DADASAHEB MOKASHI

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE

WELCOME
Cultivation of Watermelon

Presented By
Kadam Amol Balasaheb
ACR 040/2013

Submitted To:-
Department of Horticulture
Prof. S.M. Shinde Sir
 WaterMelon

Botanical Name:- Citrullus Lanatus

Family:- Cucurbitaceae

Origin:- Africa
Introduction
It is known as tarbuj, tarmuj, kalinda and kalindiin
different parts of India.

it is a major river-bed crop of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan,

Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

Punjab, Haryana, Karnataka, Assam, West Bengal,

Orissa, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
and Rajasthan are major watermelon growing states

The fruits contain 92% water, 0.2% protein,

0.3%minerals 7.0% carbohydrates in a 100g edible
flesh
Soil & Climate
Soil :-

Sandy loams are best forearly crop, while loams have

high-yielding potential.
A pH of 6.5 -7.0 is Best

Climate :-

Watermelon requires hot dry climate and a long

growing season
Plant growth is optimum under28-30 oC, while fruiting is
better at 24-27oC.
Land Preparation

Fields should be prepared thoroughly by plowing

and harrowing and removing the different types of
plant debris

It should also bepulverizedandleveled; furrows

aremade2 m apart.
Seed and Sowing
Seed rate
3.0-3.5kg/ha for small-seeded types and5.0kg/ha for
large-seeded types is sufficient.

Spacing
row and plant spacing up to 3.5 and 1.2m

Time of Sowing
In north Indian plains, sowing is done during late-February
to mid-March

Seed treatment
Treat with Trichoderma 4 g or Carbendizim 2g/kg of seeds
Training and Pruning
The excessive vine growth can be pruned
manually to restrict vegetative growth

Fruit thinning is useful and retaining of 2 fruits/

vine improves fruit size

apical shoot is pinched and 2-4side shoots are

allowed to grow it gives significantly higher fruit
yield
Interculture
At the time of topdressing ofnitrogenous fertilizer,
weeding and earthing-up are done.

Depending upon soil and environmental factors,

2-3 weedings would be required.

Vigorously growing weedsshould be manually

pulled out, without disturbing vines at later
stages.
Manure and Fertilizers
Well-rotten F.Y.M. @ 15-22.5tonnes/ha should be mixed
thoroughly with the soil at the time of preparation of
land.

P 55 kg and K 55 kg as basal and N 55 kg/ha 30 days

after sowing.

Full amount of P and K before sowing and half dose of

N at the time of vining and the other 10-15 days later.

It is better to complete all the fertilizer applications

before thefruit-set.
Water Management
Irrigate the field before dibbling the seeds and
thereafter once a week

The crop should be irrigated at 3-5 days intervals,

during summers.

Frequent irrigations avoided as it promotes

excessive vegetative growth

Irrigation should be stopped during ripening as it

adversely affects fruit quality

River-bed crop needs watering onlyin initial stages.

 Varieties
Arka jyoti Arka manik Durgapura kesar Pusa
bedana Sugar baby Durgapura meetha
Sugar queen
Harvesting
Watermelons should be harvested at proper stage of
maturity

The crop is ready for harvesting 90-120 days after

sowing depending upon cultivarand season

A metallic sound when the fruit is tapped with the

back of hand or with fingers denote immaturity,
whereas a heavy dull sound indicate ripeness.

The fruits become fit for harvesting 30-40 days after

anthesis. These should be separated from the vine
with the help of a knife.
Post Harvest
Packing and Storage

The fruits are transported by road in bulk by

stacking them on dried grass in trucks.

Watermelons can be stored for 14 days at 15C.

For short-term storage or transit to distant
markets (>7 days)

Watermelons can be stored at 7.2C with 85-90%

relative humidity.
Yield

The yield of watermelon varies

according to the system of
cultivation, variety, season and
several otherfactors.

The average fruit yield varies from 20

to 25 t/ha. In 120 days
Diseases
Most severe diseases that affect
watermelon are Anthracnose,
Powdery and downey mildew,
Fusarium wilt
 Disease Management

Field should be kept clean from diseased parts

Avoid water touching fruits as it favors disease

development on fruits
To control fungal diseases on watermelon spaying
of fungicides effective for diseases should be
applied accordingly

Spraying of Carbendanzim (1mg/lit), Bavistin

(1g/lit), Diathane M45 (0.2%), Ridomil (1.5g/lit)
should be done in 15 days interval
Pests
A number of insect species, including Aphids
beetles, caterpillars, mites and thrips, can
damage

Mice can cause major problems in melon crops

prior to emergence because they dig out and eat
large quantities of seed.

Crows can be a devastating and annoying pest.

Just before harvest, they can make melons
unsaleable by punching holes through the skin the
plants
Pest Management

Pests can be controlled by using various methods of pest

control

Stubbles of previous crop could be removed to prevent pest

infestation

Bacillus thuringiensis effectively kills younger larvae

Insects like aphids can be controlled by using tolerant

Varieties, reflective mulching or application of neem or canola
oil

Erecting/creating barriers to stop crawling insects

Spraying insecticide or using cultural methods are also useful

THANK YOU