Famil: Cucurbitaceae Taxo: Momordica charatia Som: Momordica charatia var. abbreviata Ser. Momordica zelaica Mill. Momordica muricata Willd. Commo Name bitter melo bitter gourd balsam-apple momordique bálsamo Questioaire : curret 20090513 Status: Assessor Approved Assessor: Chuck Chimera Desigatio: H(Hawai'i) Data Etr Perso: Chuck Chimera WRA Score 13 101 Is the species highl domesticated? =-3, =0 102 Has the species become aturalized where grow? =1, =-1 103 Does the species have weed races? =1, =-1 201 Species suited to tropical or subtropical climate(s) - If islad is primaril wet habitat, the (0-low; 1-itermediate; 2- High substitute "wet tropical" for "tropical or subtropical" high) (See 202 Qualit of climate match data (0-low; 1-itermediate; 2- High high) (See 203 Broad climate suitabilit (evirometal versatilit) =1, =0 204 Native or aturalized i regios with tropical or subtropical climates =1, =0 205 Does the species have a histor of repeated itroductios outside its atural rage? =-2,?=-1, =0 301 Naturalized beod ative rage = 1*multiplier (see, = questio 205 302 Garde/ameit/disturbace weed =0, = 1*multiplier (see 303 Agricultural/forestr/horticultural weed =0, = 2*multiplier (see 304 Evirometal weed =0, = 2*multiplier (see 305 Cogeeric weed =0, = 1*multiplier (see 401 Produces spies, thors or burrs =1, =0 402 Allelopathic =1, =0 403 Parasitic =1, =0 404 Upalatable to grazig aimals =1, =-1 405 Toxic to aimals =1, =0 406 Host for recogized pests ad pathoges =1, =0 407 Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humas =1, =0 408 Creates a fire hazard i atural ecosstems =1, =0 409 Is a shade tolerat plat at some stage of its life ccle =1, =0 Prit Date: 7/7/2010 Momordica charatia (Cucurbitaceae) Page 1 of 6
410 Tolerates a wide rage of soil coditios (or limestoe coditios if ot a volcaic islad) =1, =0 411 Climbig or smotherig growth habit =1, =0 412 Forms dese thickets =1, =0 501 Aquatic =5, =0 502 Grass =1, =0 503 Nitroge fixig wood plat =1, =0 504 Geophte (herbaceous with udergroud storage orgas -- bulbs, corms, or tubers) =1, =0 601 Evidece of substatial reproductive failure i ative habitat =1, =0 602 Produces viable seed =1, =-1 603 Hbridizes aturall =1, =-1 604 Self-compatible or apomictic =1, =-1 605 Requires specialist polliators =-1, =0 606 Reproductio b vegetative fragmetatio =1, =-1 607 Miimum geerative time (ears) 1 ear = 1, 2 or 3 ears = 0, 1 4+ ears = -1 701 Propagules likel to be dispersed uitetioall (plats growig i heavil trafficked =1, =-1 areas) 702 Propagules dispersed itetioall b people =1, =-1 703 Propagules likel to disperse as a produce cotamiat =1, =-1 704 Propagules adapted to wid dispersal =1, =-1 705 Propagules water dispersed =1, =-1 706 Propagules bird dispersed =1, =-1 707 Propagules dispersed b other aimals (exterall) =1, =-1 708 Propagules survive passage through the gut =1, =-1 801 Prolific seed productio (>1000/m2) =1, =-1 802 Evidece that a persistet propagule bak is formed (>1 r) =1, =-1 803 Well cotrolled b herbicides =-1, =1 804 Tolerates, or beefits from, mutilatio, cultivatio, or fire =1, =-1 805 Effective atural eemies preset locall (e.g. itroduced biocotrol agets) =-1, =1 Desigatio: H(Hawai'i) WRA Score 13 Prit Date: 7/7/2010 Momordica charatia (Cucurbitaceae) Page 2 of 6
