511 day-1) and highest on Jaipur Long (0.0872 day-1). The net reproductive rate (R0) was lowest on Abhiskar (23.32 offspring female-1). The mean generation time (T) was shortest on Jaipur Long (52.59 days) and longest on Abhiskar (61.58 days). The amylolytic, proteolytic, and lipolytic activities of larvae and adults of A. lewisii were highest and lowest on Jaipur Long and Abhiskar, respectively. The lower level of nutrients and higher level of antinutrients influenced higher larval development time and lower fecundity of A. lewisii on Abhiskar than other cultivars. Our results suggest that Abhiskar cultivar could be promoted for cultivation.