The postharvest commodities of cucurbits vegetables includes pre and post-harvest practices, their harvesting, handling, packaging, storage, distribution, marketing, etc. Horticulture produce is highly perishable, with postharvest losses ranging from 15 to 35 percent at various points along the supply chain from harvest to marketing. The results revealed that fresh cucumber lost some of its quality attributes as early as immediately after harvesting. At firmness of 15.68 N, the loss was equivalent to 13.68 units. The marketability and the nutritional value of infected pumpkin are highly reduced and they are usually being thrown away as useless. So, to get well acquainted with post-harvest techniques such as harvesting, storage, handling, processing, packaging, transportation and marketing of cucurbitaceous vegetables this presentation slide will help to obtain some knowledge related to Cucurbits Crops. In this presentation, mainly focuses on the maturity index, way of harvesting, cleaning, storage, value addition product of various Cucurbits Crops.

1. Prepared by:
Awis Pant
IAAS Lamjung Campus
6th Semester
Department of Horticulture
Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science
(IAAS)
Lamjung Campus

2. Introduction
• The cultivated species of the Cucurbitaceae or gourd family are collectively called cucurbits.
• Major cultivated cucurbit crops of significant economic importance include :
Cucumber
(Cucumis sativa)
• Japanese long green,
Bhaktapur local,
Kushale etc
Pumpkin
(Cucurbita pepo )
• Madale farsi,Jante
farsi,Co-1, Co-2, Sonar
etc.
Watermelon
(Citrullus lanatus)
• Asahi Yamato, Sugar
baby etc.

3. Bottle Gourd
(Lagenaria seceraria)
• Arka Bahar, Pusa Hybrid
3, Pusa Sandesh etc
Bitter Gourd
(Momordica charanita)
• Hariyo Karela, Pusa Do
Mausami, Pali, Pipal etc
Sponge Gourd
(Luffa cylindrical )
• Pusa chillo, Kantipur,
Kathmandu local, New
Narayani , NS 444, Gita
etc

4. Squash
(Cucurbita pepo)
• Grey zucchini, Black
zucchini, Black beauty
etc.
Pointed Gourd
(Trichosanthes dioica)
• White line strip long fruits
type, Green long fruits,
Green round white strips.
Snake Gourd
(Trichosanthes cucumerina)
• Native to India
• (Ayurveda), tasty &
healthy treat.

5. World Cucurbits Production
de
Dom
ain
Area
Cod
e
(FAO
) Area
Ele
men
t
Cod
e
Ele
men
t
Item
Cod
e
(FAO
) Item
Year
Cod
e Year Unit
Valu
e Flag
Flag
Desc
ripti
on
Cucurbits Crops Area(ha) Production
(1000tons)
Yield(kg/ha)
Cucumber 2231402 87805 393497
Pumpkin, Squash &
gourd
1539023 22900 148801
Watermelon 3084217 10041 325577
Source: FAO 2019

6. Cucurbits Producing Countries
Cucurbit Rank
1 2 3 4 5
Cucumber China Turkey Iran United
State
Japan
Pumpkin, squash, gourd China India Ukraine Egypt Mexico
Watermelon China Turkey Iran United
State
Egypt
Source: FAO 2019

7. Table: Nepal Cucurbits Production
Commodity(Cucurbits) Area(ha) Production(mt) Yield(mt/ha)
Cucumber 10,812 172,566 15.96
Pumpkin 7941 123,653 15.57
Squash 1838 28,663 15
Bitter Gourd 10,693 158,885 14.85
Pointed Gourd 3363 46,385 14
Sponge Gourd 7214 98,490 13.80
Ridge Gourd 1,037 12,593 12.41
Bottle Gourd 8,799 137,155 15.59
Source: MoAld 2018

8. • It includes harvesting, handling, packaging, storage,
distribution, marketing, etc.
• In developing countries postharvest diseases destroy
10-30% of the total yield of crops. (Kader AA, 2002)
• The results revealed that fresh cucumber lost some of
its quality attributes as early as immediately after
harvesting, for overall quality 46.5% of loss was due to
temperature and 11.5% due equally to light and
humidity (Patrick Cortbaoui, 2015)
Post Harvest

9. Objectives
1
To get well acquainted with
post-harvest techniques such
as harvesting, storage,
handling, processing,
packaging, transportation and
marketing of cucurbitaceous
vegetables.
2
To be more familiar with
the value addition
technologies and
processing of
cucurbitaceous vegetables.

