History and antiquity of cucurbits in India

摘要

Cucurbits are a highly evolutionary group and they are known to be vegetables for human consumption from the remote age of civilization. The ancient Indian civilization was basically dependent upon and intimately related with the forests and flora. Sanskrit prose, scriptures, epics, poetical works like "Vedas", "Upanishads", "Ramayana", "Mahabharata", "Brahmanas", "Puranas", medical treatises, etc. dating back to the ages before Christian era, mention several kinds of cucurbits. Ethnobotany of old world cucurbits reflect their relationship in social and religious life in several ethnic groups. In India, cucurbits present a large spectrum of vegetables of both indigenous and introduced ones (from very early times), adapted to wide ranging climatic conditions and notably indigenous technology of growing cucurbits on river beds got developed. World cultivated taxa consist of 36 species and 18 genera while, in India 18 species and 11 genera are cultivated. India is a home of good number of cucurbits, like cucumber, Luff a gourds, Indian squash (Praecitrullus fistulosus) and ivy gourd (Coccinia indica) having primary gene center and melon and watermelon, having a secondary center of diversification. Others like Trichosanthes, Benincasa, Momordicu. Lagenariu and Cucurbita have wide distribution. Historical evidence though fragmentary, has to be delved from the original texts and manuscripts. Besides, more archaeobotanical studies seem to be necessary.