Supportig Data: 101 2010. Jaick, J.. Horticultural Reviews. Volume 37.. Joh Wile ad Sos, New 102 1999. Wager, W. L./Herbst, D. R./Sohmer, S. H.. Maual of the flowerig plats of Hawaii. Revised editio.. Uiversit of Hawai i Press ad Bishop Museum Press, Hoolulu, HI. 103 1999. Wager, W. L./Herbst, D. R./Sohmer, S. H.. Maual of the flowerig plats of Hawaii. Revised editio.. Uiversit of Hawai i Press ad Bishop Museum Press, Hoolulu, HI. 201 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 202 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 203 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 204 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 205 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 301 1981. Smith, A.C.. Flora Vitiesis Nova - A New Flora of Fiji (Spermatophtes Ol). Volume 2.. Pacific Tropical Botaical Garde, Lawai, HI 301 1999. McMulle, C. K.. Flowerig plats of the Galápagos. Comstock Pub. Assoc., Ithaca, NY 301 1999. Wager, W. L./Herbst, D. R./Sohmer, S. H.. Maual of the flowerig plats of Hawaii. Revised editio.. Uiversit of Hawai i Press ad Bishop Museum Press, Hoolulu, HI. "The ceter of bitter gourd domesticatio likel lies i easter Asia, possibl easter Idia or souther Chia Both the domesticated ad putative wild bitter gourd progeitors of bitter gourd are listed i floras of Idia, tropical Africa ad Asia as well as the New World tropics" [highl domesticated forms exist] "aturalized i disturbed sites, 0-300 m, o all of the mai islads" [Hawaiia Islads] "The aturalized populatios have bee referred to var. abbreviata, characterized b the smaller, more wart fruit ad smaller, less sharpl cut leaves. The fruit ad oug shoots of the wild plats are edible ol i small quatities. A cultivated form with much larger fruit is grow i Hawaii ad is popular i Chiese ad Filipio cookig." "M. charatia is ative to the old world tropics but is ow a weed i tropical ad subtropical regios i most of Lati America, all of Asia ad parts of Africa." M. charatia highl suited to tropical ad subtropical climates. "grows from sea level to earl 1000 m. It grows where aual precipitatio is as low as 480 mm to as much as 4100 mm, where mea temperatures are as low as 12.5 degrees C to as high as 25 degrees C, ad i soil with phs from 4.3 to 8.7" [exhibits evirometal versatilit] "M. charatia is ative to the old world tropics but is ow a weed i tropical ad subtropical regios i most of Lati America, all of Asia ad parts of Africa." "ow a weed i tropical ad subtropical regios i most of Lati America, all of Asia ad parts of Africa" [histor of repeated itroductios outside its atural rage] "occurrig i coastal thickets or alog creeks ad rivers up to a elevatio of perhaps 100 m" Arid lowlads i the Galápagos Islads "widel aturalized i disturbed sites, 0-300 m" 302 2010. WRA Specialist. Persoal Commuicatio. A weed with egative impacts for agriculture [see 3.03] 303 1975. Het, E. E./Pritchard, G. H.. Weeds of New Guiea ad their cotrol. 2d editio. Departmet of Forests, Divisio of Bota, Lae, Papua New Guiea 303 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New "useful as a groud cover, particularl uder cocoa, but formig a blaket over other vegetatio whe ucotrolled; a weed i grazig lad, upalatable to stock. Widespread at low altitudes but ol locall commo" "a weed i 22 crops i over 50 coutries frequetl reported i sugarcae ad other platatio crops. It is a pricipal weed of baaas i Suriam; cacao i Ecuador; citrus i the souther Uited States; cotto sobeas etc." 304 2007. Radall, R.P.. Global Compedium of Weeds - Momordica charatia. Hawaii Ecosstems at Risk Project (HEAR), http://www.hear.org/gcw/species/momordica_char atia/ Listed as a evirometal weed, but most egative impacts are associated with agriculture [see 3.03] 305 2003. Dave's Garde. PlatFiles: Picture #9 of Balsam Apple, Cudeamor (Momordica balsamia). Dave's Garde, http://davesgarde.com/guides/pf/showimage/198 52/ "These ivasive ad virtuall idestructible vies are all over peoples' ards ad feces here i Florida. This photo shows a ripe ad few gree oes hagig from a chai lik fece." 305 2003. Padró Soroa, J.. Assessmet ad regulatios for prevetig etr of exotic weeds ito Cuba. Table 1. List of Mai Weed Species i Cuba [icludes Momordica balsamia] Prit Date: 7/7/2010 Momordica charatia (Cucurbitaceae) Page 3 of 6
