Dhaka, June 11 – Melon is a fruit of the country which is cooked as a raw curry and can be eaten like other normal fruits. The people of the village are quite familiar with it as “Bangi”. Green Bangi curry is a different taste, but to eat ripe Bangi need molasses or sugar. As the country’s traditional Bangi or Melon is not sweet to taste, so the need for molasses or sugar. But the idea has changed recently by Prof. Monzur Hossain, director of Institute of Biological Sciences (IBSC) at the Rajshahi University (RU).
He discovered a new variety of melon that is quite sweetened and not cracking before it is ripening. This new type named as “Sonali Bangi” or “Golden Melon” as it the colour of the body is golden. Prof. Monzur has invented such melon in Bangladesh firstly after an eight years long research effort.
Behind the innovation of such fruit in BD side Prof. Monzur narrated that the native melon does not have the sweetness. As the suggestion of a Japanese friend, I took the initiative to cultivate the sweet melon in Bangladesh after brought out two special species’ of “Ragbi” and “Mascamelan” from Japan.
RU teacher had tried several times to cultivate Japanese melon experimentally in eight years, but due to unsuitable soil and weather, the Japanese seeds damaged every time. Since then, he was started researching for the development of sweet-rooted melon in Bangladesh. After a long eight years of relentless research, he was successful in inventing sweet melon which is “Golden Melon” today.
The fruit is known in different parts of the country as Kharamuz, Futei, and Kankar etc. However, this summer fruit is not sweet to taste, and it goes to break when it gets mature.
Prof. Monzur said, “With the introduction of twice local Bangi genes and two others Japanese species’, twice special varieties of melons have been invented”.
Such as Japanese “Ragbi” species with a local gene have been jointly invented “Golden Melon”. Besides, Japanese “Mascamelan” species and local melon gene have also invented another new variety of melon which has not yet been named.
This sweet tasted new melon is named as “Golden Melon”, as its outside colour is golden. Firstly, the fruit is dark green, but the increase of the shape and size, its colour changes into the golden colour.
During the small phase, it looks like a Malta or Orange while in full bloom its shape becomes like a small pumpkin. Each melon becomes half to one kg in weight. And it contains lots of calories, vitamin-A, and iron.
RU scientist Dr Monzur has cultivated this fruit into three-acre land in his home at Padma Residential area of the Rajshahi city.
About the technique of cultivating` “Golden Melon” Prof. Monzur Said,
its cultivation procedure is little different than the traditional ones. Although the melons can be cultivated directly in the land, it is necessary to keep such fruits by climbing 4 to 5 feet above from
the soil on the earth. No need extra soil for cultivation. The common melons on which the soil is cultivated, the soil will continue.
The cost of cultivation is slightly more than the ordinary melons while TK 15 to 20 thousand will cost to cultivate this per bigha.
Professor Manjur Hossain is hopeful that the farmers will be benefited by the production of ‘golden bangi’, as well as foreign currencies will be achieved through export in abroad. He said, “Many people could not imagine how sweet the melon could be. I started working on the
advice of Japanese Kato Sokki earlier.
Due to long research, I have been able to invent this sweet melon after eight years. I believe Bangladesh will be able to earn a lot of foreign currencies through this product in the near future. – Staff Reporter
