COURGETTES
Dark green or light green
Fresh and naturally tasty, courgettes – a species of the cucurbitaceae family – is confirmed as the spokesperson for a healthy and balanced Mediterranean diet.
The peel, the scent and the different flavour nuances of this fruit rich in antioxidants vary according to the characteristics of the different types.
Dark or light green courgette, with or without striated skin, courgette with or without flower – the choice is just a matter of taste!
DIET ALLIES
Courgettes have a very low calorie intake and a high water content.
They contain vitamins, minerals and folic acid.
NAME
TREND
VARIETY
CULTIVATION METHODS
HARVESTING
STORAGE
NAME
Courgette: Cucurbita pepo L.
TREND
For more than a decade, Italy has been producing more than 500,000 tons of courgettes, 3/4 of which in the middle of the area and the rest in the greenhouse.°
VARIETY
In Italy, the varieties of courgette are characterized according to the types of fruit (peponide).
- Roman, characterized by cylindrical peponides, of green colour, with ribs of lighter shades and persistent flower; it is harvested when it reaches a length of 18-20 cm
- Bolognese, generally are the courgettes of early cycle, with fruits of small caliber, of club form and epidermis of pale green-white colour;
- Milanese, has fruits of cylindrical shape, harvested at length 18-20 cm, with green epidermis;
- Genoese, are characterized by the good precocity of the cycle and the cylindrical fruits are persistent flowering, with smooth epidermis of variable color from light green to grey;
- Florentine, is recognizable for the fruits of cylindrical shape and ribbed with persistent flowers. Light green epidermis with intense longitudinal streaks;
- Round, is the traditional Italian typology, with varieties and local ecotypes widespread in the past such as the Nice Light Round and the Piacenza Round.
The types of courgettes we grow are:
- Dark courgette
- Roman courgette
- Courgette flowers
CULTIVATION METHODS
Courgettes find ideal conditions for cultivation in areas characterized by warm temperate climates.
The biological minimums are around the 10 °C; above the 35 °C, the physiological activity of the plant ceases and the risk of floral clumps and the incidence of deformed product increases considerably. Medium-textured, fresh, well-draining, fertile soils with pH between 5.5 and 7 are preferable for cultivation. To avoid damage from pathogens, it is advisable to avoid the return of the crop on the same plot.
HARVESTING
At harvesting, the length and commercial size of the peponides vary according to the type of fruit, the variety and the target market; this operation can be performed with the help of a knife, leaving on the fruit a peduncle of 2-3 cm. The harvest time is established in relation to the colour and the development of the fruit.
STORAGE
The preservation of courgettes varies according to storage temperatures and humidity. For the green fruit type, the quality remains optimal with a storage of no more than 10 days at temperatures of 10-12 °C and RH above 90%.
Netted Melon
Smooth Melons
Canary Melon
Midi Watermelon
