Betsy Gallagher

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Cantaloupe, Cucumber and Watermelon Production
July 2000
Betsy Gallagher University of Maryland Maryland
Cooperative Extension Dorchester County
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Other considerations Cantaloupe, watermelon and
cucumber
? Botany - Classification ? Growth
Development ? Soils Nematodes ? Plastics ? Windb
reaks ? Pollination ? Harvest
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• Melons and Cucumbers - Belong to the
  Cucurbitaceae or Gourd Family also called Vine
  Crops
• Genus and species
• ? Cantaloupe Cucumis melo
• ? Cucumbers Cucumis sativus
• ? Watermelon Citrullus lanatus

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Seed germination
? Germinate and emerge in three days under
optimum conditions ? Seed coat remains tight
seedling dies- indicator of old seed with
reduced vigor ? Once cotyledons emerge roots
develop quickly ? Sunlight delivers
photosynthates to true leaves and root system ?
Damage to cotyledons during 1st week sets
plants back. May recover weak and
susceptible to attack.
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• Vegetative Growth 2 Stages
• Stage I - Upright growth
• Stage II Vining
• ? Occurs after 6 nodes
• ? Side shoots begin to emerge from leaf axils
• ? Main leader continues to grow
• ? Side shoots are also growing causing the
  plant to flop over
• ? Begins to initiate the reproductive stage

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Flowers and Fruit

• ? Muskmelons (Cantaloupe)
• o Andromonoecious Perfect flowers (male and
  female parts on the same flower) and male
  flowers (staminate flowers)
• ? Watermelon
• o Monoecious Male (staminate) only and
  female (pistallate) only flowers on the same
  plant
• ? Open for only 1 day
• ? 1st flowers near the crown male (staminate)
• ? 2nd flowers perfect flowers (muskmelons)
• or female flowers (watermelon)

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INSECT POLLINATION OF CULTIVATED CROP PLANTS
Flowers of Tosca cucumber. A, Staminate, or
male, x1 B, longitudinal section of male, x4
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INSECT POLLINATION OF CULTIVATED CROP PLANTS -
(cont.)
C, pistillate, or female, x1 D, longitudinal
section of a portion of female, x4.
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Inflorescence Most American cultivars of
muskmelons are andromonoecious, bearing staminate
and hermaphrodite flowers on the same plant (fig.
129). The numerous staminate flowers are borne in
axillary clusters of three to five in all
axillary positions not occupied by the few
slightly larger solitary hermaphrodite flowers.
The flowers are 3/4 inch to 11/2 inches across,
with five petals united to slightly beyond the
staminal. column, then separated and broadly
spreading (Whitaker and Davis 1962). Griffin
(1901) reported 512 staminate and 42
hermaphrodite cantaloupe flowers per vine.
McGregor (1951) showed, however, that this ratio
varies depending upon bee activity and fruit set.
When bees were excluded, no fruit set and the
ratio was one hermaphrodite to four staminate
flowers, but in caged and open plots visited by
bees the ratio was one hermaphrodite to 10
staminate flowers. Apparently, failure of the
plant to set fruit stimulates production of a
higher proportion of hermaphrodite flowers.
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Flowers and Fruit (cont.)

• ? Muskmelon mature in 6 to 8 weeks from
  pollination -depends on cultivar.
• ? Watermelon 10 days longer

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Cucumis melo Muskmelons , Honeydews, Casaba

• Muskmelons Reticulatus group
• Netting
• Thick, orange flesh
• Musky fragrant odor
• Stem separates from fruit at full maturity
• (True cantaloupe group - rough warty - has no
  netting.)

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Cucumis melo Muskmelons , Honeydews, Casaba
(cont.)
Inodorus group - Honeydews Casabas Crenshaws
Canaries Others ?White or
green flesh ? Skin brightly colored
and smooth ? Hard rind ? Stem
does not separate easily from the fruit have to
cut the vine ? Difficult to
determine maturity
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Citrullus lanatus - Watermelon
? More tolerant of humid conditions than
muskmelons ? Coarse soils that warm quickly
in spring.
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Root systems
? Watermelon may reach 60 in depth ?
Cantaloupe 18 to 36 deep Extensive and spread
at least as far as the vines.
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Seedless Watermelon
Parents Diploid (2n) x Tetraploid
(4n) Seed Triploid (3n) Unable to produce
viable seed. If pollinated by a diploid cultivar
the triploid flowers set fruit - they may contain
some seed coats - no seed.
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Seedless Watermelon (cont.)
Research shows a pollinator must be planted every
three rows. Must look enough different than the
seedless to keep them separate.
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POLLINATION FOR TRIPLOIDS
Flowers of triploid plants lack sufficient pollen
to provide adequate pollination, so it is
necessary to interplant in the field with diploid
(seeded) watermelons to provide the additional
pollen. Diploid pollenizer should be different
enough in fruit appearance from triploid so at
harvest time, seeded and seedless fruit can be
easily separated. Current experience indicates a
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successfully. This is accomplished by planting a
border row of a seeded variety, then 2 rows of
seedless and repeating this pattern throughout
the field. An adequate bee population in the
field is also very important to insure that
proper pollination occurs. Recommendations for
the number of hives necessary ranges from 1-3
hives per acre.
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Soils and pH
? Muskmelon - 6.0 to 6.8 ? Watermelon -
5.5 to 6.8 (more tolerant of acid soils) These
prefer sandy loam soils - well drained. Do poorly
where there is excessive moisture and poor
draining.
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Plastics

