Evaluation of cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton) germplasm

Seventy two cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum) accessions were evaluated for 5 years at Pampadumpara (Kerala, India) for vegetative and economic characters and susceptibility to insect pests. Nine accessions recorded a dry capsule yield of above 150 g per clump. Among these nine promising accessions, S-1 appeared to be the best for further breeding programmes in view of its higher yield, moderate incidence of insect pests and higher quality parameters compared to other entries. Accessions MBP (Multiple Branching Panicle) and CP (Compound Panicle) can also be used in breeding programmes in view of their higher yield potential. The entries PS-12 and PS-5 offer great scope in breeding for quality. &nbsp

Tissue Culture, Genetic Engineering, and Nanotechnology in Bitter Gourd

Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) belongs to the genus Momordica that includes 45 species. It is cultivated extensively in tropical, subtropical, and rarely under temperate climates. The plant is valued in various disciplines of life and natural sciences. It is extensively used for culinary purposes. Its extracts are important for the treatment of a number of diseases and ailments in traditional and modern medicinal systems because of the abundance of insulin-like peptides, a mixture of steroidal sapogenins and alkaloids. It is rarely used as an ornamental plant. There are very few reports on systematic research on agronomic, breeding, and biotechnological aspects that curtail the improvement of this crop plant. This chapter reviews available information on biotechnology in a bitter gourd that will help understand the current scenario and help in making plans for improvement of bitter gourd