SNAP MELON-POTTUVELLARI CULTIVATION- Kerala

Details about Snap Melon cultivation

1. KVK, KOLLAM WELCOME RAMJITH N P 2018-41-374 COA, VELLANIKKARA THRISSUR

2. BENEFITS OF SNAP MELON JUICE More than 90% water- no additional water required. High fibre content Other nutrients- many minerals Quench thirst and hunger Medicinal property

3. WHERE CULTIVATED? THRISSUR Kodungallur Kaipamangalam Mathilakam Mala Vellangalloor ERANAKULAM Nedumbasseri ALAPPUZHA Very small scale OTHER STATES GOA MAHARASHTRA

4. KODUNGALLUR POTTUVELLARI M WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT IT?

5. KODUNGALLUR POTTUVELLARI GI GOOD QUALITY GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES- ORGANIC TRADITIONAL

6. KODUNGALLUR POTTUVELLARI- STORY More than farming to the people there Bharani festival of Kodungallur Bhagavathi temple- Meenam month Belief behind Pottuvellari Blessing from Goddess

7. SNAP LEMON SCIENTIFIC NAME: Cucumis melo var. momordica FAMILY:. Cucurbitaceae CHROMOSOME No.:. 24

8. COMMON NAMES ENGLISH Snap melon Blond cucumber MALAYALAM Pottuvellari Kakkiri Paalayil pilla Pazhavellari

9. WHY SNAP MELON CULTIVATION? Economic benefit- High income from small investment Health benefit Short duration Good yield

10. WHY SNAP MELON CULTIVATION? Fruit production- from 22nd day (~3 weeks) Yield- from 47th day Yield over by 65th day Yield- 8-12 tonnes/acre

11. TIME OF CULTIVATION Yield in summer After second crop of paddy 2 crop in a year In High tech farming, * Start from November, yield from January * Start from February, yield from April

12. CLIMATE Plenty of sunlight required Summer season Rains when fruit begin to ripe are deleterious

13. SOIL Sandy loam or loam Soil of Kodungallur region- a key factor- sandy soil, appears dry outside, highly fertile Neutral pH- acidic condition affect yield

14. LAND PREPARATION Tillage Lime- ____ Kg /ha - 10-14 days before showing Sowing- Flat bed- poya Pit size: 50cm× 50cm× 30cm Spacing between the pits- 1.5 m Before planting- FYM (10Kg/pit) + Groundnut cake

15. NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT Organic Basal dose- FYM + Groundnut cake Before earthing up- fermented Groundnut cake slurry FYM - 20-25 tonnes/ha Poultry manure is effective-

16. SEED COLLECTION From the field itself Matured ripe cracked fruits Seeds separated Wash and clean Dry in sunlight , and then in shade - about 4 days Store dried seeds in an air-tight container, with neem leaves in it. Can be stored in a cool place or a refrigerator Can be used after 1 year

17. SEED COLLECTION PRECAUTIONS No cultivation of Kanivellari in the nearby fields/ areas From the field- after the fruit turn golden yellow/ yellow and crack Don't use Kallen type for seed purpose Take only good seeds- sink in water

18. SEED SOWING Seed from last year crop used Seed rate: 2-3 Kg/ha ₹6000/Kg Soak in water- 12-24 hours Soak in Pseudomonas solution- 1 hour Pant germinated seeds 7-9 seeds per pit Later, maintain 4-5 seedlings

19. INTERCULTURAL OPERATIONS Weeding When fruit develops, cover with a paper Irrigation- in precision farming - drip

20. HARVEST Before reaching full maturity- just start yellowing ie., 2 days before the fruit cracks 1 fruit- ½ Kg- 5Kg weight After harvest, tie covered with a arecanut leaf or paper plate

21. MARKET ₹50/kg- off-season ₹30/kg- season High demand for fruits that crack after reaching the market

22. PRECISION FARMING / HIGHTECH FARMING Experimentation- Ranjith from Mala- Dr. C. Narayanan Kutty Open precision farming Plastic mulching Drip irrigation Fertigation Irrigation is crucial- if over, fruits rot- if deficient, plants wither

23. PESTS AND DSEASES RED PUMPKIN BEETLE Neem Seed Kernel Extract 5%

24. 2. LEAF BEETLES AAMAVANDUKAL Remove and destroy egg masses

25. 3. FRUIT FLY Paper cover Fruit fly trap * Bait trap * Pheromone trap- CueLure Use both traps simultaneously

26. 4. LEAF MINER

27. 5. POWDERY MILDEW 6. DOWNY MILDEW

28. THANK YOU