10. Maturity Index of Cucurbits Crops
Cucumber Pumpkins Watermelon
Bottle
Gourd
Squash
• Fruit are harvested at a
slightly immature stage, near
full size but before seeds fully
enlarge and harden.
• It should be harvested before
the fruit turns yellow. If it is
over matured it tastes bitter.
• At proper harvest maturity, a
jellylike material has begun to
form in the seed cavity.
• When thumbing with fingers,
dull sounds indicates the
maturity while metallic
sounds indicates immaturity.
• Withering of tendril of fruit
axil indicates the maturity of
the fruit.
• Rind becomes hard as well as
ground touches part of the
fruits, if yellowing indicates
the sign of the fruit maturity.
• Pumpkin fruit are fully mature
and ready for harvest about 3
months after planting.
• The rind of mature pumpkins
has a dull waxy appearance.
• The rind becomes very hard
the fruit becomes dense and
heavy.
• On maturity, color of pumpkin
fruits changes from green to
yellow, orange yellow or straw
colored.
• Squash melon fruits attain
marketable maturity 60-70
days after sowing and 1
week after fruit setting.
• The fruit has generally
reached the maximum size
for a variety, color and
firmness of peduncle and
appearance of powdery,
whitish substance on the
surface of the fruit.

11. Bitter Gourd Sponge Gourd Squash
Maturity Index of Cucurbits Crops
Bottle Gourd Bitter Gourd Sponge /Ridge Gourd Snake Gourd
• Fruits should be light
green, 30-35 cm long,
tender with little
pubescence(hairy growth)
persisting on the skin.
• In bottle gourds,
tenderness is judged by
pressing the fruit skin with
finger nail which easily
penetrates the epidermis.
• 15 to 20 days after fruit set. It
should be harvested before
ripening.
• When the fruits are ready for
harvest, their spines will
become less pointy. The ends
of spines will get round. This
is the best time to harvest
them.
• The crop is ready for harvest
in about 60-90 days after and
5-7 days after anthesis of the
female flower but still tender.
• Tenderness of fruits is judged
by their bright green color and
notching of fruit skin with
thumbnails. The over-mature
fruits develop purgative
chemicals, become fibrous
and are unfit for consumption.
• 15 to 20 days after fruit set.
• Fruits should be light
green, thick, juicy and seed
soft and white.
• If the fruit remains long on
the vine, it will turns
spongy, sour, yellow or
orange and splits open.

12. Harvesting Method
Improper picking can lead to serious post-harvest losses.
We must consider many factors during harvest which are given below:
• Minimization of mechanical injury.
• Avoid if high temperature.
• Harvest in dry weather.
Mechanical
Harvest
Manually
Harvest
• Harvesting is done by
manually with people.
• This is carried out by the
use of with nipper,
clipper, scissors, pruner
and knife.
• Harvesting is done by
machines.
• Machines such as
Melonator, pumpkin
harvester and
watermelon harvester
are also being used.

13. Harvesting Method in Cucurbits Crops
Cucumber Pumpkin Watermelon Squash
• Slicing cucumbers are
harvested manually, whereas
pickling cucumbers are
harvested mechanically also.
• Easiest way to do this is to cut
the cucumber off the vine with
a sharp knife or scissors.
• When you pick cucumbers,
leave a small, one-inch section
of stem attached to the
cucumber.
• Cut pumpkins from the vine
with a sharp knife or garden
loppers.
• Leave a stub attached to the
fruit to ensure better
keeping quality and
reduction of water loss.
• Pumpkin harvester can also
be used in large commercial
farm.
• To harvest squash, cut the fruit
from vine using sharp, clean
pruners.
• Leave 2 to 4 inches of stem.
The stem protects the squash
from rot and pests and will
help it last longer in storage.
• Avoid pulling fruit to prevent
removal of stem end and
damage of plant and fruit for
subsequent harvest.
• Watermelons will be
ready to harvest 65 to 90
days after sowing
depending on the variety.
• Use a sharp knife or
garden pruner to cut the
watermelon away from
the vine.
• Mechanical as well as
manually harvest can be
done.

