fvsu-012• Karela

Karela, also known as bitter gourd, bittermelon, balsam pear, or foogwa, is a plant believed to have originated in the tropics of the Old World and is now widely distributed in China, Malaya, tropical Africa and India, with India considered to be an important center of genetic diversity. In India, Karela is considered one of the most nutritious gourds and is a commercially important vegetable. Rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and a good source of carbohydrates, the fruits are fried, boiled, stuffed, dried, and pickled. Some cultures also consume the tender shoots and leaves. The fruits, leaves, and roots have long been used in India as a folk medicine for diabetes; and in the West Indies, tropical Mexico and South America karela is one of the most commonly used medicinal herbs.

Karela belongs to the Cucurbit family (cucumber, squash, etc.) and has the scientific name Momordica charantia Lin. It is an annual monoecious (separate male and female flowers on same plant) cross pollinating, running vine, with near round deeply notched leaves. Fruits vary in size (1.0"-9.8" long & 1.0"-5.9" wide), shape (oval, round, oblong, club, etc.), fruit color (dark green-creamy white), seed number/color, maturity (45-80 days), fruit per plant (6-85) and yield per plant (0.8-12 lbs). Karela thrives well under a hot to moderately warm and humid climate. It is adapted to a variety of soils (sandy to moderately heavy), as long as the drainage system is good. Planting rate ranges from 4.0-5.4 lbs. per acre at a depth of 0.8-1.0 inch.

Karela is a high- priced vegetable commodity. Currently, it is imported from other states and the Caribbean, and is sold at the Dekalb International Farmer's Market at $1.00-2.00/lb. in the Atlanta area.

Challenges

Karela is not produced in Georgia but can sometimes be found in Florida gardens. By introduction and cultivation of this vegetable, a small to moderate size farmer could possibly bring in additional income and provide a new commodity to Georgia's agriculture; otherwise it will continue to be an imported vegetable.

Current Research

Introducing, adapting and developing low- input cultivation practices for this tropical vegetable crop for a temperate climate is the major focus of karela research at the Fort Valley State University Agricultural Research Station. In 1992 Karela was planted and grown on trellises in the field, while in 1993, 1994 and 1995 introductory studies on yield, planting date, and photosynthesis were conducted. From 1996 to now ongoing seed increase and observation studies are occurring.

In these ongoing studies researchers have determined that Karela can grow and produce in Georgia=s temperate climate. Results of the 1993 study suggest that May is the best time to plant, while 1994 results indicate that plants could produce fruits over a 11-week period starting in the middle of July and ending by the middle of October. Results up to now also indicate that Karela yields best in the middle of August. The total number of fruits per plant for the 1994 season equaled 33 with a fresh yield of 10.3 pounds. Overall, these initial studies are very promising for the introduction of Karela to commercial cultivation in Middle Georgia, but more of these studies must be conducted.