Author : Flojo, Lagrimas J.; Antonio, Menisa A.; Cocson, Lucrecia Conchita

Summary : Propagation and cultural techniques were developed to enhance the domestication and culture of the wild indigenous vegetable, Momordica cochinchinensis (Lour.) Spreng. The vegetative propagation techniques include using two-node vine cuttings of female plants and dipping them for five hours in a commercial liquid rooting hormone or honey solution. These propagation techniques enhanced the survival and growth of propagules. The cultural techniques include planting propagules grown from two-node vine cuttings, applying 1.5kg organic fertilizer (OF) plant-1, and rejuvenating by pruning annually at 0.5m height from the soil line after the fruiting season. Plants grown following the above cultural techniques gave the highest yield, net income, and the lowest break-even price.

The developed techniques on propagation, field establishment, fertilization, and rejuvenation could be integrated into a package of technology that will enhance the transformation of this species from subsistence to commercial level and its sustainable utilization for food, nutrition, and health.