3. HISTORY
The melon originated in Asia and was known in China
at least 1000 yrs B.C.
It has been cultivated in southern Europe for centuries
and now grows in warm climates, or under glass, all
over the world.
Three main groups of melon varieties can be
distinguished as musk, cantaloupe and winter melon.
Watermelon and Muskmelon are also known as dessert
fruit.
4. INTRODUCTION
Botanically – ‘Pepo’
Family- Cucurbitaceae
Largest group of Summer Season crops.
More then 20 vegetables of this group are grown in
India.
A roundish fruit.
It is a climbing plant.
Hard rind and a sweet flesh and seeds at the center.
Different varieties range in size, shape and color.
It is eaten both as a starter and dessert.
Used in making jams and pickles .
5. USES
1. Vegetables: Bitter gourd, bottle gourd, ridge and
sponge gourds, little gourd, round gourd and
pumpkin are used as vegetables, immature fruits of
muskmelon are also cooked as vegetable only in
some areas.
2 .Salad: excellent salad is made from cucumber and
little gourd.
3. Table Purpose: Muskmelon,watermelon,cucumber.
4. Pickle: cucumber, little gourd and bitter gourd are
used for making pickle.
6. CONT…
5. Medicinal uses: cucumber, watermelon
and muskmelon are having cooling effects.
Bitter gourd is beneficial to diabetic and
person suffering from arthritis and asthma.
Sponge gourd is beneficial for malaria.
7. 6. Other uses:
Water melon is an alternative to drinking water in desert.
Oil from muskmelon seeds can be extracted.
Seed kernels of muskmelon are used in costly sweets and
namkins.
Ripe fruits of pumpkin are made into excellent Halwa.
Melons are good source of vitamins and nutrients.
Melon act as protective food.
8. S. no. Common
name
Botanical
name
Origin Edible
part
2n no.
1 Water
melon
Citrulus
laruinatus
Tropical
Africa
Fruit 22
2 Musk
melon
Cucumis
melo
Tropical
Africa
Fruit 24
3 Round
melon
Citrulus
vulgaris
India Fruit 24
4 Snap melon Cucurmis
melo var.
momordica
India fruit 24
5 Sour melon Cucurmis
melo var.
acidulus
Tropical
Africa
Fruit 24
9. SOIL
The organic farmers primary aim should be to provide
crop & animal nutrition by implementing practices that
nurture the soil, stimulate soil life, & conserve nutrients.
This involve soil health & to supply crop nutrition.
Poorly drained soils should be avoided.
Soil should be ploughed deeply followed by harrowing
& levelling operations so that they leave a smooth.
Comparatively light soils produce early crops.
Muskmelons are slightly tolerant to soil acidity-pH 6.8 to
6.0 whereas watermelons are much tolerant to soil
acidity-pH 6.8.
Almost all cucurbits soil pH 6 to 7.
10. THE ORGANIC SOIL PROCESS GOES THROUGH
THREE CRITICAL STAGES
a) The adjustment phase
The adjustment phase involves developing a system that
reduces crops reliance on artificial chemical.
b) The comfort phase
The comfort phase coincides with an increase in
biological activity
To be careful not to over-fertilizer during this phase.
c) The maintenance phase
Research has shown organic systems have a relatively
long period, Experian a increased in soil nutrient
reserves.
11. CLIMATE
Cucurbits are widely grown throughout tropics & sub-
tropics & arid regions.
Cucumbers are grown under frost free conditions
because it is frost-sensitive but can grow in cold weather
conditions.
Melons require about 25 to 30 c temperature for long
time.
12. MUSKMELON
Varities characters
1.Pusa madhuras A mid season variety, its fruits are roundish flat
weighing a kg or more:skin pale green sparsely
netted with dark green stripes.
2.Pusa rasraj An early maturing hybrid fruits oval rind
greenish yellow smooth and sutureless.
3. Pusa sharbati An early maturing variety its fruits are round
skin netted: flesh salmon-orange, think and
moderately sweet ;seed cavity small,keeping
quality good, suitable for river-bed cultivated
and northen india.
4. Sugar Baby Early maturing, fruit round 2 to 6 kg
5. Durgapur kesar Late maturing, fruit medium sized (4-5 kg
each)
13. WATERMELON
Varities Characters
1.Akra Jyoti It is a mid season F1 hybrid. The plants bear
round fruits wieghing 6-8 kg each.
2.Arka Manik Fruits are somewhat round. Skin colour is
light, green with dull green strips.
3.Asahi yamato It is a japanese introduction with fruits
weighting 6-8 kg each.fruits have striped light
green skin and deep pink, crisp, sweet flesh
with small brown seeds.
