臺灣苦瓜產業發展

Development of Bitter Gourd Industry in Taiwan

苦瓜（Momordica charantia L.）為葫蘆科（Cucurbitaceae）一年生植物，是臺灣地區重要的瓜果類蔬菜，主要的產地按栽培面積多寡依序為屏東、彰化、臺中、高雄及嘉義。依據農業統計年報資料，全臺種植面積由1990年的2,270公頃，至2002年增加為3,098公頃。但2003年降為1,994公頃，到2009年期間維持在1,700至1,900公頃。年總產量介於29,000到36,000公噸之間，而單位面積產量自1995年起維持在16公噸／公頃以上。苦瓜品種的發展方面，早期苦瓜種類以白皮種為主，多由農民自行留種。而近年由於試驗研究單位及種苗業者積極開發一代雜交品種，使臺灣的苦瓜在品質有長足進步，且在品種上有更多樣性的選擇。在栽培技術上，國內苦瓜栽培從露地匍匐栽培，至今多數利用棚架設施栽培，並配合穴盤育苗、嫁接、套袋等栽培技術，使苦瓜品質及產量更加穩定。除品種及栽培技術的發展之外，近年來健康食品盛行，苦瓜被發現具有多項保健機能性成分與功效，其功效陸續從實驗室及動物試驗中獲得證實。目前受到相關研究領域及業界的重視，且積極投入研究，為苦瓜產業未來最具潛力的發展方向之一。 This research aimed to set up closed-typed plant factory for pesticide free and low nitrate content crisphead lettuce, in the hope of decreasing lettuce imports to Taiwan during summer. Ten commercial cultivars of crisphead lettuce were used as materials and in accordance with the performance of germination rate, average germination day and seedling, 'Changli-No.6' was preferred and selected as the material for the subsequent cultivation management experiments and subjected to analyses of fresh weight, firmness, total soluble solid content and nitrate content of leaf head. Results demonstrated that, from the energy conservation point of view, 'Changli-No.6' crisphead lettuce was put forward to be hydroponic cultivated with Lee nutrient formula under EC 1.2 mS．cm^(-1), light intensity 150 μmol．m^(-2)．s^(-1), photoperiod 11 h /13 h and day/night temperatures 20℃/15℃ in the closed type plant factory. In the eleventh week after sowing, the highest fresh weight (398.6 g), better total soluble solid content (4.85°Brix) and firmness (23.7 N), and lower nitrate content (629.3 μg．g^(-1)) of leaf head could be attained.