Muskmelon is a watery fruit crop that is mostly eaten in summers. It is also called an essential vegetable crop of India. This fruit is native to Iran, Anatolia and Armenia. It is fully loaded with vitamins A and C. Moreover, you can get 90 % water and 9 % carbohydrates. And if we are talking about India, there are some states for muskmelon growing named Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.
Soil Requirements for Muskmelon Farming
Muskmelon can grow easily in fertile and well-irrigated soil. It provides better results in a well-drained loamy soil. And because of poor drainage capacity, the soil is not required for muskmelon cultivation. Farmers follow crop rotation for growing the same crop on the same land, which helps in the loss of nutrients and disease attacks. It requires soil pH between 6 to 7, and a high salt concentration with alkaline soil is not suitable for farming.Â
Land Preparation for Muskmelon Farming
In North India, the planting of muskmelon is done in the middle of February month. It requires plough land and brought to a fine tilth. And in the northeast and west, the method of planting is done from November to January.
Planting Method for Muskmelon Farming
The middle of February is an excellent time for planting muskmelon in the field. It requires 3-4 m wide beds spacing and depends upon the variety of use. And plant two seeds per hill and keep a 60 cm distance between the hills. Also, it requires a planting depth of around 1.5 cm deep. For sowing, it used two methods: sowing, dibbling and transplanting methods. For better planting, farmers use a Mahindra tractor Price which helps perform all farming tasks efficiently.       Â
Transplanting
Farmers apply a technique in which they plant seeds in polythene bags of 15 cm x 12 cm size. Similarly, fill the bad with an equal amount of rotten cow dung and soil. And farmers start irrigation immediately after transplantation.
Seed Rate and Seed Treatment
For planting at one acre of land, 400 gm of seeds are required. Before sowing the seed with Carbendazim, 2gm/kg of seed. After chemical treatment, treat seed with Trichoderma Viride 4gm/kg of seed. Dry the seeds in the shade and sow immediately.
FertiliserÂ
When the crop is 10-15 days old, take a spray of 19:19:19 + microelements at 2-3 grams per litre of water for better growth and yield of the crop. Spray Humic Acid 3ml+MAP(12:61:00) 5gm/Ltr of water during early flowering days to prevent wilting and increase the yield of a 10% crop. Spray with Salicylic Acid (4-5 Asprin Tablets 350mg) per 15 Ltr of water 1-2 times at an interval of 30 days at the time of flower formation and maturation. After 55 days of sowing, 13:00:45, 100 g + Hexaconazole 25 ml. Spray at the rate of 15 litres of water to protect against the first fruit development stage and white spot disease. To increase fruit size, taste and colour after 65 days of sowing, take spray of 00:00:50@1.5kg/acre 100gm/15Ltr of water.
Weed Control
It is important to keep the bed free from weeds during the early stages of plant development. If weeds are not controlled properly, the yield is reduced by 30% in 15-20 days due to the sowing of fruits. Therefore, weeding should be done during this time. Rivers grow fast. Hence, 2-3 weedings are required.
Irrigation Requirement   Â
Irrigate every week during the summer season. Irrigate only when needed at the time of ripening. Do not apply too much water to the melon field. Water the vines or vegetative parts when irrigating, especially flowers and fruits. Do not rinse continuously in heavy soils, which will lead to excessive growth of the vegetative parts. Stop or reduce irrigation 3-6 days before harvesting for better taste.Â
HarvestingÂ
Harvest the Green Madhu variety at the time when the fruits turn yellow. The harvesting of other types is done according to the distance of the market. If the distance to the market is more, then harvesting should be done when the fruit is green in colour. The fruit should be harvested only when half-ripe if the market is near. When the stem looks loose, it is called a half slip.
Post Harvesting
After harvesting, the fruits are cooled to reduce the temperature and heat. The fruits are divided according to their size. Melon is kept at 2 to 5 °C with 95% relative humidity for 15 days. When it is fully ripe, it is kept at 0-2.2 °C and 95 per cent neem for 5 to 14 days.
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