Long melon production technology

Long melon production technology and plant protection.

1. Long melon

2. Introduction :-  The cucurbits form a distinct group of species with many similarities in botany, agronomy ecological   requirements and susceptibility to insect pests and diseases. Long melon is also one of them. Some of them are used in the form of salad , cooked as vegetables, and preserved in the form of sweets . It is grown mainly grown in tropical, sub tropical and milder zones of India. Long melon popularly known as kakri is valued for tender fruits which are eaten raw along with salt and pepper. Due to its cooling effect this is very popular during summer months in most part of the country.

3. Botany Scientific name- Cucumis melo  var . utilissimus Family –cucurbitaceae Origin- India Plant part used- unripe fruits Cytogenetics-n=12,2n=24

4. Floral biology Plants are monoecious in nature. Corolla is showy, yellow in colour. Petals are 5 in number, united, stamens are attached to calyx tubes. Ovary is inferior . The period of bud developmental stage is completed within 12-15 days in male and within 11-13 days in female bud. a- Staminste B-pistillate

5. Climate Cucurbits are mainly warm season crops grown mainly in tropical and sub tropical regions. River bed cultivation, a kind of vegetables forcing is being used in India where cucurbits are grown in the river beds during winter season. Cucurbits grow well at day temperature between 25-35 c.  It tolerates cool climate better than musk melon. It cannot tolerate frost and strong winds. Low temperature and high relative humidity stimulate the development of female flowers. It may show slight photoreaction to short days for flowering.

6. Soil requirement Deep well drained soil with sandy or sandy loam texture is suitable. The pH of the soil should be between 5.8 to 7.5. T wo to three ploughing and harrowing are made to bring the soil to a fine tilth. Dug up 3.5m long and 30 cm wide sowing channels. Keeps appropriate spacing between two sowing channels depending on the crop to be grown.

7. Improved verities Arka sheetal .-A selection from a collection IIHR-3 from Lucknow. Fruits medium long and green, weighing 100gm ay marketable stage. Fruits are non bitter, tender with crisp texture and delicate aroma. Duration of crop 90-100 days. Karnal selection -A prolific bearer. Fruits tender, light green, long thin, flesh crisp with good flavor. Punjab long melon-1 : - Early fruit cylindrical long and light green

8. Seed rate The seed rate of long melon is 2-2.5kg/hec. S owing time It is summer season crop. It is mainly grown in the month of February to March.

9. Sowing method and spacing Hills are made on the inner side of the the ridiges of the sowing channels, 8-10cm above the fertilizer. For better germination , the sowing channels shoud be irrigated two days before sowing . 4-5 seeds are sown in a hills. Then the hills are covered with soi and irrigate. Spacing Spacing b/w channels- 200-250cm.  Spacing b/w hills-         60-90cm.

10. Nutrient management Apply 200-300 quintals /hec. Of well rotten farm yard manure or compost at the time of field preparation. Besides 40 kg nitrogen, 60 kg phosphorus and 40 kg potassium per hectare should applied at the time of sowing. Nitrogen at the rate of 20 kg per hectare should also be top dressed when plant starts bearing.  Irrigation Irrigate the crop once in 4-5 days during summer depending upon the soil and weather condition. In rainy season irrigation depends upon the rains.

11. Interculture practices and weed c o ntrol Th inning of plants should be done 10-15 days after sowing retaining only 2 healthy seedlings in each hills. Two shallow hoeing should be done before spreading of vines to control weeds. Apply Fluchloralin or Trifluralin (0.75-1.5kg/hec.) as pre plant soil incorporation at two weeks before sowing. The crop should be top dressed with nitrogen (25kg/hec) at 30-35 days after sowing.

12. Harvesting and Yield The fruits are picked when they are still tender-about one-third or one-fourth their full size. For pickling, fruits are harvested when full size but still immature. The seed cavity is removed and only the rind used in making of pickles. Yield The yield of long melon is about 350-400quintal / hec .

13. Plant protection practices

14. A. Fungal diseases 1. Powdery mildew   Symptoms Powdery mildew is a fungal disease caused by  Erysiphae cichoracearum  and  E fuliginea .The powdery mildew on the foliage and green stems is characterized by the appearance of tiny. white to dirty grey spots (sometimes with a reddish brown tinge). They become powdery as they enlarge. The effect of severe infestation may be premature death of the vines. Fruits also get covered with the white powdery mass but this is not common. The fruits remain undersized and sometimes are deformed Control Blue copper/Blitox (0.4%) or Dithane M-45 (0.2%) bas also been recommended to spray at 8 days interval. About 3-4 sprays will be enough. S ulfex (0.2%) can also be sprayed at an interval of 5-6 days. About 2-3 sprayings will be required. Spray of sulfex is economically cheaper than other chemicals such as calixin T he cucurbitaceous weeds should not be allowed to grow near cultivated field of these vegetables.

