Ampalaya Momordica charantia Linn., Cucurbitaceae

Domingo F. Paguirigan

Abstract

Alugbati is the most popular and widely grown leafy vegetables in Iloilo, Western Visayas. The young and tender leaves are cooked are cooked with other vegetables like eggplant, squash, and monggo with meat, dried fish or shrimps. It contains considerable amount of minerals and vitamins. The ripe fruit extracts are used as colorant. Alugbati is adapted to a wide range of soil types, altitudinal range. It could be propagated year-round by seeds and stem cuttings. In using stem cuttings. The recommended seeding density is 5 cuttings/ hill planted at 20-30 distance apart or 7-10 cuttings/hill at 40-50 cm apart. Cultural management practices include hilling-up the soil, watering by flooding the field or using sprinkler and applying of ammonium sulphate and complete fertilizer in band. Harvesting could be done 4-6 weeks or more months after planting then at weekly or bi-weekly interval thereafter depending on plant growth. Shoots are cut by using “kayog” (harvesting knife). Alugbati is sold by bundles of 15-20 shoots. There are two types of alugbati in the country, the green (Basella alba) and red type (Basella rubra).