MSc

Ivy gourd (Coccinia indica) is a perennial underexploited cucurbitaceous vegetable grown in the southern, western and eastern parts of India. The study on ‘Nutritional evaluation and acceptability of ivy gourd genotypes (Coccinia indica (L.) Voigt)’ was also to asses the chemical composition and acceptability of four ivy gourd genotypes in different stages of maturity i.e., vegetable maturity and over maturity.

The physical characteristics of the fruits of all genotypes showed variations. Maximum fruit length and fruit weight were observed in the released variety Sulabha. The day for attaining vegetable maturity was 7 days for CG-82 and 9 days for Sulabha and CG-81. Sulabha took 6 days from vegetable maturity to show visible changes of over maturity, where as the other three genotypes over matured within 5 days.

The fruits in vegetable maturity and over maturity were analysed for moisture, fibre, protein, vitamin C, β-carotene, total phenol, total pectins, mucilage, calcium, phosphorus, iron and potassium. There was no significant difference between genotypes in the case of constituents like protein and total pectins. But in other constituents like moisture, fibre, vitamin C, β-carotene, total phenol, mucilage, calcium, phosphorus, iron and potassium, there was significant difference between the genotypes. When compared to vegetable maturity and over maturity, there was significant difference in constituents between these two maturity stages.

The changes in constituents like vitamin C, β-carotene and total phenol analysed in three different stages of vegetable maturity i.e., the day just before the average vegetable maturity (7th day after flowering), the day of average vegetable maturity (8th day after flowering) and the day just after the day of average vegetable maturity (9th day after flowering). Vitamin C and total phenol showed a decreasing trend with increased maturity. But β-carotene content increased as maturity increased. Changes in vitamin C, β-carotene and total phenol in average vegetable maturity and observed vegetable maturity revealed that there was no significant difference in vitamin C content of all genotypes in these two maturity stages. But in the case of β-carotene and total phenol there observed a significant difference between these two maturity stages.

The acceptability of ivy gourd genotypes revealed that in observed vegetable maturity there was no significant variation in the overall acceptability in between genotypes. In over mature stage also no significant variation was observed in overall acceptability in between genotypes.

Overall acceptability of ivy gourd genotypes in their observed vegetable maturity was found to be more acceptable when compared to their over maturity stage.

Acceptability studies on 7th, 8th and 9th days after flowering indicated that, acceptability of CG-27 with regard to appearance, colour and texture was high in the 8th day, which was also its observed vegetable maturity. Variation was not observed in vitamin C, β-carotene and total phenols in the 8th day. In CG-81 no significant variation was observed in acceptability as well as in vitamin C and total phenols between 7th, 8th and 9th day, but β-carotene was high in 9th day. In CG-82 also the same trend was observed but β-carotene was very low in the 7th day. In Sulabha taste was highly acceptable during the 9th day, which was its observed vegetable maturity. There was no difference in vitamin C and total phenols but β-carotene was high in the 9th day. In all genotypes β-carotene content was significantly high in over mature stage.