Causes of Stiff Fruit in Melons and Control Methods

Stiff fruit in melons is a common phenomenon during melon cultivation, and it can seriously affect melon yield and quality, causing huge economic losses to farmers. So what causes stiff fruit in melons? Follow the editor to take a look at the control methods.

I. Symptoms

Stiff fruit in melons means that when the melon grows to the size of a walnut, it stops expanding, and the fruit is noticeably smaller than the normal melon of that variety, with a hard outer skin and late maturity, greatly reducing the melon's commercial value. Some stiff fruits will also drop or rot within a certain period, giving pathogens an opportunity to take advantage and gradually spread to the vines, which is extremely unfavorable for melon growth.

II. Causes

There are many causes of stiff fruit in normal melons. First, the fruit-setting node is low, forming a hanging nutrient drain, which causes the fruit to fail to grow large. Second, after fruit setting, the fruit-swelling water is not irrigated in time, or fertilizer and water management is improper, so the needs for fruit growth and development cannot be normally met, thus forming stiff fruit. Third, after fruit setting, long periods of adverse weather occur, such as long periods of rainy weather, which will block nutrient transport, gradually stiffen the normal rind, prevent the flesh from expanding, and sometimes also cause fruit cracking. Fourth, pruning and fruit thinning are not done in time, the plant grows weak or shows excessive vegetative growth, vegetative growth and reproductive growth become imbalanced, and the fruit cannot expand due to lack of nutrients, so over time stiff fruit forms.

III. Control

1. Choose a suitable fruit-setting node

The fruit-setting node of melons greatly affects single fruit weight, quality, and maturity period. Fruit set at a low node is very likely to produce deformed melons, and later the plant begins to weaken; fruit set at a high node results in thin rind and low sugar content, so a suitable fruit-setting node must be chosen.

2. Strengthen fertilizer and water management

After fruit setting, when the fruit cells enter division and expansion, a large supply of nutrients is needed. When the melon grows to the size of a walnut, irrigate once to provide sufficient water for fruit expansion, and at the same time apply fertilizer with the water, 20-3 kg of potassium fertilizer per mu. At this time, if water is insufficient, cell division will slow down and fruit expansion will slow down. Insufficient watering or too little water will cause stiff fruit, so watering and fertilizing must be timely and sufficient.

  The above is an introduction to the causes of stiff fruit in melons and the control methods. I hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please follow us.