LUFFA(Luffa acutangula L)

Group no 08Export Agriculture

Scientific Classification

• Kingdom: Plantae• Division: Magnoliophyta• Class: Magnoliopsida• Order: Cucurbitales• Family: Cucurbitaceae• Species : Luffa acutangula L

Introduction

• Belongs to cucurbit family

• Native to Asia and believed to be originated in India

• Can only be eaten when young because mature

fruits become very bitter due to the development

of purgative chemicals

• An annual climbing herb

• It is well grown in low country dry zone, intermediate zone as well as wet zone

Uses

• Edible - cooked or friedStem tops with young leaves and flower buds used as leafy vegetable.Young fruits of cultivars, eaten raw or

pickled.

• Unripe fruit is a good source of calcium, iron , phosphorus, vitamin B

• Used in indigenous medicine

• Mature fruit used as a bath brush or sponge

• Used as a pesticide in some countries

Climatic requirements

• Temperatures 25- 30 0C

– for reasonable (50%) seed germination

– early growth in L. acutangula

• Long days and high temperatures favored the

development of more female flowers

.

• Luffa can be cultivated up to 500 AMSL

• Heavy rain is not suitable for the cultivation

Soil Reqirements

• Prefers - deep well drainedsandy loam soilsrich in organic matter

• pH - 6.5 to 7.5. • Adequate soil moisture is essential• Excessive water can result in poor growth and

root disease

Improved verities

LA 33 • Long• Ovoid in shape• Dull dark green in

colour• 10 ridges.

Asiri

• oblong in Shape• About 30 cm long• 10 ridges• Medium green in colour

Planting & Spacing

• The seeds are sown on flat beds or ridges• 2–3 seeds per hole• 50–60 cm apart in the row and 200 cm

between the rows.• Alternatively, seedlings may be raised in

containers and transplanted• About 1.5 kg of seeds is required for a hectare

Irrigation & water Management

• Irrigate the beds before planting the seeds• Daily irrigation requires at seedling stage• Thereafter irrigate once in a week• Required more during dry conditions at

regular intervals, particularly before the flowering period

• At commercial level – Drip irrigation

Fertilizer Management

• NPK fertilizer is applied to:- enhance growth,

flowering and fruit formation

• Apply a dose of 250:100:100 kg NPK/ha

throughout the cropping period

Other management practices

• Normally grown on supports or trellises up to 3 m high

• Lateral stems are pruned if they grow too abundantly

• It promote flower and fruit development, resulting in a higher yield

• For optimal production, the number of fruits per stem may be limited to 20–25

Pollination

• Natural pollination –cross pollination through bees

• If it is does not occur manual pollination is done,

-picking up male flowers and transferring pollens to female flowers- using cotton buds

• This process should be carried out when flowering is active during the daytime

Pests and Diseases

• Most of the time, Luffa is not very susceptible to diseases and pests

• Some diseases are; Powdery mildew (Erysiphe cichoracearum)

Downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis)• Some reported pests are;

cucurbit beetletrips caterpillarsleaf miners and aphid

Cucumber beetlePowderly mildew

Downy mildew

Control measures

• For pests-– Continuous inspection– Use of pesticides (ex:- Malathion)

• For diseases-Application of fungicides ( ex:- Captan)-Destroy host plants of vectors

Harvesting

For vegetable :-• Young immature fruits of 300–400 g are picked

12–15 days after fruit set• Fruits can be picked every 3 days throughout

the fruiting season -by hand or with a knife

• Individual plants may produce 15–20 fruits• Yield declines after 8–13 weeks of harvesting

For sponge production :-• The fruits are left for two months on the vines

till turning brown

.

For seed production : -• The seeds are shaken out of the completely

dry fruits

Current Status

• Introduction of Makandura variety–Found from Makandura–Perform as well as DOA recommended

verities–Resistance to some pests

• As a export vegetable–By International Food Stuff Company–To New Zealand

THANK YOUPresented by :A.M.N.S.K.Abeysinghe UWU/EAG/11/0005A.P.Kariyawasam UWU/EAG/11/0006

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