There is an absence of specific pollinating agents so natural self-pollination is not possible, hence artificial pollination is carried out by hand with the help of bamboo splinter, sharpened toothpick or a stiff grass.
The ideal time for pollinating is in the early morning period between 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. and it is preferred to pollinate only the first formed 7-10 flowers on the lower side of the inflorescence. It is recommended to take 5-6 flowers per inflorescence and not more than 10 to 12 inflorescence per vine for pollination. The pods take 6 weeks to attain full size from fertilisation but 4 to 10 months for reaching full maturity depending upon the climatic conditions.
