Sodicity is a major abiotic stress reducing the yield of a wide variety of crops all over the world. To investigate the mithipagal genotypes to the sodicity tolerance a study was taken up with 30 mithipagal genotypes. MCM-19 (Naduvakurichi local) maintained higher levels of chlorophyll and proline contents as well as catalase and peroxidase activities, ascorbic acid content, No. of female flowers and fruit yield under sodic soil condition followed by MCM-22 (Puthiyamputhur local) and MCM-21 (Arupukottai local). Abstract Genetic diversity and utilization of cultivated bitter gourd (Momordica charantia var. muricata) germplasm for varietal development S. Priyadharshini, K. Kumanan and A. Nithya Devi Vegetable Research Station, TNAU, Palur, Tamil Nadu – 607 102 Objectives • To estimate the extent of variability among the mithipagal genotypes for yield and quality under sodic soil condition. • Investigation of biochemical basis of tolerance in momordica sp. Introduction Materials and Methods Result and Discussion Conclusion Acknowledgment Keling, H., Zhang, L., Jitao, W., and Yang, Y. 2013. Inﬂuence of selenium on growth, lipid peroxidation and antioxidative enzyme activity in melon (Cucumis melo L.) seedlings under salt stress. Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae, 82(3):193. Seckin, B., Turkan, I., Sekmen, A. H. and Ozfidan, C. 2010. The role of antioxidant defense systems at differential salt tolerance of Hordeum marinum Huds.(sea barleygrass) and Hordeum vulgare (cultivated barley). Environmental and Experimental Botany, 69(1), 76-85. • Mithipagal (Momordica charantia var. muricata) • Small (6-10 cm length) and round shaped fruit • Traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes • Sodic soils - presence of excess Na+ and a high concentration of carbonate or bicarbonate anions. High pH (> 8.5–10.8), High SAR, and poor soil structure. • Genetic diversity in momordica species - key to successful breeding programme for obtaining variety with abiotic stress. • Location : HC &RI (W), Trichy • Genotypes : 30 Nos. • Spacing: 2 x1.5 m • Design: RBD • Replications: 3 • Field is sodic, sandy loam texture, with a pH of 9.00, EC 0.94 dSm-1 and ESP 21.76 per cent • Growth, Yield, quality and biochemical characters. • Increased antioxidant enzyme, catalase and peroxidase activity, chlorophyll content and proline content in mithipagal genotypes could be some of the physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying sodicity tolerance in mithipagal genotypes. • On the basis of biochemical assays, MCM-19 (Naduvakurichi local), MCM-22 (Puthiyamputhur local) and MCM-21(Arupukottai local) showed a higher tolerance to sodicity. These genotypes may be utilized as source for hybridization programme for crop improvement. HGR P57 • MCM-19 exhibited superior expression on vine length (3.44 m), sex ratio (10.95:1), number of fruits per vine (78.33), fruit weight (9.08 g), yield per vine (0.717 Kg) followed by MCM-22 and MCM-21. • MCM-19 (Naduvakurichi local) maintained higher levels of chlorophyll (2.893 mg/g) and proline (650.42 µg g-1) contents as well as catalase (8.61 µg of H2O2 g-1 min-1) and peroxidase (0.082 ΔOD min-1 g-1) activities under sodic soil condition. References Fig 1. Variability in fruit character of mithipagal genotypes (MCM-19, MCM-22 & MCM 21) Field view of experimental field Variability in flower character