MENÙ:

Alessandria

  Typical Products

Cow Sausage

Red turnip of Castellazzo B.da

Scorzanera of Castellazzo B.da

Pumpkin of Castellazzo B.da

Valenza

Casale M.to

Ovada

Novi Ligure

Tortona

Acqui Terme

Home page/Alessandria/Typical Products/Pumpkin of Castellazzo Bormida

PUMPKIN OF CASTELLAZZO BORMIDA

The pumkin is a herbaceous plant with a crawling stalk pertaining to the family of the cucurbitaceae, original of the Central America and cultivated in Italy since the XVI century. The species that have an alimentary interest is the Cucurbita maxima and the moschata Cucurbita. The cultivation of the pumpkins are much diffused on household gardens and, in some cases, they assume dimensions o a specialistic culture. The pumpkins have a summer cycle and the seeding is carried out directly on field in April/May.

The density is of 0.3-0.5 plants on a square meter, with seeds at 1.5 to 2 meters between the rows and 1 to 1.5 meters along the row. The optimal lands for the cultivation of the pumkins are the cool ones, with good water drainage and pH between 6 and 7.5. The fertilization is done according to the quality of the land with animal fertilizer, when available, at 300 to 400 q/ha and chemical fertilizers of 100 to 200 kg/ha of nitrogen, 50-80kg/ha of phosphorus and 120-150 kg/ha of potassius. Checking the infesting is difficult and is carried out with mechanical instruments and chemical system to take off the grass. In order to improve the uniformity in the size of the fruits, three to four fruits per plant are left. The most important parasites are the aphids, responsibles for the spread of the virus of the mosaic of the pumpkin, and the peronospora.

The respect of a turn-over, at least of 3 years, is useful in order to hold under control the parasitic problems and no chemical add-on is needed. Where necessary, specific insecticides against the aphids are used, with copper-based products and sulfur for the control of peronospora and oidio. In Summer, because of unsufficient rainfall, water is needed to optimize the productivity of the cultivation. The collection of the fruits is carried out in Autumn; the pumpkins must be collected and transported with attention. After the collection, the fruits selected for a long conservation must be stored in fresh and dry rooms; during the conservation, most of the amid is transformed in sugar and improves the organolectic characteristics of the product. From an alimentary point of view, the pumpkin supplies significative amounts of potassius Vitamin A.

Zone of production

The pumpkin is a traditional cultivation of the province of Alessandria and, in particular, it is cultivated in the plain of the Bormida river and in the territory of Castellazzo Bormida, Alessandria, Castelspina, Sezzadio, Casarcemelli, Gamalero.