What Causes Winter Melon Fruit Cracking? Detailed Explanation of Causes and Control Measures

When we think of winter melon, what comes to mind is the beauty-enhancing effect of winter melon soup. Winter melon is a common delicacy on our dining tables. It is rich in nutrients, containing carotene, multiple vitamins, and various trace elements, and has excellent beauty and fat-reducing effects. Winter melon has strong environmental adaptability, so it is relatively easy to grow, but fruit cracking often occurs during cultivation, which gives melon farmers a real headache. So what causes winter melon fruit cracking? How should it be prevented and controlled? Let's take a look together.

I. Causes of Fruit Cracking

1. Excessive nitrogen fertilizer: During cultivation, improper fertilization by farmers, with excessive nitrogen fertilizer and neglect of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer application, leads to excessive vegetative growth of the plant, consuming large amounts of nutrients, resulting in insufficient nutrients for the winter melon. In addition, a lack of potassium fertilizer impedes nutrient transport, thus causing fruit cracking.

2. Water supply fluctuating between too much and too little: During the fruit enlargement stage, winter melon requires large amounts of water. If watering is improper, causing water supply to fluctuate between too much and too little, or if the young fruit experiences soil drought in the early growth stage and then sudden heavy rain in the later stage, or if after prolonged rainy weather the sky suddenly clears, these factors can all cause drastic changes in moisture, leading to fruit cracking.

3. Unstable temperature: Like water, rapid temperature changes are also one of the causes of winter melon fruit cracking.

4. Insufficient trace elements: In the late growth stage of winter melon, besides nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers, trace elements such as calcium, magnesium, and boron are also needed. If the soil and plants are severely deficient in these elements, fruit cracking can also occur.

5. Hormone stimulation: Many melon farmers, when controlling pests and diseases or spraying early-maturing hormones, cause a certain stimulation to the winter melon, which easily leads to fruit cracking.

II. Control Measures

1. Pay attention to water balance. During the young fruit enlargement stage, sufficient water should be provided. During drought, water should be applied promptly to maintain soil moisture. Conversely, during rainy weather, drainage and waterlogging prevention measures should be taken. If grown in a greenhouse, ventilation should also be strengthened to reduce air humidity, so as to prevent fruit cracking caused by sudden clearing of the sky.

2. Increase the application of organic fertilizer to improve soil structure, enhance its water permeability and water-holding capacity, and promote well-developed root growth. Combined with pruning, fruit cracking can be reduced. Winter melon requires large amounts of nitrogen fertilizer in the early growth stage, but has less demand for nitrogen fertilizer in the later stage. If too much nitrogen fertilizer is applied, it will cause rapid growth of branches and leaves, which is unfavorable for winter melon growth. Therefore, at this time, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers should be mainly applied to improve yield and quality.

3. During fruit enlargement, spraying a 0.1% copper sulfate or zinc sulfate solution can improve the winter melon's heat resistance and cracking resistance.

4. When planting, choose crack-resistant varieties, which can reduce the probability of fruit cracking.

5. After flowers fade, spray gibberellin solution once a week for 2-3 consecutive times, which also has an excellent preventive effect on fruit cracking.

6. Timely harvesting can also reduce fruit cracking.

The above are the causes and control measures for winter melon fruit cracking. We hope this helps you. To learn more about winter melon cultivation, please stay tuned to us.