14. Sponge Gourd Bitter Gourd
Bottle Gourd
• Harvesting is done
manually with the help
of nipper or knife.
• Generally, they are
harvested 70-80 days
after sowing in its tender
stage.
• Picking should be done
at the interval of 3-4
days.
• Bitter gourds are
harvested 55-60 days
after sowing when they
are 4-5 inches in length
and of dark green colour.
• Picking should be done
at an interval of 2-3 days
with a sharp knife.
Pointed Gourd
Harvesting Method of Gourd
• Plucking of individual
fruits is done with sharp
knives by keeping a small
part of fruit stalk along
with fruit.
• Picking is done at 2-3 days
intervals.
• Harvesting is done early
in the morning or late in
the evening
• In optimum conditions,
pointed gourd vines begin
to fruit in approximate 90-
120 days after planting.
• Use a sickle or handpick
the fruits.
• Harvest when they are
green and young.

15. Hydro
Cooling
Forced
Cooling
Pre-Cooling
• Pre-cooling refers to the rapid removal of field heat shortly after the harvest of a crop.
• It is the process or technique of arresting the ripening of fruits and vegetables after harvesting by
immersion in cold water.
• The main advantage of this group is that water can be easily available but also the main challenges pure
and sanitized water is not available everywhere.
Top icing
Cooling
• Commodity is put into a cold (refrigerated) room.
• The main advantage of this group is that very energy efficient if designed properly.
• The main challenges is very slow and Produce/ commodity has to be stacked properly so that the cold air can
flow through the stacks.
• A fan is used to drive air through packed produce within a refrigerated room. The usage of the fan increases
the cooling rate compared to basic room cooling.
• The main advantage of this group is that faster than room cooling whereas the main challenges is time
required for cooling depends on air temperature.
• Ice is used to remove heat from fresh produce.
• The main advantages if packages are too dense to be cooled with air.
• The main challenges of this method is, this method is not suitable which is very sensitive to ice cold temperature.
Room
Cooling

16. v
Hydro Cooling
Forced Cooling
Room Cooling
Pre-Cooling in Cucurbits
Hydro
Cooling
Force
Cooling
Room
Cooling
Ice
Cooling
• Cucumber
• Summer Squash
• Pumpkin
• Watermelon
• Winter squash
• Summer Squash
• Muskmelon • Muskmelon
Top icing
cooling

17. Packaging of Cucurbits Crops:
• Packages must be selected for strength, cooling method, end market and
cost (Sargent, S.A., 2003)
• Cartons, returnable plastic containers and clamshell containers provide
better protection from mechanical injury than plastic sleeves and plastic,
overwrapped trays.
• Corrugated cartons are often coated with paraffin wax in North America
to protect against moisture absorption and collapse during hydro-cooling
or shipping.
Returnable Plastic
Container
Clamshell Container
• For hydro-cooling or ice cooling the container must be water-resistant
and permit drainage.
• Several of these design features have been incorporated into returnable
plastic containers (RPCs), contributing to increased adoption worldwide.
• Clamshell has become very popular in that this container protects the
product while modulating internal relative humidity with vent openings.
Corrugated cartons
coated with wax

18. Transportation
Cucumber
• Cucumbers are usually room cooled or cooled in a
refrigerated truck..
• Cucumber are packed carefully in bamboo baskets or
plastic/wooden crates if they are transported in distant
market.
Watermelon
• Fruits are carefully packed in bamboo baskets, wooden
boxes or plastic crates with proper shape to prevent injuries.
• It is transported in mini trucks, delivery van, trucks as well as
on the roofs of the public buses.
Watermelon
Pumpkins/
Squash
• Watermelon does best when kept between 45 to 50°F with a
relative humidity of 85 to 95 %
• These ranges are for storage and transportation, which means
that a refrigerated truck would be your best method for freight
shipping the watermelons.

19. Sponge Gourd
Bottle Gourd
Bitter Gourd
• The harvested fruit cannot be kept for long time and
should be transported as soon as possible to the market.
• The fruits are packaged carefully in bamboo baskets or
wooden boxes, and are transported to the market.
• The fruits are packed carefully in polythene bags, bamboo
baskets or plastic crates and are transported by delivery
van, mini trucks etc to the market.
• The fruits are packed in corrugated cartons with proper
padding to prevent injury in transit.
• The fruits are transported in local and distant market by
delivery van, mini truck.

