Abstract:
Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) is globally recognized for its nutritional and
pharmacological benefits; however, its yield potential remains underexploited. Despite
its increasing demand for consumption in various forms, including cooked vegetables,
juice, pickles, and processed products, Sri Lanka's bitter gourd cultivation relies
heavily on imported Fl hybrid seeds, which are often poorly adapted to local agroecological
conditions and place a significant burden on foreign exchange. The current
study aimed to identify high-performing parental lines suitable for local breeding
programs to enhance yield and virus resistance. Forty-one inbred lines sourced from
the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC), Taiwan, were
evaluated under field conditions at Onesh Agri (Pvt) Ltd, Giriulla, Sri Lanka, using
standardized crop descriptors developed by AVRDC's Genetic Resources and Seed
Unit (GRSU). Morphological, phenological, yield, and seed traits were characterized,
and virus susceptibility scores (VSS) were recorded. Quantitative data were analyzed
using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey's HSD test at a significance level of p <
0.05, while qualitative traits were assessed using the Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric
test.
Results revealed significant variation among accessions for key traits, with BG 049
and BG 051 exhibiting the highest yields (4285.63+633.81 g and3936.25+811 .44 g),
respectively). Accessions BG 049, BG 050, BG 051, and BG 052 recorded virus
susceptible score values below 2.00, indicating a high degree of tolerance to prevalent
cucurbit viruses. Significant differences were also detected for qualitative descriptors,
including leaf blade margin (f : 121.735,p < 0.05), fruit shape (f : I03.93, p ( 0.05),
and tubercle prominence (t: 126.00, p < 0.05), highlighting the phenotypic diversity
within the evaluated germplasm. These findings demonstrate the potential of BG 049,
BG 050, BG 051, and BG 052 accessions as parental lines for the development of
locally adapted Fl hybrids with improved yield, morphological uniformity, and virus
resistance. Further research should include hybridization trials, multi-location trails,
molecular characterization, postharvest quality assessment, and consumer preference
studies to support the development and adoption of elite bitter gourd cultivars
optimized for Sri Lankan agriculture.
