Why do melons rot? Causes and preventive measures

After planting, melons are prone to rotting fruit once they set fruit. Sometimes growers do not know the reason. Management seems fine, yet the melons rot. Most people think it is because after rain the melons absorb too much water and become soaked and rotten, but in fact there are many specific causes, not just this one, so today I will mainly introduce the detailed causes of melon rot, and how to prevent it.

I. Causes

Infection by pathogens causes disease, and then the melons rot. The main rotting diseases are bacterial angular leaf spot and rotting disease. These pathogens can be transmitted through soil and seeds. Pathogens on diseased plant residues can spread through rain splashes and insects; sometimes applying too much potassium fertilizer and nitrogen fertilizer inhibits the absorption of calcium, and calcium deficiency can cause melon rot; improper management, sometimes planting too densely, excessively high field humidity, seeds and seedlings not being disinfected, poor nutrition and weak growth, and reduced disease resistance make melon rot more likely.

II. Preventive measures

1. Disinfection

Before sowing, seeds should be soaked and soaked in medicinal solution. Purchased seedlings should be sprayed with carbendazim to prevent carrying bacteria. Then seedling trays, culture medium or seedling beds all need to be disinfected. They can be sun-dried first, and also need to be sprayed with fungicides such as chlorothalonil for disinfection. Diseased plant residues should be cleaned up in time. After harvest, do not leave diseased plant residues in the field; the field should be cleaned.

2. Fertilization

Fertilize reasonably, using nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium together. In the early stage, control nitrogen fertilizer somewhat, do not let the plants grow excessively. Also, do not use too much nitrogen and potassium fertilizer, as it affects calcium absorption; nitrogen and potassium fertilizer can be appropriately reduced. In the late growth stage, nitrogen fertilizer use will be reduced a lot, but in the late stage more potassium fertilizer is needed, so in fact it can be controlled in the late stage, and more potassium fertilizer can be applied in the middle stage.

3. Strengthen management

Melons are generally planted on flat ground, so they should be planted more sparsely, not too densely. Planting sparsely will make field humidity lower and not provide space for pathogen growth; then reasonable fertilization is needed, and topdressing should be done at each stage according to the fertilizer requirements of melons. There must be no fertilizer deficiency, or planting in poor soil.,

Melon rot is mainly caused by diseases, but if some environmental factors are not coordinated well, it will create conditions for pathogen growth and reproduction. Melon rot diseases like high temperature and high humidity environmental conditions most. Therefore, prevention should start with environmental factors.