Reasons for Yellowing Muskmelon Leaves and Methods for Pruning and Pinching

Muskmelon is a relatively popular fruit and also an economic crop that many people now choose to grow, and it is currently cultivated in many parts of China. However, during the process of growing muskmelons, some leaf yellowing may also occur, so when encountering this situation, how should we solve it?

What causes yellowing muskmelon leaves

1. Trace elements need to be supplemented. The most common cause of yellowing muskmelon leaves is a lack of chlorophyll, and the main cause of chlorophyll deficiency in muskmelons is trace elements such as magnesium, nitrogen, iron and zinc in the soil. At this time, fertilizer should be applied promptly, preferably some high-quality compound fertilizer. In addition, sometimes the lack of trace elements in the soil is also closely related to salinization caused by continuous cropping. If muskmelon leaves turn yellow that year, it is recommended to change the plot for planting the following year.

2. Foliar fertilizer can be sprayed. Muskmelon leaves turning yellow is mostly caused by chlorophyll deficiency. At this time, some foliar fertilizer can be sprayed, preferably some fertilizer with a high chlorophyll content, and when spraying foliar fertilizer, some fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium should also be applied.

3. Yellowing leaves can be treated with medication. Muskmelon leaves turning yellow may also be caused by bacterial leaf blight, which people often call bacterial leaf spot. Once this disease occurs, it spreads very quickly and should be treated with medication promptly. After seeing a small number of yellow leaves appear, medication such as streptomycin or new phytomycin should be used promptly for treatment, but these medications should try not to be mixed; when used alone, the treatment effect on muskmelon bacterial leaf spot will be more obvious.

How to prune and pinch muskmelon

1. When the muskmelon grows to 3-5 leaves, it should be pinched for pruning management. Generally, the methods of “secondary vines” bearing fruit and “tertiary vines” bearing fruit are used, so that muskmelons can be supplied to the market successively.

2. After the muskmelon is planted, when the main vine has 4-5 leaves, top and pinch it promptly. After secondary vines appear, select and keep 2-3 strong secondary vines, and cut off the other weak secondary vines.

3. When the selected secondary vines have 5-6 leaves, pinch again, select and keep 3 tertiary vines on the secondary vines, and cut off the other weak tertiary vines.

4. After the tertiary vines set fruit, keep 2 leaves from the fruit and pinch. Be careful to remove deformed fruit. Distribute the secondary vines and tertiary vines evenly, and press soil clods on the secondary vines. Cut off old leaves and diseased leaves and take them out of the field.

What to do if muskmelon is not sweet

1. Small temperature difference between day and night. Greenhouse cultivation methods can be used to reduce ventilation during the day to increase the greenhouse room temperature, which is conducive to sucrose synthesis, while strengthening ventilation at night to lower the room temperature, artificially creating an environment with a large temperature difference between day and night.

2. Improper fertilizer and water management. When fertilizing, attention should be paid to reasonable matching, and it should not be biased toward only one type. Calcium deficiency in the soil easily forms fermented melons, causing the fruit to be not sweet, so when fertilizing, try to apply organic fertilizer together with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. It is best not to water or fertilize half a month before harvest.

Common muskmelon diseases and their control

1. Downy mildew: spray with 72% Kelu wettable powder at 800 times dilution, or 40% phosethyl-Al wettable powder at 250-300 times dilution, or 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 600 times dilution.

2. Gummy stem blight: spray with 70% mancozeb wettable powder at 500 times dilution, or 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 600 times dilution.

3. Viral disease: spray with 20% virus A wettable powder at 500 times dilution, or 1.5% zhibingling emulsion at 1000 times dilution, or 5% junduqing aqueous solution at 300-500 times dilution, once every 10 days, spraying 3-4 times consecutively.

4. Powdery mildew: spray with 15% triadimefon wettable powder at 1000-1500 times dilution, or 12.5% myclobutanil emulsifiable concentrate at 4000 times dilution, once every 15-20 days.

Yellowing muskmelon leaves are generally caused by diseases or soil and other reasons. Observe carefully, then find the root cause of the problem before solving it. Pinching is also very important when growing muskmelons. It can generally be carried out starting from three leaves, so as to ensure that muskmelons grow better.