20. Cucurbits commodities
Storage
Temperature
(°)
Relative
Humidity
(%)
Expected
Storage Life
Atmosphere (%)
Oxygen Carbon
Dioxide
Pumpkin Whole- 10°C
Fresh cut- 0°C
50-70%
50-70%
2-3 months
2-3 months
NA
2%
NA
15%
Cucumber
 Slicing cucumber
 Pickling
10-12°C
3-5°C
95%
95%
14 days
7 days
1-4%
3%
0
5%
Watermelon
Whole- 10-15°C 90% 14-21 days Not recomm
Fresh cut- 3°C 90% 15 days 5% 10%
Squashes
 Summer
Whole- 5-10 °C 95% 14 days Not recomm NA
Fresh cut- 5°C 100% 14days 0.25-1% 0%
STORAGE OF CUCURBITS COMMODITIES

21. Winter Squash 10°C 50-70% 1-3 months 7% 15%
Bitter Gourd 10-12°C 85-90% 2-3 weeks NA NA
Sponge Gourd 10-12°C 90-95% 2 weeks NA NA
Snake Gourd 15-18°C 90-95% 2-3 weeks NA
Cucurbits commodities
Storage
Temperature
(°)
Relative
Humidity
(%)
Expected
Storage Life
Atmosphere (%)
Oxygen Carbon
Dioxide
Source : (Debbie Rees, 2012)

22. Cleaning
• Soil in the ground spot area or other surface stains should
be wiped off at the time of harvest with a soft cloth or
cotton gloves.
• If washing is required to remove excess soil or to enhance
the appearance for a particular market, the wash water
should be clean and properly sanitized with 150 ppm
hypochlorous acid (bleach) maintained at a pH of 6.5. This
is equal to 3 litres of bleach per 100 litres of water.
• Subjecting the pumpkin to a cold-water drip for about 4-6
hours will also help maintain the quality of the fruit

23. Grading of Cucurbits
Cucumber
Pumpkins
Watermelon
• Slicing cucumber quality is primarily based on size,
uniformity of shape, firmness, and skin colour.
• Small, Medium and Large pumpkins
• Sweetness, Size , Color
• Freedom from rotscars, sunburn or other
surface defects.

24. S
Grading of Cucurbits
Bitter Gourd
Bottle Gourd
Sponge/
Pointed Gourd
• Grading is mainly done based on shape, size,
uniformity of green surface colour
• Bottle Gourd can be graded as it has a
smooth skin, is pale green in colour.
• Graded based on their size and shape and
should be quality for the market supply.

25. Value
Addition
Product
Cucumber
• They can be used as the canned product
after adding different spices, different
types of pickle can be made.
• Dried cucumber(135°F at 12 hrs)
Pumpkins
• Pumpkin Seed Oil, Pumpkins Sauce
Pumpkin halwa, pumpkin ice cream, jam,
sweets, pumpkin soup etc.
Watermelon
• pickles, fruity, and cheese were prepared using the
white portion of watermelon rind
• While the canned juice, jelly and jams from inner
part.
Sponge Gourd
• cleaning utensils, more hygienic than the plastic sponge
• used as air filters, packing material, marine steam engine filters,

26. Value
Addition
Product
Squash
• Various product can be
prepared from Squash like
Squash Maja, Squash Jelly,
Squash Macaroons, and Squash
Corn Chips etc.
Snake Gourd
• Snake-Gourd juice, Snake-Gourd
Moong Dal Curry, Snake-Gourd
Salad Snake-Gourd Rings etc.
Bottle Gourd
• fruity, sweet pickle, hot pickle
halwa and curries.
• seeds are candied or roasted
for consumption
Bitter Gourd
• Pickles
• Dry bitter Gourd

27. Summary and Conclusion
01
02
03
The post-harvest handling practices like harvesting, pre-cooling,
cleaning, sorting and grading, packaging, storage and transportation
played an important role in maintaining quality and shelf life of
cucurbits after harvest
Shelf life of fruits can also be extended when appropriate post-harvest
handling practices and treatment method are followed. Post-harvest
handling practices have also huge influence on consumers demand
If we failed to apply these post-harvest practices, there is more
chance of losses of fruits after harvest.