401 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 402 2001. Kohli, R. K./Sigh, D.P./Batish, D.R.. Allelopath i agroecosstems. Food Products Press, Bighamto, NY 403 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 404 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 405 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 405 2001. Burrows, G.E./Trl, R.J.. Toxic plats of North America. Iowa State Uiversit Press, Ames, IA 406 2002. Douglas, J.. Balsam pear. Crop & Food Research. 102:. 406 2002. Muiappa, R./Cruz, J./Bamba, J.. Ivasive Plats ad Their Cotrol i Microesia. Microesica Suppl.. 6: 85 92. 407 1967. Morto, J.F.. The balsam pear - a edible, medicial ad toxic plat. Ecoomic Bota. 21 (1): 57-68. 407 1996. Neuwiger, H.D.. Africa ethobota: poisos ad drugs : chemistr, pharmacolog, toxicolog. CRC Press, Boca Rato, FL 407 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 408 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 409 2010. Dave's Garde. PlatFiles: Bitter Gourd, Bitter Melo, Balsam Pear. Dave's Garde, http://davesgarde.com/guides/pf/go/121045/ No spies, thors or burrs Without strog allelopathic properties [see Table 2, p.264] No evidece of parasitism "cattle seemed to avoid eatig this weed, probabl due to its offesive odor." "cattle seemed to avoid eatig this weed, probabl due to its offesive odor." [apparetl upalatable, but o evidece of toxicit to cattle reported] "The mature seeds ad fruits are believed to cause severe digestive tract disturbace. The appear to be a particular problem i dogs, which also ma exhibit promiet eurologic sigs". Pests ad diseases: No diseases were recorded durig trials i Hastigs, but aphids caused some damage. Cucurbit fugal diseases, like powder mildew, will affect balsam pear. It is ative to Tropical Asia or Africa. This vie has ellow flowers ad orage fruits. It has spread alog roadsides ad other disturbed areas. It ca also be see growig o cliffs ad orchards. It is propagated b seeds ol. It serves as a wild host for the melofl, Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillett) (Diptera: Tephritidae) a serious pest of fruit crops ad also of quaratie importace. "I South Florida, there have bee several istaces of illess i childre from eatig the ripe fruits of the wild vie. "Toxicolog: I Idia the juice of the plat caused the death of a child through sever vomitig ad purgig. " "Leaves or fruit are eate i several Asia ad Lati America coutries." [o evidece of allerges or toxicit to humas, but see Neuwiger 1996] Icreased fire hazards ot listed amog problems associated with M. charatia Su Exposure: Full Su 409 2010. Fie Gardeig. Momordica charatia. The Light: Full Su Ol Tauto Press, Ic., Newtow, CT http://www.fiegardeig.com/platguide/momord ica-charatia-bitter-melo.aspx 409 2010. Tropilab Ic.. Momordica charatia L. - Bitter Melo. Tropilab Ic., http://www.tropilab.com/momordica-cha.html Full su / light shade; rich moist soil. 410 2010. College of Natural Resources. Bitter gourd - (Momordica charatia). Roal Uiversit of Bhuta, http://cms.cr.edu.bt/cms/files/docs/file/vegetabl e%20productio/stud%20guides/bitter%20gourd _HadOuts.pdf Bitter gourd tolerates a wide rage of soils but prefers a well-draied sad loam soil that is rich i orgaic matter. The optimum soil ph is 6.0-6.7, but plats tolerate alkalie soils up to ph 8.0. 411 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 412 2010. WRA Specialist. Persoal Commuicatio. Climbig ad smotherig [see 4.11] "a aual creepig or climbig, herbaceous vie with a strog, foul odor; root a taproot; stems 2 to 3 m log, ofte formig a dese carpet over other plats" 501 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New Terrestrial vie Prit Date: 7/7/2010 Momordica charatia (Cucurbitaceae) Page 4 of 6
