Morphological characterization, genetic variability, and yield potential in spine gourd (Momordica dioica Roxb.): A comprehensive review

Abstract

​Spine gourd (Momordica dioica Roxb.), also known as Kakrol or Kartoli, is a dioecious, perennial crop of significant nutritional and medicinal value. despite its economic potential, the crop remains underutilized with limited standardized varieties. This review synthesizes findings from recent studies regarding the morphological characterization, genetic variability, and yield attributes of various spine gourd genotypes. The analysis reveals a high degree of morphological diversity in vine, leaf, and fruit characteristics. Furthermore, statistical evaluations of genetic parameters indicate high heritability and genetic gain for traits such as fruit length and total number of harvests, suggesting strong potential for improvement through selection breeding.