Introduction to Seed Melon Varieties and Key Points to Know About Fertilizer Use During Planting

The seed melon is a variety of watermelon, mainly grown to obtain the seeds, which are the watermelon seeds we eat, and it has high economic value. The seed melon prefers sandy loam soil in its native area, tolerates poor soil, is not suitable for continuous cropping, is drought-tolerant but afraid of waterlogging, is a warm-loving and heat-tolerant crop, and has a well-developed root system that can extend about 2 m in all directions. Let us take a look below at what varieties of seed melon there are and what the key points to know about fertilizer use during planting are.

I. What varieties of seed melon are there?

1. Lanzhou seed melon

The Lanzhou seed melon is a melon variety with considerable local characteristics and is a major specialty of Lanzhou. Its shape is similar to that of a watermelon, but it is smaller than a watermelon, with an average single melon weight of 2-3 kg, a smooth surface, a light green color, and dark green stripes. The flesh is yellow-white, fairly sweet, contains many seeds, and the seeds are large.

2. Jingyuan black seeds

A famous specialty of Gansu, known for its large flat seeds, thin skin, flat surface, thick flesh, glossy black color, fragrant taste, and excellent quality, it is a melon variety with local characteristics of Jingyuan and a major specialty of Gansu. Its shape is similar to that of a watermelon, slightly round, but smaller than a watermelon, with an average weight of 2-3 kg, a smooth surface, a light green color, and dark green stripes.

3. Daozhou seed melon

It is mainly planted in the south of Yongzhou City, Hunan Province, with specific planting areas including Daozhou, Jiangyong, Jianghua, Ningyuan and other counties and districts, among which Daozhou has the most extensive planting, and its seeds are slightly smaller than those of the Lanzhou seed melon. Affected by geography and climate, the red seeds of Daozhou are especially superior in quality in Qingtang Town, with a ruddy and smooth color, plump grains, fragrant and tender flesh, and good storability, with a shelf life of up to more than 1 year.

II. What are the key points to know about fertilizer use during seed melon planting?

1. Land preparation and application of base fertilizer

After the previous crop is harvested, sufficient base fertilizer should be applied during timely plowing and fine preparation. Before planting, with the seed melon planting row as the center, open a trench 40 cm wide and 20 cm deep. Apply 1500-2000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure, 50-60 kg of Yanyangtian compound fertilizer, and 1 kg of zinc sulfate per mu, mix them evenly and apply them into the planting trench, then level the soil and make ridges.

2. Topdressing

The seed melon is a crop with a relatively large fertilizer requirement. If the base fertilizer is insufficient, fertilizer deficiency will occur during the fruit-setting period, shown by thin and weak vines and faded leaf color. Therefore, topdressing should be carried out in time. For the first application, apply 10 kg of urea per mu together with the first irrigation; for the second, apply 20-30 kg of Yanyangtian compound fertilizer per mu during the melon swelling stage. To increase the fruit-setting rate, enhance disease resistance, and promote plump seeds, foliar fertilizer should be sprayed once before the fruit-setting period, and during the fruit enlargement period, 0.5% potassium dihydrogen phosphate should be sprayed on the leaves, with a very significant yield-increasing effect.

3. Spraying foliar fertilizer

At the 3-5 leaf stage, spray 70-80 g of potassium dihydrogen phosphate or 100 g of triple superphosphate per 666.7 sq m on the leaves, plus 50 g of potassium sulfate per 666.7 sq m, diluted with 30-40 kg of water, at an interval of 7-8 d, for 1-2 consecutive sprays. For plots lacking trace elements, a foliar fertilizer containing trace elements can be added according to the growth symptoms.