grow m e lo n s for profit

7/27/2019 Grow M E LO N S for Profit

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Grow M E LO N S for profit

s.eswara reddy

Melons includes fruits, such as Water melon,Round melon, Musk melon, Snapmelon, Long melon

The place of origin of water melon and musk melon is said to be the tropicsand sub-tropics of both Africa as well as India. Whereas round melon, anapmelon and long melon have been originated from India. Melons are grown inalmost all states of India except round melon which is cultivated mainly innorth.

All melons are grown in summer, but round melon and snap melon aregrown in rainy season also. In Rajasthan where rains are scanty, water melonis also grown in the rainy season.

Melons normally require a warm and dry weather, good sunshine, low

humidity and frost free period. The optimum temperature for plant growthvaries form 24-270 C with the minimum and maximum being 18 and 320 Cwith the minimum and maximum being 18 and 320 C respectively . Theduration of crop in general, varies form 85 to 110 days, but round melonsnatures within 45 to 50 days after sowing.

Well drained sandy loam soils are best for heavy and early yields ofmelons. They do not grow well in highly acidic or alkaline coils. The optimumrange being 6 to 6.7.

Summer season crop: Plains of north India- FebruarySouth India December-January

Rainy Season Crop : Round melon, snap melon and water melonJune- July.

Seed rate : 3- 4 kg / has in water melon 1.5 kg /ha in muskmelon,Snap melon, long melon and round melon.

Spacing : 2- 3.5 m row to row60-120 cm hill to hill2 to 3 seedling are kept per hill.

Water melon: Varieties recommended by the IARI are New Hampshire,Midget an early variety introduced form the U.S.A fruit is small (1.t to 2.5 kg),Oval, bright green with dark green laceration. Suitable for home gardens dueto its earliness.

Ashahi Yamato:- it is a mid season variety introduced from Japan.Fruit is medium large ( 7 t0 8 kg ), light green with laceration and deep pinkflesh.


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Sugar Baby:- it is mid season variety introduced from USA fruit ismedium ( 4 to 5 kg) round, blue-black with red flesh.

Pusa Bedana:- It is a seedless variety a triploid. Flesh is deep pinkand sweet.

In the production of seedless water melons, first tetraploids aredeveloped by treating the plants with Colchicine. The seeds collected fromtetraploids are sown along with a diploid which acts as a polliniser. Theresulting one is a triploid. The seeds o the triploid fruits are aborted and canbe eaten with flesh. Tarta 02 is a stable tetraploid variety.

I. I. H. R VARIETIES

Arka Jyoti: It is hybrid between an American and Indian variety. Fruit ismedium large ( 6 8 kg), very sweet ( 12 to 13% TSS ) with crimson flesh.High yielding variety ( 800 q/ha) withstand long transport and keeps well.

Round Melon:

Arka Tinda It is an early variety released by the IIHR Fruit is large roundwith alightly pressed poles with light green skin. Tolerant to fruit fly.

Arka Jeet: It is an early and short duration variety. Fruit is small ( 400 to 800gm), round and orange yellow in clout. It is very sweet ( 15-17%TSS) withvery high Vit.c.

Pusa sharbati ( IARI): A hybrid variety from I.A.R.I it is a round to oval furitwith notted rind and green stripes. It has thick orange flesh with small needcavity.

Pura Madhu: it is a late variety recommended by Punjab AgriculturalUniversity. Fruit is round with which rind sad green furrow. Flesh is lightgreen and sweet ( 11% TSS) fruit does not slip from vine at maturity.

Sarda melon:- in Afghanistan: Sweet good flavor, good keeping quality .

Long Melon:

Arka sheetal - it is a selection from the local strain of Lucknow.Commonly cultivated variety. Fruit is medium long with light green skin andshallow furrows. Yields et t /ha.of the plants.

Harvesting:

Mature fruits are harvested for desserts and immature gender fruitsthat have luster on the rind as in long melon and round melon are harvestedfor vegetable purpose. Harvesting of long melon and round melon should bedone at 4 to 5 days interval.

The maturity of melons is judged by the following indications.

Muks melon and snap melon:


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1. The fruit when nature slips cut easily from the vine, leaving a circulardepression. This is known as full slip stage.

2. in netted musk melons the green color between the nets changes toyellow and nets becomes dirty white whereas in snap melon the greenrind turns yellow or orange on maturity.

Water melon:

1. on thumping the fruit with finger, a ripe melon gives a flat deadsound, where as an unripe fruit gives a ringing sound.

2. The colour of the rind which touches the ground change from white

to light yellow on ripening.3. The tendrils nearest to fruits becomes dry when the fruits is ripe.

4. On putting pressure on the fruit, a ripe melon cracks within.

No ample indication is sufficient for judging the methodssuggested above.

Yield (average) per hectare:

Watermelon - 270 to 300 qMuskmelon - 100 to 135 qSnap melon - 170 to 185qRound melon - 85 to 100 qLong melon - 75 q

Storage:

Ripe fruits of water melon keep well for 1-3 weeks at 2.2O to 4.4o

C and 80-85 per cent relative humidity.

Seed Production :

All melons are highly cross pollinated, snap melon muskmelonand long melon are highly cross compatible with each other. Water melonand round melon however, do not cross with any other melons. Differentvarieties of any one of the melons should not be put together. An isolationdistance of 800 m is to be maintained.

Ripe melons are good for seed extraction, seeds may be dried inthe sun or in the mechanical drier.

can reach the author at [email protected]

18th

Aril 2012
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]

grow m e lo n s for profit

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