Muskmelon is an important crop

cultivated through India . It is used as

desert fruits and also eaten alone. Very
rarely it is used cooked vegetable in its
green stage.
Muskmelon are monoecious plants. They
do not cross with watermelon, cucumber,
pumpkin, or squash but varieties within
the species intercross frequently.
Effect of pollen grains on maternal tissue of fruits .
The pollen also carries bitter principles and hence when
bitter pollen fertilizes non-bitter ovules the resulting fruit
will be better
This phenomenon which is very common in cucumber,
Bottle guard etc. is called metaxenia.
• Durgapura Madhu – Early Variety, rich
in vitamin-c , resistant to Fusarium wilt
• Pusa Rasraj – Early variety
• Hara Madhu – Late variety
• Arka Jeet – Excellent flavor, very sweet
resistant to fusarium wilt & released by
IIHR, Hessarghatta.
• Arka Rajhans – Excellent transport
quality, higly resistant Powdery mildew.
• Punjab Sunhari (Hara madhu × Edisto)
• DMDR-2, Punjab Hybrid, Swarna,
• Musk melon is mainly grow on sand – sandy
loam soil on the river bed.
• All the cucurbits are sensitive to acidic soil.
• Below pH 5.5 no cucurbits can be successfully
grown and most of the cucurbits prefer a soil
pH between 6-7.
• Musk-melon is slightly tolerant to acidity.
• Soil temperature :- 18-24°C .
• Cucurbits crop cultivated extensively in the sub-
tropical & tropical countries.
• Cucurbits are essentially warm season crop grown
mainly in tropical & sub-tropical region.
• For good fruit quality and sweetness in melon dry
weather during fruit development is necessary.
• High temp. & sunshine produce melon high in sugar
content .
• The fungicide fenarimol and triadimenol
applied to the seeds did not affect
germination and suppressed powdery
mildew effectively when applied
at@8gm/kg seed
Mulch is a material placed on the soil surface
to maintain moisture, reduce weed growth,
mitigate soil erosion and improve soil
condition
Yang(1984) observed that plastic mulch was
effective in inhibiting the upward movements
of soil salts, resulting in bitter seedling
survival and improved yields .
The greatest benefit was obtained with black
plastic .
Red pumpkin beetle
 Both grub and adult
attacks the crops at
seedling stage and make
holes in the cotyledonary
leaves.
 In severe attack the crop
is totally destroyed.
• Control – to avoid the
damage sow the crop in
nov.
• Apply 5% Malathion @20-
25kg/ha.
• These tiny insects cause
damage form April- June.
• They damage by sucking
the sap from the foliage.
• Aphid also spread the
viral diseases.
• The adult flies puncture
tender fruits and lay
eggs below the
epidermis of frits skin.
• The maggots feed inside
the frits and spoil them
there attack is serious
in long melon.
• control- apply the bait
spray containing 0.05%
malathion and 10% gur
or sugar in 20liters of
water
Cucumber mosaic
 The young leaves develop
small greenish-yellow areas
and they are more
translucent than those in
the reaming parts of the
leaf.
 Yellow mottling is seen on
the leaves and fruits.
 The virus is transmitted by
sap, seed and aphids
 Control- spray
monocrotophos(0.03%) at
weekly intervals to control
aphid vectors.
• The important symptom of
the disease is yellowing of
veins.
• The infected plants show
stunted growth and rarely
bear fruits.
• The virus is transmitted by
white fly (Bemisia tabaci).
• Control- eradicate the
infected plants.
• Spray 0.05% Dimethoate at
15 days interval to reduce
the population of white fly.
Root knot nematode
• The attack results in
poor patchy and
reduced growth of crop.
• Leaves become yellow
and reduced in size.
• Control
• Fumigate the soil with
DD mixture or
Nemagon @20-25
kg/ha.
• Musk melon fruits are ready for harvesting when
the fruit externals colour is changed .
• Clear sign of maturity in most melon varieties is
when the rind change colour from grey or green
to yellow.
• Normally these frits mature in 85days to 115 days
depending on the variety and climatic condition
• Yields – 100-150q/ha.