Artificial Pollination of Pointed Gourds in West Bengal

Pollination has been severely affected by pollinating insects in Pointed gourds and spine gourds . Huge spray of pesticides has destroyed them. More over, farmers do not maintain 10 female is to one male pointed gourd plant. Dhapa variety of pointed gourd does not require artificial pollination in general. Farmers start pollinating from 6 am and continue up to 8 am. They use pink flower dye made out of petals of Mirabilis jalapa ( Sandhya malati in Bangla) to mark the pollinated female flower. Some times pointed gourd leaves are used to make green natural dye for the same purpose.We need to use organic pesticides and grow more no. of male plants ( 10 female : 1 male plant) and use organic matter ion the soil.