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Luffa
cylindrica
- an emerging cash crop
I. O. Oboh1 and E. O. Aluyor2*
1Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom
State, Nigeria.
2Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Benin, Benin City,
Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
eoaluyor@yahoo.com.
Tel.: +2348023350667 or +2348055657745.
Accepted 22 June, 2009 |
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Sponge-gourds, the fruit of Luffa cylindrica, are
widely used throughout the world. It is an annual climbing
crop which produces fruit containing fibrous vascular
system. It is a summer season vegetable. At the moment, from
the results of studies carried out on this wonder crop, it
encourages the commercial cultivation of the crop because of
its increasing economic importance. The objective of this
review is to show the potentialities of this crop that is
virtually found around the globe. Areas such as agriculture,
medicine, science, engineering and biotechnology will be
discussed. Recent major advances and discoveries will be
considered.
Key words:
Luffa cylindrica, cultivation, crop, commercial,
agriculture. |
