What causes yellow leaves on melons (muskmelons)?

Melon, also known as muskmelon or honeydew melon, has a sweet taste and high water content, is well loved by people, and sells well on the market, but there are also some problems in melon cultivation. Today, the editor will talk about the causes of yellow leaves in melons.

1. Nutrient deficiency

Melons need a variety of nutrient elements during growth, and the main cause of yellow leaves in melons is nutrient deficiency. Nitrogen deficiency, phosphorus deficiency, potassium deficiency, calcium deficiency, iron deficiency, copper deficiency and magnesium deficiency can all cause the leaves to turn yellow, and the symptoms of each deficiency are also different. With nitrogen deficiency, the leaves appear yellow-green, the old leaves dry up, and the new leaves are small and few; with phosphorus deficiency, the plant is short and small, and the leaves are dark green with no luster; with potassium deficiency, the leaf margins turn yellow first and gradually become scorched, and in severe cases the entire leaf withers; with calcium deficiency, the leaf margins turn yellow, but the old leaves remain green; with iron deficiency, the leaves become pale yellow, but the veins remain green, and later the entire leaf loses its green color and falls off; with copper deficiency, the green color at the leaf tips gradually fades; with magnesium deficiency, the leaf color turns yellow, most obviously at the leaf tips, but the veins remain green.

2. Fertilizer damage

Yellow leaves caused by fertilizer damage are somewhat similar to those caused by nutrient deficiency. During cultivation, if too much fertilizer is applied, it will cause fertilizer damage to the plants. This is also a common cause of yellow leaves, especially just after fertilizing or after spraying pesticides. Generally, yellow leaves appear within 1-2 days, over a relatively large area, and are quite common. When yellow leaves caused by fertilizer damage appear, increasing watering or spraying urea on the leaves as a foliar fertilizer can relieve the symptoms.

3. Climatic causes

Yellow leaves in melons are also somewhat related to climate. Many farmers use black film mulching technology to raise soil temperature and speed up melon growth, but during the hot summer period, black film not only absorbs heat but also prevents heat dissipation, so it affects root growth and causes premature aging and yellow leaves. In addition, long periods of rainy weather or a closed, crowded canopy between plants can also cause leaf yellowing, so climate changes should be noted during cultivation and correct management should be carried out.

4. Diseases

Another cause of yellow leaves is disease, and the representative disease is bacterial leaf blight, also known as leaf spot disease. It mainly occurs in high-temperature and high-humidity environments and spreads very easily. When the disease occurs, yellow-brown lesions appear on the leaves and gradually expand and merge, and in the later stage they cause large areas of dead spots on the leaves, so the leaves cannot carry out normal photosynthesis. In the early stage of the disease, streptomycin can be sprayed for control, and at the peak of the disease, azole fungicides mixed with thiodiazole-copper or Longkejun can be used for control.

The above is an analysis of the causes of yellow leaves in melons. We hope it can help you!