What to Do About Cracked Fruit in Monk Fruit? Causes and Control Methods

Monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii) is a very precious traditional Chinese medicinal herb, but you may not know that monk fruit can be used not only as medicine but also as a food ingredient. It has excellent medicinal effects and can help prevent and treat many cardiovascular diseases. In recent years, the market price of monk fruit has been rising steadily, making it a poverty-alleviation project for many people. However, many growers often find that the fruit cracks during cultivation, so how should we prevent and control this cracking? Let's take a look together below!

1. Select superior varieties

Choosing excellent varieties can greatly reduce the occurrence of fruit cracking. Although China has not yet bred a variety that can completely eliminate fruit cracking, there are still some with fewer cracked fruits and strong disease resistance, such as Hongmao fruit, because some cracking occurs due to genetics. Therefore, whether selecting seeds or propagating fruit trees by cuttings, try to choose high-quality varieties to reduce later cracking.

2. Rational fertilization

Do a good job of rational fertilization according to the soil fertility of the planting site and the nutritional characteristics of monk fruit at each growth stage. Do not apply fertilizer in a one-sided or excessive way; distribute various nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium reasonably to ensure all the nutrients needed for the growth of the fruit trees. In addition, if the soil being planted is acidic, apply an appropriate amount of calcium fertilizer or quicklime powder to the soil. This can not only neutralize the soil pH but also supplement calcium.

3. Water management

Improper water management will worsen the occurrence of fruit cracking in monk fruit. During cultivation, ensure that the water needed by the fruit trees can be provided. Mainly in early summer, when the temperature gradually rises and the rate of water evaporation speeds up, water in time according to weather changes. It is not suitable to water at noon, because noon is the hottest time of the day and the effect of watering becomes smaller. Appropriately cover with grass and plastic film to lower the surface temperature, do a good job of water retention, and reduce the fruit cracking.

4. Pest and disease control

Some pests and diseases can also cause fruit cracking, such as viral diseases and nematode diseases. Strengthen orchard management. Do a good job of pest and disease prevention, gather excess weeds and miscellaneous trees in the orchard, fallen aged branches, diseased and disabled branches, etc., and deal with them to prevent the breeding of pathogens and their spread to the remaining fruit trees. Around the orchard, it is also not suitable to plant some Solanaceae and Fabaceae plants, to prevent pathogens from spreading to each other.

5. Flowering and fruiting stage management

The flowering and fruiting stage is a relatively important growth stage for monk fruit. Monk fruit has a relatively long flowering time and a relatively high yield. While applying fertilizer reasonably to meet the nutrients needed by the fruit trees, also do a good job of artificial pollination. Artificial pollination can improve the pollination and fertilization rate of the fruit trees and lay the foundation for fruit set after pollination. Then thin the flowers and fruits of the fruit, promptly removing weak-growing, densely packed small flowers and various cracked and diseased fruits, to improve fruit quality.

The above are the main methods for reducing fruit cracking in monk fruit. After monk fruit cracks, it is very easily affected by various contamination, which lowers the resistance of the fruit. It easily leads to fruit rot and drop, and also increases the incidence of pests and diseases, such as the Oriental fruit fly, causing fruits that have not cracked to also suffer a certain impact. Everyone should pay attention to fruit cracking, check the causes of cracking, and then treat the root cause. This article is for reference only, and I hope it is helpful to everyone.