Grow M E LO N S for profit

s.eswara reddy
Melons includes fruits, such as Water melon,Round melon, Musk melon, Snap

melon, Long melon

The place of origin of water melon and musk melon is said to be the tropics and sub-tropics of both Africa as well as India. Whereas round melon, anap melon and long melon have been originated from India. Melons are grown in almost all states of India except round melon which is cultivated mainly in north. All melons are grown in summer, but round melon and snap melon are grown in rainy season also. In Rajasthan where rains are scanty, water melon is 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 growth varies form 24-270 C with the minimum and maximum being 18 and 32 0 C with the minimum and maximum being 18 and 32 0 C respectively . The duration of crop in general, varies form 85 to 110 days, but round melons natures within 45 to 50 days after sowing. Well drained sandy loam soils are best for heavy and early yields of melons. They do not grow well in highly acidic or alkaline coils. The optimum range being 6 to 6.7. Summer season crop: Rainy Season Crop : Seed rate Spacing : : Plains of north India- February South India December-January

Round melon, snap melon and water melon June- July. 3- 4 kg / has in water melon 1.5 kg /ha in muskmelon, Snap melon, long melon and round melon. 2- 3.5 m row to row 60-120 cm hill to hill 2 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 due to 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 pink flesh.

Sugar Baby:- it is mid season variety introduced from USA fruit is medium ( 4 to 5 kg) round, blue-black with red flesh. Pusa Bedana:- It is a seedless variety a triploid. Flesh is deep pink and sweet. In the production of seedless water melons, first tetraploids are developed by treating the plants with Colchicine. The seeds collected from tetraploids are sown along with a diploid which acts as a polliniser. The resulting one is a triploid. The seeds o the triploid fruits are aborted and can be 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 is medium 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 round with 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 800 gm), round and orange yellow in clout. It is very sweet ( 15-17%TSS) with very high Vit.c. Pusa sharbati ( IARI): A hybrid variety from I.A.R.I it is a round to oval furit with notted rind and green stripes. It has thick orange flesh with small need cavity. Pura Madhu: it is a late variety recommended by Punjab Agricultural University. Fruit is round with which rind sad green furrow. Flesh is light green 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 and shallow furrows. Yields et t /ha. of the plants. Harvesting: Mature fruits are harvested for desserts and immature gender fruits that have luster on the rind as in long melon and round melon are harvested for vegetable purpose. Harvesting of long melon and round melon should be done at 4 to 5 days interval. The maturity of melons is judged by the following indications. Muks melon and snap melon:

1. The fruit when nature slips cut easily from the vine, leaving a circular depression. This is known as full slip stage. 2. in netted musk melons the green color between the nets changes to yellow and nets becomes dirty white whereas in snap melon the green rind turns yellow or orange on maturity. Water melon: 1. on thumping the fruit with finger, a ripe melon gives a flat dead sound, 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 methods suggested above. Yield (average) per hectare: Watermelon Muskmelon Snap melon Round melon Long melon Storage: Ripe fruits of water melon keep well for 1-3 weeks at 2.2 O to 4.4o C and 80-85 per cent relative humidity. Seed Production : All melons are highly cross pollinated, snap melon muskmelon and long melon are highly cross compatible with each other. Water melon and round melon however, do not cross with any other melons. Different varieties of any one of the melons should not be put together. An isolation distance of 800 m is to be maintained. Ripe melons are good for seed extraction, seeds may be dried in the sun or in the mechanical drier. 270 100 170 75 to 300 q to 135 q to 185q 85 to 100 q q

can reach the author at dr_esreddy@yahoo.co.in 18th Aril 2012