Melons-water melon - importance –varietiesclimate
and soil-seeds and sowing-manuring- irrigation-intercultural
operations-harvesting - yield
Importance:
Water melon contains 95% of water and is a richest iron containing
cucurbitaceous crop. Most of cultivars have deep pink or pale pink coloured
flesh which largely out lycopene and anthocyanin pigments.It is relished by
poor and rich, young and old as a table fruit.
Varieties:
Arka jyothi: F1 hybrid by crossing IIHR – 20 with crimpson sweet. Fruit is dark
green in colour with blue angular stirpes.
Arka manik: F1 hybrid IIHR – 21 and crimpson sweet. Fruits are green with
dark green stripes.
Asahi yamato: Japanese introduction released by IARI, New Delhi. Rind colour
is light green and non-striped variety. It gives 22 tonnes yield in 95 days.
Pusa bedana: released by IARI, New Delhi. It is a cross between tetra – 2 (
4x) x Pusa rasard ( 2x). fruits are dark green with faint stripes. It takes 120
days for first harvest.
Sugar baby: introduction from US. Fruits are bluish black in colour. Fruits will
ripe in 85 days and gives 150 Q per ha.
Climate:
Water melon is a warm season crop. It cannot tolerate high cold and
frost. It requires a minimum of 180 C temperature for seed germination and 24
to 270 C for growth and development. There should be high temperature at the
time of ripening for producing good quality fruits.
Soil:
Watermelon require sandy to sandy loam soil for an early and good
crop.Soil should be well drained.Alluvial river beds are good for production of
water melon.Soil pH: 6.7 to 7. Varieties like Jobner – 21, Jobner 18-1 are
capable of growing on high pH soil.
Time of sowing:
In north Indian plains, it is sown in February to March. In south and
central India, it is sown in December to January. In Rajasthan, rainy season of
crop is sown in August to September.
Seeds and sowing:
Seed rate is 3 to 5 kg per ha.Sowing may be done on raised beds.
Furrows or pits. Direct sowing is also practiced. 2 seeds per hill on both sides of
raised beds and 3 to 4 seed per hill in case of river beds are sown. In case of pit
Botanical name: Citrullus lanatus– Water melon
Family : Cucurbitaceae
Chromosome no 2n = 22
Origin: South Africa
39
method 60 cm3 pits are dug. 4 seeds per pit are sown. Recommended spacing
is 2.4 to 4 m between row to row and 60 to 120 cm between plant to plant.
Manuring:
Recommendation of fertilizers should depend up on soil test. FYM 15 to
20 to/ha is applied at 15 to 20 days before sowing. It is mixed thoroughtly with
soil. Besides that 60:40:40 kg per ha. NPK in Punjab conditions; 100 : 80: 80 kg
per ha NPK in Karnataka conditions are recommended. Half nitrogen, entire P
and K are applied to the pits or furrows at the time of sowing. Rest of nitrogen
is applied 30 DAS.
Irrigation:
Watermelon planted on river beds does not need any irrigation but under
light soils conditions irrigation is required once in 7 to 10 days is required. Crop
is irrigated in furrows or basin irrigation in India, pitcher irrigation is also used in
water melon.
Interculture:
Apical shoots should be removed. Side shoots should be allowed in
getting good yield and quality, only 3 to 5 shoots are allowed. Field should be
kept weed free by performing 2 to 3 weeding or by applying herbicides like
Trifluralin.
Harvesting:
Crop will be ready for harvesting about 100 days after sowing depending
upon cultivar and season. Fruits will be ready 40 days after anthesis. Maturity
is judged by 1. withering of tendril 2. change in belly colour or ground spot into
yellow and 3. by thumping test, on thumping the fruit it gives a dull sound 4. on
pressing the fruit ripe fruit will give a crisp cracking noise. Fruit is separated for
vine with the help of knife. Yield varies between 40 to 60 tonnes per ha. Water
melon requires careful handling as they are easily damage.
