Crossability studies among Momordica charantia var. charantia and Momordica charantia var. muricata

Inter and intra-specific hybridization is a powerful breeding method for crop improvement and it has potential to broaden the genetic base of the cultivated species. M. charantia var. muricata is considered as a wild progenitor of bitter gourd (M. charantia) and it has important novel genes for biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. In the present experiment, conducted during the 2016–17 and 2017–18, intra-specific hybrids were produced among M. charantia var. charantia and M. charantia var. muricata and these were characterized for plant morphology, pollen-pistil compatibility, cytology and molecular relation among the parents and hybrids. In both direct and reciprocal crosses, the crossability percent was nearly 90% with high percent of pollen viability. The morphological traits of the parents were highly diverse and the hybrids showed intermediate pattern of character expression. The pollen-pistil behaviour and compatibility reaction were studied for the first time and observed higher per cent of compatibility in direct cross (M. charantia var. charantia × M. charantia var. muricata; 90.98%) and comparatively lower in reciprocal cross (M. charantia var. muricata × M. charantia var charantia; 84.43%). Cytological and molecular marker (SSR) techniques were used for hybridity confirmation.