How many vines should be kept when planting Hami melons?
The Hami melon is a variation of the melon, with round or oval fruit, produced in Xinjiang. It is not only delicious but also rich in nutrients and high in medicinal value, with excellent prospects for cultivation. So, how many vines should be kept when planting Hami melons?
1. How many vines should be kept when planting Hami melons
When planting Hami melons, generally 2 vines are kept, namely one main vine and one side vine, which helps increase yield. Hami melons are widely cultivated across China, and during production they often suffer from diseases such as bacterial leaf spot, gummy stem blight, and fungal leaf blight.
1. Bacterial leaf spot
[Symptoms] In the early stage, water-soaked lesions appear near the veins on the underside of the leaves. The lesions expand rapidly and merge into one another, with a yellow halo at the edges.
[Control method] In the early stage of the disease, spray the leaves 2-3 times with 77% Duoning at 500 times dilution or 3% zhongshengmycin at 800 times dilution, once every 4-5 days.
2. Gummy stem blight
[Symptoms] It damages the vines and leaves. The diseased parts of the vines often split open, with dense small black spots on the surface, and in severe cases the diseased parts exude amber gum. When the average temperature is 18-25°C, soil moisture is high, and there is continuous cropping, poor drainage, and weak watermelon growth, the disease is more severe.
[Agricultural measures] 1. Strictly control soil moisture to avoid excessive water content. 2. Reduce wounds on melon and vegetable plants to lower the chance of pathogen infection. 3. Avoid flooding irrigation in the field when the disease occurs.
[Chemical control] In the early stage of the disease, spray the leaves with 25% Kairun emulsifiable concentrate at 1800 times dilution, or 32.5% Amistar Top suspension concentrate at 1500 times dilution, or 24% Yingde at 2000 times dilution. The number of applications depends on the disease situation, generally 2-3 times, once every 3-4 days.
3. Hami melon powdery mildew
[Symptoms] The pathogen mainly damages the leaves, and the stems and vines and petioles can also be affected. In the early stage, small round spots appear on the leaves. After the lesions expand, they join together into patches, and in severe cases both sides of the leaves, as well as the stems, vines, and petioles, are covered with white powder, and the diseased leaves turn yellow, become brittle, and curl. The pathogen overwinters in the soil as cleistothecia with plant debris. It spreads through airflow and rainwater. When melon field humidity is high, plants grow densely, and ventilation is poor, the disease is severe.
[Control method] 1. Strengthen field management, apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, prevent excessive vegetative growth and premature aging from fertilizer deficiency, prune scientifically, improve ventilation and light penetration, and reduce humidity. 2. In the early stage of the disease, per mu, use 2-3 kg of 200-mesh sulfur powder and spray when there is dew on the melon vines in the morning and evening, or spray sulfur suspension concentrate at 200-300 times dilution, or 67 g of 15% triadimefon wettable powder, or 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder at 600 times dilution, or 70% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 1000 times dilution, once every 7-10 days, for 2-3 consecutive times.