Water melon cannot be stored for more than 2 to 3 weeks.
and soil-seeds and sowing-manuring- irrigation-intercultural
operations-harvesting - yield
Importance:
Water melon contains 95% of water and is a richest iron containing
cucurbitaceous crop. Most of cultivars have deep pink or pale pink coloured
flesh which largely out lycopene and anthocyanin pigments.It is relished by
poor and rich, young and old as a table fruit.
Varieties:
Arka jyothi: F1 hybrid by crossing IIHR – 20 with crimpson sweet. Fruit is dark
green in colour with blue angular stirpes.
Arka manik: F1 hybrid IIHR – 21 and crimpson sweet. Fruits are green with
dark green stripes.
Asahi yamato: Japanese introduction released by IARI, New Delhi. Rind colour
is light green and non-striped variety. It gives 22 tonnes yield in 95 days.
Pusa bedana: released by IARI, New Delhi. It is a cross between tetra – 2 (
4x) x Pusa rasard ( 2x). fruits are dark green with faint stripes. It takes 120
days for first harvest.
Sugar baby: introduction from US. Fruits are bluish black in colour. Fruits will
ripe in 85 days and gives 150 Q per ha.
Climate:
Water melon is a warm season crop. It cannot tolerate high cold and
frost. It requires a minimum of 180 C temperature for seed germination and 24
to 270 C for growth and development. There should be high temperature at the
time of ripening for producing good quality fruits.
Soil:
Watermelon require sandy to sandy loam soil for an early and good
crop.Soil should be well drained.Alluvial river beds are good for production of
water melon.Soil pH: 6.7 to 7. Varieties like Jobner – 21, Jobner 18-1 are
capable of growing on high pH soil.
Time of sowing:
In north Indian plains, it is sown in February to March. In south and
central India, it is sown in December to January. In Rajasthan, rainy season of
crop is sown in August to September.
Seeds and sowing:
Seed rate is 3 to 5 kg per ha.Sowing may be done on raised beds.
Furrows or pits. Direct sowing is also practiced. 2 seeds per hill on both sides of
raised beds and 3 to 4 seed per hill in case of river beds are sown. In case of pit
Botanical name: Citrullus lanatus– Water melon
Family : Cucurbitaceae
Chromosome no 2n = 22
Origin: South Africa
39
method 60 cm3 pits are dug. 4 seeds per pit are sown. Recommended spacing
is 2.4 to 4 m between row to row and 60 to 120 cm between plant to plant.
Manuring:
Recommendation of fertilizers should depend up on soil test. FYM 15 to
20 to/ha is applied at 15 to 20 days before sowing. It is mixed thoroughtly with
soil. Besides that 60:40:40 kg per ha. NPK in Punjab conditions; 100 : 80: 80 kg
per ha NPK in Karnataka conditions are recommended. Half nitrogen, entire P
and K are applied to the pits or furrows at the time of sowing. Rest of nitrogen
is applied 30 DAS.
Irrigation:
Watermelon planted on river beds does not need any irrigation but under
light soils conditions irrigation is required once in 7 to 10 days is required. Crop
is irrigated in furrows or basin irrigation in India, pitcher irrigation is also used in
water melon.
Interculture:
Apical shoots should be removed. Side shoots should be allowed in
getting good yield and quality, only 3 to 5 shoots are allowed. Field should be
kept weed free by performing 2 to 3 weeding or by applying herbicides like
Trifluralin.
Harvesting:
Crop will be ready for harvesting about 100 days after sowing depending
upon cultivar and season. Fruits will be ready 40 days after anthesis. Maturity
is judged by 1. withering of tendril 2. change in belly colour or ground spot into
yellow and 3. by thumping test, on thumping the fruit it gives a dull sound 4. on
pressing the fruit ripe fruit will give a crisp cracking noise. Fruit is separated for
vine with the help of knife. Yield varies between 40 to 60 tonnes per ha. Water
melon requires careful handling as they are easily damage.
Water melon cannot be stored for more than 2 to 3 weeks.
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