• Clear plastic requires fumigation. Apply 30
  days before field planting.
• Plastic should be 4 feet wide laid on 6 or 8
  foot centers (watermelon) or 5 to 6 feet
  centers (cantaloupe) immediately over fumigated
  soil.
• Plant watermelon 3 to 4 feet between plants in
  the row.

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Plastics - (cont.)

• Plant cantaloupe 2 to 3 feet between plants
  in the row.
• Black plastic does not require fumigation.
• Conserves moisture
• Increases soil temperature
• Increases early and total yield
• No frost protection

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Transplanting
Do not leave the root ball or transplant
container exposed as this will wick the
moisture away from the plant.
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Ozone damage
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Harvest
Over 1/2 final concentration of sugars in fruit
may be accumulated during the last 2 weeks of
growth. Must maintain leaf health.
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Muskmelons
Form an abscission layer Most melons for market
harvested at 1/2 slip stage when fruit separates
from the stem as it is lightly pressed. Shipping
- 1/4 slip and just showing color change with an
abscission layer just beginning to crack around
the pedicel (stem).
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Honeydews
? No abscission layer ? Surface goes from light
green to creamy white. ? Blossom end begins to
soften slightly. ? Cut from the vine.
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Watermelon
No good method of determining maturity. Indicator
s ? Browning of the tendril across the stem
from the fruit. ? Color changes to yellow
on the underside. ? Changes in the pitch when
the melon is ripe. ? May have to plug to
determine maturity for the field.
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Cucumbers Cucumis sativus
Flower types

• Normally monecious - male and
  female flowers on the same plant.
• Male - staminate flowers mostly on the main
  stem - produced 1st.
• Female - pistillate flowers produced on the
  laterals and main stem.
• Ovary at base of the female flower.

