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Shed watermelon June scientific management
Watermelons are vulnerable to cracking during the harvest period when their skin is thinnest. This issue is especially common in certain varieties, with cracking rates reaching over 30% in some cases, leading to significant losses for farmers. High temperatures and droughts can cause watermelons to swell and burst. Cracking often occurs due to sudden changes in soil moisture—such as heavy rain after a long dry spell or continuous rainfall—which causes rapid fruit growth that outpaces the development of the outer skin.
Thin-skinned varieties like Huang Xiaoyu, Hong Xiaoyu, and 84-24 are particularly prone to cracking. Their skins are only about 0.5 cm thick, making them more susceptible to damage from extreme weather conditions such as heavy rain or prolonged drought.
To prevent cracking, proper irrigation is essential. Furrow irrigation should be adjusted based on leaf wilting and recovery, and it’s best done when no heavy rain is expected for the next few days. Drip irrigation is ideal for maintaining even soil moisture. If cracking becomes severe, controlling nutrient flow into the fruit can help. Farmers can use small bamboo sticks or pins to vertically support the vines, or gently twist the stems to reduce stress and minimize fruit cracking.
Wilt is one of the most serious diseases affecting watermelons. Fusarium wilt can occur at any stage of growth but is most damaging during the vine extension phase. In replant fields, infection rates can reach nearly 100%. Symptoms include yellowing of lower leaves, roughness at the base of the stem, and longitudinal cracks on the roots and neck. The affected areas may appear water-soaked and develop white or pink mold, with brown vascular bundles.
To control wilt, a comprehensive approach is recommended: crop rotation for at least five years, grafting onto resistant rootstocks like sunspot blue melon, removing and burning infected plants immediately, and applying fungicides such as new high-fat membrane, 50% carbendazim WP (diluted 500 times), 30% DT bactericide (350 times), Benzetide, 70% thiophanate-methyl, or Coxsack (500–1000 times). Apply 200–250 ml per plant every 7–10 days for 2–3 treatments.
Anthracnose is a major disease in the mid to late stages of watermelon growth. It causes brown, round or semi-circular spots on leaf edges, with black dots or pink mucus. Stems curl and die, and lesions on stems and petioles are round or spindle-shaped, yellow to brown, and slightly sunken. On fruits, initial lesions are water-stained and light green, later becoming brown and sunken with pink mucus when wet.
Prevention involves protective spraying with products like new high-fat membrane, 50% thiophanate-methyl WP (800 times), 75% chlorothalonil WP (800 times), or 50% carbendazim wettable powder (800 times). Other options include 36% Thiophanate Suspension (500x), 80% Anthraquinone WP (800x), 62.25% Senile or 80% WP (700x), 10% WSH Granules (1500x), 2% antimycotic (Agricultural 120) diluted 200 times. Spray every 7–10 days for 2–3 applications.
Blight affects the stems, leaves, and fruits of watermelons. Leaves show round, water-soaked, dark green spots that soften in humid conditions and become brittle when dry. Stems and petioles develop spindle-shaped depressions and dark green, water-soaked lesions, causing wilting above the affected area. Fruits develop dark green, water-soaked sunken spots with a slimy, white odor.
Control methods include spraying 75% chlorothalonil WP (600 times), 25% WP wettable powder (800 times), 50% carbendazim wettable powder (500 times), 64% antivirus (500 times), or 60% potassium dimethoate (DTM) wettable powder (500 times). Apply every 5–7 days for three consecutive treatments. Unlike anthracnose, the choice of fungicide differs. (Source: China Plant Protection Network, Li Ruifeng)