How to Control Downy Mildew on Melons and the Three Main Differences Between Melons and Oriental Melons

Melon is an annual trailing herbaceous plant of the genus Cucumis in the Cucurbitaceae family. The fruit shape and rind color vary by variety. At present, it can be grown in all parts of China. If not managed properly, diseases will appear. So, how should melon downy mildew be controlled?

1. Introduction to Melon!

1. Is melon a fruit or a vegetable?

Melon is a fruit, generally ripening in summer. The flesh can be eaten raw; it tastes sweet and fragrant, and can also be processed into dried melon, preserved melon, melon juice, canned melon chunks, melon wine, melon jam, pickled melon and other products.

2. What melon varieties are there?

According to ecological characteristics, melons in China are usually divided into thick-skinned melons and thin-skinned melons. Thick-skinned melons mainly include netted melon, winter melon and hard-skinned melon, and are mainly distributed in Xinjiang, Gansu and other northwestern regions; thin-skinned melons are widely cultivated in China, with the Northeast and North China as the main producing areas.

2. How to control downy mildew on melon?

1. What are the symptoms of downy mildew on melon?

Downy mildew on melon is a fungal disease that attacks melons. It mainly harms the leaves. When infected at the seedling stage, small water-soaked spots appear on the cotyledons, which later expand into light brown lesions; when humidity is high, a grayish-purple mold layer grows on the underside of the leaves. When adult plants are infected, light yellow lesions appear on the leaf surface, and in the later stage the lesions become light brown or yellowish-brown angular spots. Under continuous rainfall conditions, the lesions rapidly expand or merge into large patches, causing the leaves to curl upward or dry up, and all the lower leaves dry up.

2. What control methods are there for downy mildew on melon?

(1) Agricultural control: First, choose varieties resistant to downy mildew; second, fertilize reasonably, apply more organic fertilizer, and apply chemical nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in combination; third, choose to irrigate on clear mornings, strictly prohibit flood irrigation, and drain excess moisture promptly after irrigation; finally, weed and train the vines in time to keep good ventilation between plants.

(2) Nutritional control: After melon flowering, after 4-5 p.m. on clear days, use 0.2 kg of urea and 0.5 kg of white sugar (or brown sugar) per mu, mix with 40-50 kg of water, and spray on the leaves once every 5-6 days for 4-5 consecutive sprays, to enhance the plant's disease resistance and prevent the disease.

(3) Plant-based control: At the early stage of the disease, mash 0.2 kg each of small hot peppers, ginger or garlic per mu, wrap in gauze, place in 50 kg of water to filter out the juice, mix well and spray; spray once more after 3 days, then spray once every 7 days for 2-3 more consecutive sprays.

(4) Chemical control: Spray chemicals for control, for example 25% Ridomil wettable powder or 25% metalaxyl wettable powder at 800-1000 times dilution, etc., spraying 60-70 kg per mu, once every 7-10 days, for 3-4 consecutive treatments; if it rains within 4 hours after spraying, it must be re-sprayed.

(5) Removal control: For diseased leaves with downy mildew, remove or pull out the diseased plants in time and burn or bury them deeply; do not discard them in the field or by the roadside, and also avoid neighboring or continuous cropping with cucurbit crops.

3. What are the differences between melon and oriental melon?

Difference 1, different producing areas: Melon is mainly produced in the sunny northern regions; the individual fruit is larger, and the shape is round or oval. Oriental melon is mainly produced in the southern regions with relatively high rainfall; the individual fruit is smaller, and most of the shapes are round.

Difference 2, different appearance: Melon is generally green, yellow or white, with a relatively thick rind, and is very prone to cracking after ripening. Oriental melon can be golden yellow, light green or whitish, with a relatively thin rind that is not easy to crack.

Difference 3, different sweetness: Because melon is produced in the north, with sufficient light and sufficient photosynthesis and less consumption at night, the sugar content it converts is relatively high, and the fruit it produces has a light fragrance and plenty of sweetness. Because oriental melon is produced in the south, with relatively high rainfall, insufficient light and a short growth period, the sugar content it converts is relatively low, and the fruit it produces has a rich fragrance but insufficient sweetness.

The above is an introduction to the control methods for downy mildew on melon. In fact, both melon and oriental melon are plants of the genus Cucumis in the Cucurbitaceae family. Essentially, they belong to the same type of melon, only the varieties are different. The above three differences can help everyone distinguish them from each other.