502 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 503 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 504 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 601 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 602 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 603 2005. Behera, T. K.. Heterosis i Bittergourd. Joural of New Seeds. 6: 2 & 3: 217-221. 603 2010. College of Natural Resources. Bitter gourd - (Momordica charatia). Roal Uiversit of Bhuta, http://cms.cr.edu.bt/cms/files/docs/file/vegetabl e%20productio/stud%20guides/bitter%20gourd _HadOuts.pdf 604 2008. Behera, T.K./Sigh, A.K./Staub, J.E.. Comparative aalsis of geetic diversit i Idia bitter gourd (Momordica charatia L.) usig RAPD ad ISSR markers for developig crop improvemet strategies. Scietia Horticulturae. 115: 209 217. 605 2009. Deto, R. C. /Cervacia, C. R.. Floral Biolog ad Polliatio of Ampalaa (Momordica charatia L.). The Philippie Agricultural Scietist. 92(1): 8-18. 606 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 607 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 701 2001. Doijode, S.J.. Seed storage of horticultural crops. Food Product Press, Ic., Bighamto, NY 702 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New Cucurbitaceae [ot a grass] Cucurbitaceae [ot a itroge fixig wood plat] "root a taproot" [but ot a true geophte] No evidece of substatial reproductive failure i ative habitat "seeds light brow to black, embedded i stick, moist, crimso pulp (aril), 5 to 9 mm log, 2.5 to 6 mm wide with ridged or pitted surface ad thick ragged margi as though carved." Bittergourd is a importat cucurbit fruit vegetable grow i the tropics. It has rich utritioal ad medicial value. Hbrids are becomig popular i this crop. Goec is also reported i this crop which could be a useful tool to exploit heterosis o commercial scale with more cheaper rates. But at preset hbrid seed is produced b had polliatio without emasculatio. [abilit to hbridize aturall ukow] Numerous hbrid ad ope polliated varieties are available. Hbrid usuall produce higher ields but their seeds are relativel expesive ad must be purchased for ever platig. Ope- polliated varieties have the advatage that their seeds ma be saved ad used for future platigs. Thirt-eight morphologicall ad geographicall distict M. charatia L. accessios (Table 1) were collected from differet Idia states, ad the grow i summer 2006 ad maitaied at the Research Farm of the Idia Agricultural Research Istitute, New Delhi, Idia. All accessios examied herei were selfpolliated three times before evaluatio. [capable of self-polliatio] Floral traits such as athesis, ather dehiscece, polle morpholog ad viabilit, ad polliatio of ampalaa or bitter gourd (Momordica charatia L.) were observed from November 2006 to March 2007 at the Cetral Experimetal Statio, Uiversit of the Philippies Los Baños. Isect polliators were idetified ad the fruit ad seed sets i isect polliated ad had-polliated plats were compared. Flowerig of M. charatia started 38 + 3.5 d after platig with the developmet of male flowers earlier tha the female flowers. The ratio of male to female flower was 19:1. Flowers started to ope at about 0300 h, ad were full opeed at 0530-1200 h. A successfull polliated female flower started to set fruit after 2-5 d. Upolliated