4.New hampshire midget This is also an introduction having small
fruits, weighting1.5-2.0kg each. The fruits
have ight green skin with black stripes, red
flesh, suited for home gardens.
5.Pusa bedana It is a seedliss hybrid having aborted embryos
and false, rudimentary, least perceptible
seeds.
15. S. No. Name Time of
planting
Spacing(m) Seed rate
kg/ha)
1 Water
melon
Jan-Feb
April-May
2 x 1.5 5-6
2 Musk
melon
Jan-Feb
April-May
2 x 1-1.5 4-5
TIME OF PLANTING, SPACING & SEED RATE REQUIREMENTS
OF SOME COMMERCIAL MELONS
16. REQUIREMENT OF ORGANIC FERTILIZERS
IN SOME COMMERCIAL MELONS.
S. No Name of crop Nitrogen (kg/ha) Phosphorus
(kg/ha)
Potassium
(kg/ha)
1. Water melon 60-80 40-60 60-80
2. Musk melon 80-100 80-100 100-120
17. Specific nutrients and sources
N -- cover crops (legumes), composts, manures, fish
meal and fish emulsion, feather meal, blood meal
P -- compost, manure, rock phosphate, bone meal
K -- manure, compost (esp. poultry), mined potash,
wood ash.
Mg -- dolomitic lime
Ca -- gypsum, lime, rock phosphates, bone meal,
oyster (etc.) shells
S -- elemental sulfur, gypsum, langbenite
Minor elements -- compost, kelp products, chelates,
“rock dust”
18. IRRIGATION
The frequency of irrigation is very important for
spring-summer crop, while in rainy season,
irrigation may not be necessary at all, if rainfall is
well-distributed from July to September.
Generally, sprouted seeds are sown in spring-
season and adequate moisture has to be
maintained at the time of emergence.
Usually pits, ridges or beds are light irrigated a day
or 2 prior to sowing. The next irrigation is given 4-5
days after planting.
19. CONT…
Crust formation of the soil should be avoided. Irrigation once
in 5-6 days is necessary depending upon soil temperature and
location.
Over irrigation as well as water-stress conditions are harmful
to melons. Under water-stress conditions, weight of root
decreases and streesed plants leach a large amount of amino
acids and sugars from roots into surrounding media.
During recovery. Pitcher irrigation is also an efficient means of
irrigating cucurbit. With some modifications, the pitcher
system of irrigation saves 40% water, reducing soil salinity
compared to the conventional method of irrigation.
20. MULCHING
Mulch is a material placed on the soil surface to
maintain moisture, reduce weed growth, mitigate
soil erosion and improve soil condition.
Yang(1984) observed that plastic mulch was
effective in inhibiting the upward movements of soil
salts, resulting in bitter seedling survival and
improved yields .
The greatest benefit was obtained with black plastic
.
21. INTER CULTURE OPERATION
Weeding :
2 shallow hoeing before spreading of Wines.
Thinning :
10-15 days after sowing. Only 2 seedlings in
each hills.
Dressing :
With nitrogen (25kg/ha) at 30-35 days after
sowing.
22. HARVESING
Muskmelon: climacteric fruit fully slip and half slip
stage
Watermelon: non climacteric
Dull at fruit axil.
Withering of tendrils.
Ground spot- yellow color.
Rind of melon emits a crisp.
Decrease in fruit weight.
23. CONT…
Melon fruits are ready for harvesting when the fruit
externals colour is changed .
Clear sign of maturity in most melon varieties is
when the rind change colour from grey or green
to yellow.
Normally these frits mature in 85days to 115 days
depending on the variety and climatic condition.
24. AVERAGE FRUIT YIELD
S.No. Name of the crop Average fruit yield (q/ha)
1. Water melon 150-220
2. Musk melon 150-300
26. PEST & DISEASE
Pest:
1.Fruit fly- scientific name- Dacus cucurbitae
• Control measures:- application of neem cake Or sprays
of 4% NSKE were very effective in Controlling fruit fly
in cucumber.
• Soil application of neem cake reduced the Incidence of
fruit fly to 6%, whereas insecticide Sprayed plots
recorded 15% incidence.
27. SOME DISEASE RELATED TO THE MELON
CROPS
Powdery mildew
Downy mildew
Fusarium wilt
Gunny stem blight
Bacterial fruit blotch
Anthracnose
Alternaria leaf spot
Charcoal rot
28. PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDER
1.Blossom end- rot
Softning, shriveling, and browning of the blossom
end tissues.
Cause
Calcium and moisture stress.
Irregular irrigation.
Remedy
Regulation of irigation
Proper calcium management.
29.
30. 2. Fruit cracking
Cause
Heavy rainfall at the time of maturity.
Irregular irrigation.
Due to boron deficiency.
Remedy
Regular irrigation.
Borax spray.
