BITTER GOURD (Momordica charantia L.) HYBRIDS
I. Application and Amplification of General Seed Certification Standards
A. The General Seed Certification Standards are basic and together with the following specific standards
constitute the standards for certification of hybrid bitter gourd seed.
B. The General standards are amplified as follows to apply specifically to the hybrids of bitter gourd :
1. Eligibility requirements for certification
(a) The parental line to be eligible for certification shall be from a source such that its identity may be
assured and approved by the Certification Agency.
(b) Hybrid seed to be eligible for certification shall be the progeny of two approved parental lines.
2. Classes and sources of seed
(a) A parental line shall be a relatively true breeding strain.
(b) The certified seed shall be the hybrid seed to be planted for any use except seed production.
II. Land requirements
Land to be used for seed production of hybrid bitter gourd shall be free of volunteer plants.
III. Field Inspection
A. Foundation seed
A minimum of four inspections shall be made as follows:
1. the first inspection shall be made before flowering in order to determine isolation, volunteer plants and other
relevant factors.
2. the second and third inspections shall be made during flowering and fruiting stage to cheek isolation,
offtypes, and other relevant factors.
3. the fourth inspection shall be made at mature fruit stage and prior to harvesting in order to determine the true
characteristics of the fruits.
B. Certified seed
A minimum of four inspections shall be made as follows:
1. the first inspection shall be made before flowering in order to determine isolation, volunteer plants, out
crosses demarcation between seed parent and pollinator blocks or planting ratio and errors in planting
as the case may be and other relevant factors;
2. the second and third inspections shall be made during flowering and fruiting stage to cheek isolation,
offtypes, plucking of male flower buds in seed parent, and other relevant factors;
3. the fourth inspection shall be made at mature fruit stage and prior to harvesting in order to determine the
true characteristics of the fruits.
IV. Field Standards
A. General requirements
1. Isolation
Seed fields shall be isolated from the contaminants shown in the column 1 of the Table below by the distances specified in columns 2 and 3 of the said Table:
Contaminants Minimum distance (meters)
Foundation Certified
1 2 3
Fields of other varieties including commercial
hybrid of the same variety 1500 1000
Fields of the same hybrid (code designation) not conforming to
varietal purity requirements for certification and from balsam
apple (Mokha): M. balsamina L.; bhat karela: (kakrol):
M.cochinchinensis spreng.; Jangli karela : M.dioica Roxb
ex.Willd. 1500 1000
Between blocks of the parental lines incase seed parent
and pollinator are planted in separate blocks and hand
pollination is to be adopted - 5
B. Specific requirements
Factor Maximum permitted (%)*
Foundation Certified
Offtypes in seed parent 0.10 0.50
Offtypes in pollinator - 0.050
Male flowers shedding pollens in seed parent - 0.10
** Objectionable weed plants None None
* Maximum permitted at and after flowering.
** Objectionable weed shall be: balsam apple (mokha): Momordica balsamina L.; Bhat karela
(Kakrol): M.cochinchinensis spreng and Jangli Karela: M.dioica Roxb.ex.Willd.
V. Seed standards
Factor Standards for each class
Foundation Certified
Pure seed (minimum) 98.0% 98.0%
Inert matter (maximum) 2.0% 2.0%
Other crop seeds (maximum) None None
Total Weed seeds (maximum) None None
* Objectionable weed seeds (maximum) None None
Other distinguishable varieties (maximum) 5 / kg 10/ kg
Germination (minimum) 60% 60%
Moisture (maximum) 7.0% 7.0%
For vapour-proof containers (maximum) 6.0% 6.0%
* Objectionable weeds are the same as given at IV B above.