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Monoecious types three stages
1. Male flowers only 2. Male and female
flowers in about equal numbers 3. Short phase
of mostly female flowers
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Gynoecious types Pickling cucumbers
Only female flowers are produced. Earlier Outyi
eld standards Concentrated fruit set Good
machine harvest Predominantly female types
(PF) Some male blossoms are produced. Also good
for once-over harvest because of concentrated
fruit set.
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Gynoecious types - (cont.)
10 to 12 male pollinator seed are mixed in with
the gynoecious types or the PF types. Planted
in 26 to 30 inch rows. Harvested in three row
beds. Population 50,000 to 60,000 plants per
acre.
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Fruit set and development
Monoecious types - Set progressively at the
nodes. Developing fruit at the lower nodes may
inhibit or delay fruit at subsequent
nodes. Size and shape related to seeds
produced. One or more pollen grains needed per
seed. Poor pollination is the main cause of
fruit abortion, misshapen fruit, or poor fruit
set. Stress may also be a factor (soil or
weather).
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Parthenocarpic fruit
Set fruit without pollination. May be hormone
induced. May be genetic and will not require
hormone application. Usually no seed. For
greenhouse production.
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Growing conditions for cucumbers
82F Ideal Cool growing season (clouds) may cause
bitter fruit. Prefer well-drained soils - loamy
sands. Like moderate to high organic matter.
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Rates of organic amendments
1. Control - No compost added 2. Composted
Garbage - 13.1 tons/A 3. Composted Crab - 32.67
tons/A 4. Composted Garbage - 32.67 tons/A 5.
Composted Chicken - 10.9 tons/A
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Nematode control on pickling cucumbers - organic
sources
Table 2. Fall nematode counts on pickling
cucubmers under five different treatments
(1994). (Mean Lesion Counts) 1 17.33a 5 15.33
a 2 13.00a 3 2.33a 4 0.00a (Root knot
Counts) 5 1779a 3 1625a 4 1339a 1
95a 2 87a
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Nematode control on pickling cucumbers - organic
sources
Table 3. Summer and fall yields of pickling
cucumbers under five different treatments
(1994), Summer Harvest Treatment
No. lbs/acre 4 High Composted Garbage 15,290a 5
Composted Chicken 13,850a 3 Composted
Crab 12,850a 2 Low Composted Garbage 11,920a 1
Control 4,920b Fall Harvest Treatment
No. lbs/acre 5 Composted Chicken 13,130a 4
High Composted Garbage 3,620a 2 Low Composted
Garbage 3,510b 1 Control 2,650b 3
Composted Crab 1,450b
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Nematode control on pickling cucumbers - organic
sources
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Nematode control on pickling cucumbers - organic
sources
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Nematode control on pickling cucumbers - organic
sources
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Soils
Fairly tolerant of acid soils. Prefers 6.0 to
7.0 Sensitive to triazines. Soil temperature 55
to 60F to plant Plant 1.5 or deeper - too deep
delays emergence
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Crop matures in 40 to 50 days
Micronutrients of concern Manganese and zinc
especially when the pH is too high.
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Scheduling
Pickling cucumbers Have to be very precise on
planting dates so that harvest will coincide
with processor needs. Irrigation Schedule so
that irrigation does not interfere with
pollination. Allow surfaces to dry before
nightfall.
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Pollination
2 to 3 hives per acre for gynoecious
types. Flowers open for one day. Bee activity
greatest morning to early afternoon. Wet, cool
conditions reduce bee activity and causes poor
fruit set. Bees placed too early go elsewhere. 3
to 6 days after bloom starts - place the
bees. Water within 1/4 mile. Apply insecticides
late in the day or at night when there is little
or no bee activity. Bees attracted to sweet corn
pollen. Use caution with insecticides and sweet
corn fields/honeybees.
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Pollination (cont.)
Cucumbers, melons, squash, will not
cross pollinate with each other. Cultivars
(varieties) within each species will
interbreed. 1 to 2 colonies per acre - general
recommendation. Multiple visits of eight or more
visits per flower are required. Hybrid cucumbers
at high plant populations - 15 to 20
visits. Consider a written contract between
beekeeper and grower (number and strength of
colonies, rental fee, time of delivery, and
distribution of bees in the field).
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Pollination (cont.)
? Pumpkins, squash, watermelon flowers open
around daybreak - close by noon ? Cucumber,
muskmelon - all day ? Pollination must take place
that day since pollen stigma attractiveness
to bees last only that day.
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Rotations
? Do not rotate to crops in the same family.
Three years for most diseases - 5 years for
fusarium wilt. Not the same organism on
cantaloupe and watermelon. ? Some diseases
infect plants across families. ? Phytopthera
blight is the same as buckeye rot on tomatoes.
Pumpkins - most susceptible. All curucbits
get it - differences in susceptibility. ? Rotate
with crops other than peppers, eggplants,
tomatoes, and other cucurbits. Use a
three-year rotation to reduce pressure from
phytopthera.
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Windbreaks

• Wind causes abrasion injury (sandblasting)
• Wind whipping and lodging
• Increased evaporation / transpiration
• Cooler temperatures
• Damaged plants
• Reduced quality

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Windbreaks (cont.)

• Watermelon on plastic

? Windbreaks - usually rye - every 20 to 40 feet
produce 1 to 2 week earlier fruit. ? 6 to 8
feet wide - Used as drive rows later in the
season. ? Established in the fall - Rye at 80
to 100 pounds per acre on Delmarva from mid to
late September. Can also be planted later in
the fall than some other covers. Germinates at
temperatures as low as 34F. ? Mowed, chopped,
rolled, sprayed, or harvested. ? Takes soil out
of production - reduced losses make up the
difference.
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In-row protective strips

• Planted in fall - whole fields or strips.
• Ag rototiller used to till strips through the
  cover crop.
• One or two plastic covered beds are laid in
  the tilled strip.
• A 20 or so strip of grain left between beds
  or between the group of two beds.
• Once the mini-strip reaches the desired
  height - it is sprayed with a grass herbicide
  or with a shielded sprayed with Gramoxone.
  They can be tilled in, mowed or left. Do this
  before the vines run off the plastic.

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Water requirement

• 15 inches of water per crop.
• Because of high investment irrigation is
  recommended.
• Overhead or drip irrigation can be used.
• Raised beds do not respond as well to
  overhead irrigation.

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Conclusion
1. Provide good, protected environment growth -
windbreaks 2. Good soil fertility pH, plant
population 3. Plastics - early fruit 4. Water 5. P
ollination 6. Proper harvest timing