Coimbatore Long (CO-1)
A TNAU (Coimbatore) selection with extra-long, medium-green fruit up to 30–40 cm and a light bitterness, favoured in Tamil Nadu and the south where a long fruit sells well — best grown on a bower so the fruit hangs straight.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Zaid / summer
- Maturity period
- First pick ~60–70 days
- Expected yield
- 12–16 t/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Released by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore
About this variety
Coimbatore Long (CO-1) is a bitter gourd selection from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, bred for an extra-long fruit — 30–40 cm — with a medium-green skin and a comparatively light bitterness. It is favoured in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and parts of Karnataka, where the market pays a premium for a long fruit. It must be grown on a bower so the long fruit hangs straight and clean; on the flat it curls and lies in the damp.
Key characteristics
Sowing & cultivation
- SpacingGrow on a bower — the long fruit needs to hang free to stay straight and clean
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
First pick ~60–70 days
Expected yield
12–16 t/ha
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
- No special resistance claimed
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Extra-long fruit (30–40 cm) that sells at a premium in the southern market
- Comparatively light bitterness
- Open-pollinated — seed can be saved
Things to consider
- Only worthwhile where the market pays for length; must be grown on a bower
- No special disease resistance — manage the melon fruit fly and mildews
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Tamil Nadu
- Kerala
- Karnataka