1. Choose bitter gourd with complete epidermis, no pests and diseases, and 70-80% maturity to reduce the chance of ethylene release and the after-ripening rate.

2. It is best to wrap it with paper or plastic wrap, which can reduce the water loss on the surface of bitter gourd and avoid the tender bitter gourd from being scratched and damaging the quality.

3. It can be stored in the cold storage with the temperature of 12 ~ 13℃ and the relative humidity of about 85% for a long time. When the bitter gourd ripens below 10℃, it will release ethylene, and it will accelerate the after-ripening, resulting in chilling injury, that is, the surface will appear concave, and then it will be infected and ulcerated.

Extended data:

Bitter gourd is native to the tropics and requires high temperature, heat resistance and cold resistance. But after long-term cultivation and selection, it has strong adaptability and can adapt to 10-35℃.

Bitter gourd is a short-day crop, which prefers light to shade. Spring sowing bitter gourd often encounters low temperature, rainy weather and insufficient light, which makes seedlings grow white, leaves yellow, stems and vines sparse, and requires strong light when flowering and fruiting. Sufficient light is beneficial to photosynthesis, accumulating more organic nutrients, increasing fruit setting rate, increasing yield and improving quality.

Bitter gourd has low requirements on soil and wide adaptability, and can be planted all over the country. Generally, it grows well and has high yield on fertile and loose soil with strong moisture retention and fertility.