In the current year, a total of 53 bitter gourd lines were purified, from which 12 inbred lines were selected. 40 hybrid combinations were developed and evaluated during the summer season for heat tolerance, vegetative growth, flowering characteristics, and fruit traits. Among the white-skinned bitter gourd hybrids, three combinations, including 113H34, exhibited superior fruit quality that aligns with Taiwan’s domestic market preferences. Regarding the green-skinned hybrids, 13 combinations (e.g., 113H01) demonstrated excellent performance meeting the requirements of international target markets. Consequently, regional trial planning and testing for these promising elite combinations have been initiated.

▲Fig. 1. Morphological performance of superior bitter gourd hybrids. Combinations 114H01, 114H11, and 114H15 represent elite green-skinned hybrids, while 114H34 and 114H35 represent elite white-skinned hybrids with superior fruit traits.