flowers dried up completel after 5 d. The polliator species were hoe bees (Apis mellifera ad Apis ceraa), stigless bees (Trigoa spp.) ad Halictus spp. The foragig period schroized with athesis, ad peaked at 0700-0800 h. Fruit set i isect polliated (78%) ad hadpolliated (80%) flowers did ot sigificatl var. Likewise, there was o sigificat differece i fruit weight, legth, diameter ad umber of seeds betwee both methods. Flowers that were ot visited b polliators did ot set fruit. " the plat propagates ol b seed ad is frequetl grow as a crop." [o reproductio b vegetative fragmetatio] "Flowerig ca begi 30 to 35 das after platig ad fruits mature 15 to 20 das later (Purseglove 1968)." "Seeds are brow, 1 to 1.5 cm log, ad oval with flatteed arils." [o evidece, ad ulikel with relativel large fruits ad seeds] "The most widespread use of M. charatia is as a vegetable ad occasioall as a orametal." 703 2010. WRA Specialist. Persoal Commuicatio. No evidece that relativel large seeds have become a cotamiat of produce Prit Date: 7/7/2010 Momordica charatia (Cucurbitaceae) Page 5 of 6
704 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 705 2010. WRA Specialist. Persoal Commuicatio. No evidece of water dispersal 706 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 707 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 708 1997. Holm, L.G.. World weeds: atural histories ad distributio. Joh Wile ad Sos, Ic., New 801 2001. Doijode, S.J.. Seed storage of horticultural crops. Food Product Press, Ic., Bighamto, NY 802 2001. Doijode, S.J.. Seed storage of horticultural crops. Food Product Press, Ic., Bighamto, NY 802 2008. Liu, K./Eastwood, R. J./Fl, S./Turer, R. M./Stupp, W. H.. Seed Iformatio Database (release 7.1, Ma 2008). http://www.kew.org/data/sid 803 1967. Morto, J.F.. The balsam pear - a edible, medicial ad toxic plat. Ecoomic Bota. 21 (1): 57-68. "fruit a orage to orage-ellow, pedulous, egg-shaped berr covered with small warts, 2 to 7 cm log i wild forms, to 30 cm i cultivated forms...seeds light brow to black, embedded i stick, moist, crimso pulp (aril), 5 to 9 mm log, 2.5 to 6 mm wide with ridged or pitted surface ad thick ragged margi as though carved." [fruits ad seeds without a adaptatios for wid dispersal] "fruit a orage to orage-ellow, pedulous, egg-shaped berr covered with small warts, 2 to 7 cm log i wild forms, to 30 cm i cultivated forms The bright red aril which surrouds the seed ma attract birds ad mammals which the eat ad disperse the seeds (Ridle)." fruit a "pedulous, egg-shaped berr covered with small warts, 2 to 7 cm log i wild forms, to 30 cm i cultivated forms" [o evidece, ad o meas of exteral attachmet] "The bright red aril which surrouds the seed ma attract birds ad mammals which the eat ad disperse the seeds (Ridle)." "Seeds are brow, 1 to 1.5 cm log, ad oval with flatteed arils." [o evidece that seed desities exceed 1000/m2] "Bitter gourd seeds remai viable for two to three ears at room temperature." [but viabilit from field coditios ukow] "Seeds kept i dr storage maitaied 70 to 80% germiatio for 6 mo, 60 to 70% for 8 to 12 mo, ad 20 to 30% for 24 mo (Doll et al. 1976)." "Spraig with 2,4-D (500 ppm.) kills the vie ad its roots, but seedligs ma sprig up ad completel shroud the trees aew withi three to four weeks uless spraig is repeated." 804 2010. WRA Specialist. Persoal Commuicatio. Ukow if M. charatia tolerates, or beefits from, mutilatio, cultivatio, or fire 805 2010. WRA Specialist. Persoal Commuicatio. Ukow if a effective atural eemies are preset locall [widespread i Hawaii, but pest of Cucurbitaceae are also preset] Prit Date: 7/7/2010 Momordica charatia (Cucurbitaceae) Page 6 of 6