Explore key facts about popular bottle gourd varieties, their characteristics, and cultivation features. Perfect for beginners interested in horticultural crops and agricultural diversity.
Which bottle gourd variety is well-known for its early maturity, often preferred by farmers wanting quicker harvests?
Explanation: Pusa Naveen is recognized for its early maturity, enabling growers to harvest sooner. Arka Bahar is popular for its high yield but not specifically for earliness. Swarna Ganga and Pustik are improved varieties as well, but they do not particularly stand out for early maturity.
If a farmer wants a bottle gourd variety with long, straight, cylindrical fruits ideal for slicing, which should they choose?
Explanation: Pusa Summer Prolific Long is noted for its long, cylindrical fruits suitable for slicing. Arka Bahar has medium-long fruits, while Round Gourd is characterized by spherical fruits. Swarna Sneha may be high-yielding but does not primarily feature such a fruit shape.
Which bottle gourd variety is specifically bred for resistance to fruit fly and other common pests?
Explanation: Arka Bahar is known for its resistance to fruit fly, making it a strong choice where pest pressure is high. Pusa Samridhi and Swarna Sudha are improved lines but not primarily for pest resistance, while Punjab Komal emphasizes yield rather than this trait.
Which variety of bottle gourd is generally considered well-suited for winter (off-season) cultivation due to better tolerance to cooler conditions?
Explanation: Punjab Komal is suited for off-season or winter cultivation thanks to its tolerance for cooler weather. Summer King is more adapted to warm seasons, Hari Dwar is regionally grown but not for winter, and Pusa Naveen matures early but isn't specifically renowned for winter cropping.
If maximum yield from limited land is the priority, which bottle gourd hybrid has shown consistently high productivity in field trials?
Explanation: Arka Bahar is widely recognized for its high fruit yield in diverse field conditions. Swarna Ganga and Pusa Summer Prolific Long are productive but not as consistently high-yielding, while Bottle King is not a standardized, commonly recommended variety.