15.   2. Downy mildew Downy mildew is a fungal disease and is caused by Pseudopernospora cubensis. The disease is fairly common in northern India, where it becomes serious during latter part of the rainy season. The first symptom on the leaves resemble those of mosaic mottling. The pale green areas are separated by islands of darker green. Soon the spots become well-defined. They are angular, yellow coloured and often restricted by the veins on the upper surface. On the lower sides of these spots a purplish downy growth appears in moist weather. Control 1. Badly affected vines or leaves should be removed from the field. 2. Wild cucurbits from vegetable growing areas should be destroyed as they serve as secondary host. 3. Spraying of fungicides can control the disease. Dithane M- 45 (Maneb), Dithane Z-78 (Zineb) and Tricop -50 are some of the fungicides recommended for spraying. 4. Spray thrice Blue copper blitox (0.4%) at 8 days interval. 5. Resistant cultivars should be preferred for growing.

16. 3. Anthracnose This is a fungal disease and is caused by  colletorichum lagenarium . All aerial parts of the plant are affected. The spots on the foliage begin as small yellowish or water soaked areas that enlarge rapidly and turn brown in most cucurbits but black on the watermelon. The disease causing fungus is chiefly soil-borne but it may also be seed borne if fruits are attacked and the fungal mycelium reaches the seed. The fungus occurs in epidemic form only when there is more than average rainfall. Disease development can occur at a temperature of 20 to 30" C and 100% relative humidity for at least 18 hours.  Control 1. Crop rotation, proper field drainage, destruction of wild hosts etc. are some cultural steps to control this disease. 2. The seeds should be treated with any organo-mercurial compounds such as Agrosan G.N. or Thiram @ 2.5 g per kg of seed. 3. The disease can be controlled by the repeated spraying at 5 -7 days interval with Dithane M -45 (Maneb) 0.2% or Ditbane Z-78 (Zineb) 0.2 per cent. 4. Spray Difoltan (0.2%) or Toprin (0.1%) or Captan (0.2%) at 10 days interval. 5. Seed treatment before sowing can also be done with systemic fungicides like Bavistin (0.1%) and Benlate (0.1 per cent).

17. Anthracnose Fusarium wilt

18.   4. Fusarium wilt The fungus is seed-born as well as a persistent soil inhabitant. Seedling injury is high at 20 –30 o  C temperature. Wilt development is also favoured by a temperature of about 27 o  centigrade. No infection occurs at temperature below 15  C and above 35 o  centigradeThe plant is attacked in all the stages of its growth. Germinating seeds may rot in the soil. When very young seedlings are invaded, they may damp-off or die or be stunted in growth. The cotyledons wilt. Small leaves loose their green colour, droop and wilt. Control 1. Due to the long persistence of the fungus in the soil, a rotation of 10 years will be required to control the disease. 2. Seed borne inoculum can be reduced by treating the seed with Benlate or Bavistin (2.5 g/kg seed).  3. Growing resistant varieties is the best method to control this disease. 4. The disease can be checked to some extent by drenching the soil with Captan or Hexocap (0.2 to 0.3% solution). This should be repeated twice or thrice. 5. Bavistin (0.1%) or JK stein (0.1%) or Dithane M-45 (0.2%) or Blitox (0.5%) can also afford partial control.

19. B. Bacterial diseases 1. Bacterial leaf spots Symptoms This is a bacterial disease caused by  Xanthomonas compestris  var. cucurbitaeThe disease mainly appears on the leaves. Sometimes young stems and petioles are also attacked. The leaf spots appear as water soaked areas on the under surface. The lower surface opposite these areas looks yellow. These spots are inter-veinal. With increase in age, the spots emerge and become angular. The colour changes to brown Control 1. This is a seed-borne disease, to kill the bacterium in the seeds, hot water treatment (50 o C for 30 minutes) is recommended. But this treatment reduces the germination percentage of the seed. 2. Mercuric chloride solution (1: 1000) for 5 to 10 minutes is a good seed dip method. 3. It is better to obtain seed grown in dry areas. 4. Spraying copper fungicides reduces the spread of the disease in the field.

20. 2. Angular leaf spots This is also a bacterial disease caused by  Pseudomonasi syringae var. lachrymans Symptoms.The disease occurs on leaves, young green stems, and also on fruits. The spots on the leaves appear as water -soaked, irregular or angular lesions. In wet weather bacteria ooze in the form of droplets appears on the water soaked areas. It dries to form white crusts. The spots enlarge and become brown  Control 1. This is a seed-borne disease, to kill the bacterium in the seeds, hot water treatment (50 o C for 30 minutes) is recommended. But this treatment reduces the germination percentage of the seed. 2. Mercuric chloride solution (1: 1000) for 5 to 10 minutes is a good seed dip method. 3. It is better to obtain seed grown in dry areas. 4. Spraying copper fungicides reduces the spread of the disease in the field.

