Muskmelon

muskmelon,Muskmelon

1. . Production Technology of Muskmelon MANOJ.G.S. 2019HT/17M Msc ( Horti ), 1 st sem. VNMKV, Parbhani .

2. MUSKMELON

3. Introduction and importance: Muskmelon is round in shape and 8-16 cm in diameter. Shape varies from flat , oval. Valued throughout tropics and subtropics, immature fruits are used as vegetable and seeds are edible. Melons are used in Unani and Ayurved preparations. Melons gives cooling effect, and it is diuretic, dimulscent , aphrodiastic . Also applied as skin lotion. Roots have purgative property. Some varieties are grown for fresh salad , pickling . These include C. melo var ultissimus which is very popular in indo- gangatic plains, as summer salad. Fruits are long greenish upto 20-30cm long, another form c.melo var conomon used in east asia for pickling. Fruits are sweet and musky flavour. The fruits contain 0.6% protein, 0.2% fat, 3.5% carbohydrates, 32mg calcium, 14 mg phosphorous, 1.4 mg iron, 16mg carotene and 26mg vitamin V / 100 gt fresh weight of the fruit.

4. Muskmelon Synonym: Wholesome food, karbooj , inter melon,panduphal , cantaloupe melon, casaba, wintermelon . • B.N. – cucumis melo • Family – Cucurbitaceae . • 2n = 24 • Andromonoecious . • Origin – Tropical Africa. • pickling melon: C.melo var conomon • Mango or lemon melon: C. melo var chito • High temperature at the time of fruit maturity and ripening increases the sweetness. . • harvested at full slip stage, except hara madhura . • Maximum number of fruits with high TSS produced between 9 th to 12 th node • Most of the varieties having TSS range of 11 – 17%.

5. CLIMATE & SOIL • Grows very well in warm hot climate. • Optimum temperature – 25 – 30ºC • Higher temperature >38ºC produces male flowers . • Sandy loam soil, rich in OM is most suited. • Proper drainage is highly beneficial. • pH – 6.5-7 Prepration of field: • plough the land to fine tilth . Dig up pits of 30cm x30cm x30cm and size at 2.5 x2m spacing. SOWING • Time –NOV- FEB • Seed rate – 3-7kg/ha • Spacing – 1.5 x 0.5 m or 1.5 x 1 m • Seed treatment with trichoderma viridae , and pseudomonas flouroscense

6. Muskmelon flowers Muskmelon cultivation

7. Varieties: Durgapur madhu - resistance to fusarium , early variety. p unjab sunheri - resistance to fusarium . Arka jrrt - high TSS, high vit C content Pusa madhuras Arka rajhans - good keeping quality, resistance to powdery mildew. Hara madhu - no slip stage Pusa sharbati Punjab sunheri Hissar madhur Punjab rasila - powdery mildew resistance. Punjab hybrid – male sterile line as female . Pusa rasraj - developed using monoecious sex form as female parent . Shwetha , swarna - public sector hybrid.

8. Irrigation: • irrigate the basin before dibbling the seeds and thereafter once in a week. Nutrient management: • FYM @ 20t/ha alongwith 100:60:50 kg/ha NPK . Half N as basal dose and the other half 30 days after planting. • NAA (200 ppm) helps maintain sex ratio. As per VNMKV recommendation 100:50:50 Kg NPK /ha is applied After cultivation: • Hoeing is done to control the weeds. • Spray ethrel 250ppm four times commencing from 15 th day after sowing at weekly intervals to increase the yield. • Yield of the fruit can be improved by proper pruning, and proper spacing , and plant population,removal of secondary shoots up to 7 th node is done to improve the yield and fruit set.

9. Harvesting and yield: • Fruits are harvested when the netting is visible, and the fruit colour changes from green to brown . Yield: 20t / ha of fruits in 120days can be obtained .

10. Postharvest, marketing and storage : • In general cucurbits are not processed, similarly muskmelon is not generally processed except the flesh of muskmelon is used in ice cream in western countries. • On small scale the juice of muskmelon can be prepared , however it has to be consumed within short period of time because it cannot be stored for long. • Even candy is also prepared from muskmelon. Pickling melon can be used for pickling. Rainy season crop, crop damaged by summer rains, fly attacked fruits have less preference in market and it should not be sent to market. • Muskmelons are transported in bulk without individual packaging. In truck and and liable to bruise and damage during transport. • Muskmelon can be stored for 2-3 days if they reach full slip maturity. Can be stored at 0 degree at 80-90% relative humidity.