21. C. Viral diseases Control In absence of resistant varieties following measures can reduce the severity of the cucurbit mosaic viruses. Only virus free seeds should be used for sowing. A ll the infected plants should be eradicated from the field. The field should be kept free from the hosts including weeds. Spray insecticides such as Thiodan (0.1 %) or Metasystox (0.1%) or Dimecron (0.05%) or Dimethoate (0.05%) at 10 days interval to control vector population. Krishi oil (2%) has also been found effective in minimizing the disease spread.

22. Common symptoms of viral infection on melons

23. D. Mycoplasma diseases 1. Cucurblt phyllody Symptom The disease is characterized by shortening of internodes and phyllody of normal flowers. Some plants bear cluster of phyllody flowers. Infected plants remain stunted and usually do not bear fruits. The disease infects almost all cucurbit vegetables.  Control 1. All the disease plants must be rouged out from the field. 2. Apply furadan 1.5 kg ai. /ha at the time of sowing the seed. 3. Spray systemic insecticides like Dimecron (0.05%) at 10 days interval.

24.     Pests 1. Red pumpkin beetles The commencement of their activity after winter generally corresponds with the early growing season of the spring crop of the cucurbit vegetables. The damage continues to be caused even in the later stages of the crop, but it is not so much serious as in the case of seedlings. The larval stage of the pest also does considerable damage as it bores into the roots, stems and even the fruits on which the attack starts from the portion resting on the ground. The attacked plants wither and die and the affected fruits become unmarketable. . Control 1. Plough the field after harvest to destroy the pupae and larvae of the pest. 2. Early sowing of cucurbit plants i.e. in November protect the crop from appearing the hibernation as the plants are well established by that time. 3. Dusting the crop with kerosinized ash will repel the beetles. This method is more suitable for kitchen garden crops. 4. The vines may be dusted with Malathion 5% dust @ 15 -20 kg/ha or Carbaryl 4% dust @ 15 -20 kg/ha. 5. Spray Malathion (Cythion 50 EC at 2 m1/litre of water or Carbaryl (Sevin 50 W.P. at 2 g/litre of water). The spray should be done at weekly interval.

25. 2. Fruit flies ( Dacus cucurbitae The damage is caused by the maggots of the fly. Generally fruits are attacked in the early immature soft stage, and they do not develop properly. They may rot and drop down prematurely if the infestation is severe. Those fruits which do not drop and are picked, and are unfit for consumption, as they have a number of abominable maggots in the pulp. Due to attack of this pest, the fruits may also be deformed. The humid hot weather is most suitable for its attack and generally 50 -60% loss is caused to the vegetable crop.   Control I. Destroy the damaged fruits along with maggots. 2. Bagging of fruit protect them from egg laying by the fly. 3. Dusting the vine with tobacco dust or ash mixed with kerosene oil repels the flies. 4. The adult flies may also be controlled by spraying solution made up of tartaric acid 1 part, water 320 parts, and molasses 24 parts. 5. Spraying Carbaryl (Sevin 50% W.P. at 4 g/litre) or Malathion (Cythion 50% EC at 2 mI/litre), 2 -3 times at 10 days interval is also very affective against these flies. The spray should begin right from the time of flowering.

26.   3. Aphids There are small green insects. They damage the plant by sucking the leaf sap. In young stage, cotyledonary leaves crinkle and in severe cases the plants wither. In grown up vines. the affected leaves turn yellow and plant loses its vigour and yield.   Control The aphids can be easily controlled by spraying Malathion 0.1 % or Metasystox 0.1 to 0.2% or Rogar 0.1 to 0.2 per cent. Usually spray against aphids and beetles can be combined. Spray against aphids has to be done early before the attack becomes severe, since aphid transmitted virus spread rapidly.

27. 4. Jassids Jassids are small sucking insects (0.32 cm long). They are green to greenish-yellow in colour. They suck the sap of the leaves. The plant loses its vigour and the leaves give shriveled appearance.  Control Jassids can be controlled by spraying  0.1 % Malathion.

28. 5. Root knot nematode The cucurbits are highly susceptible to nematode infestation especially root knot nematode  Meliodygne incognita acrita . Poor growth and stunted plants are the usual symptoms, Muskmelon, cucumber, pumpkin are severely affected. In case severe infections , galls found scattered on roots. There is marked reduction in root and shoot growth and fruit yield.   Control Pre-plant application of Carbof'uran (Furadan 3 G @ 10 kg per hectare) on planting holes controls the root -knot nematode and increases the yield. Soil fumigation with D. D. (dichloropropene dichloropropane) and adopting long duration crop rotation can also control the nematodes.

29. Thank You