Effect of Plant Population on Muskmelon Yield and Quality (2025)

Effects of Three Production Systems on Muskmelon Yield and Quality in New England

HortScience, 2016

Muskmelons (Cucumis melo L.) are routinely grown on black plastic mulch, as the associated increase in soil temperatures, more stable soil moisture, and decreased weed competition result in higher yields than in bare soil production. However, mulch does little to moderate air temperature, which can be below optimum for melon production under New England conditions. One option for increasing air temperature is to grow plants in unheated hoophouses, or high tunnels. Another option is to use low tunnels consisting of ventilated clear plastic rowcovers supported over wire hoops. This study compared low tunnels and high tunnels to open field production for muskmelon production in a peri-urban market farm system in Rhode Island. Five hybrid muskmelon cultivars were grown for 2 years to compare earliness, yield, and fruit quality among the three production systems. Both tunnel systems increased the rate at which growing degree-days (GDD) accumulated relative to open field production, and r...

231 Effects of Stand Deficiencies and Timing of Replanting on Yields of `Athena' Muskmelon

HortScience, 1999

Seedling losses shortly after emergence in muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) can be potentially devastating to growers. Muskmelon growers often have problems with obtaining adequate stands and need to understand the affects of replanting seed into poor stands. Field studies were conducted over 2 years to determine if replanting (at 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks after the initial seeding) into stand deficiencies of 10%, 30%, and 50% affected `Athena' muskmelon size and yield. `Athena' muskmelon stand deficiencies up to 30% does not appear to reduce total or marketable numbers, but stand deficiencies of 50% or more will decrease total and marketable melon yields. Replanting into 10%, 30%, and 50% stand deficiencies will increase early season melon numbers regardless of the replant times used. For main-season and total-season harvests, there was no advantage of replanting into 10% deficient stands, and in most cases, replanting reduced total and marketable melon numbers. In the 1997 experiment...

Relationship between plant density and fruit and seed production in muskmelon

Field experiments were conducted in 1996 and 1997 to examine the effects of plant density on yield and quality of fruit and seeds of muskmelons (Cucumis melo L.). Two open-pollinated cultivars, Noy Yizre'el (Ha'Ogen type) and TopMark (western U.S. shipper type), were grown at plant densities ranging from 0.5 to 16.0 plants/m2 under commercial conditions. The highest marketable fruit yields were achieved with plant densities of 2 to 4 plants/m2. In contrast, the highest seed yields were obtained at 8 to 12 plants/m2. Seed yield index [seed yield (g)/fruit yield (kg)] was used as a parameter to define seed production efficiency. High seed yield was closely related to high value of the seed yield index. High seed yield indexes resulted from high plant densities (up to 12 plants/m2), at which the crops produced many, but relatively small fruit. In all cases, the seed yield per fruit (seed number and seed size) increased with increasing fruit weight. However, the sum of the seed ...

148 Genotype X Environment Interactions of Muskmelon Hybrids for Yield and Fruit Size

HortScience, 1994

The nature and magnitude of genotype × environment interactions will determine the extent of testing required (locations, years) to accurately evaluate a genotype's performance. Data from yearly T-AES muskmelon variety trials were analyzed to determine the level of variety (V) × year (Y), V × location (L), and V × Y × L interactions for yield and fruit size. Data analyzed were of nine hybrids grown at three commercial farms over two years. Fruits were harvested similar to grower practices, and were sorted into size classes (9 - 30) or culls. V × Y and V × L interactions for marketable yield and total yield were not significant. V × Y × L interaction was significant for marketable yield, but not for total yield. V × Y × L interactions were highly significant for percentage culls and percentage of fruit in each size class. V × L interactions were also significant for percentage of fruit in most size classes. Data indicate that specific location-year combinations differentially aff...

A Summary of N and K Research with Muskmelon in Florida1

2000

Muskmelon, also called cantaloupe, and its cultural companions honeydew, casaba, and Persian melons, are minor crops in Florida. Crop losses to diseases and insects have led to a reduction in the large production area that had extended in the early 1900s from the Georgia and Alabama borders south through the Florida counties of Sumter and Marion, to a small insignificant

Summary of N and K Research with Muskmelon in Florida

EDIS

Revised! SL325, a 12-page illustrated fact sheet by George Hochmuth and Ed Hanlon, summarizes the historical Florida research literature on nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilization of muskmelon. Includes references. Published by the UF Department of Soil and Water Science, August 2010. SL 329/CV231: A Summary of N and K Research with Muskmelon in Florida (ufl.edu)

Influence of Stand Deficiencies and Replanting on `Athena' Muskmelon Yields

HortTechnology

SUMMARY. Two field studies were conducted in 1997 (Clinton, N.C.) and 1998 (Carbondale, Ill.) to determine if replanting (at 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks after the initial seeding) into stand deficiencies of 10%, 30%, and 50% affected 'Athena' muskmelon (Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatis) melon size and yield. Muskmelon numbers were higher for 1997, but there was no interaction of treatment by year for any of the melon sizes (small, medium, or large) or total melon number. Based on the two experiments conducted, 'Athena' muskmelons stand deficiencies up to 30% do not reduce total or marketable numbers compared to a complete stand. Replanting into 10%, 30%, and 50% stand deficiencies increases earlyseason melon numbers regardless of the replant times. For main-season and total-season harvests, there was no advantage of replanting into 10% deficient stands and in most cases, replanting reduced total and marketable melon numbers. In the 1997 experiment, replanting into 30% and 50% stand deficiencies improved yields but this did not occur in the 1998 experiment. Based on this information, 'Athena' muskmelon should be replanted only if a field has a stand reduction of more than 30%. Melon numbers were generally higher if replanted in 1 or 2 weeks after the initial seeding compared to 3 or 4 weeks. However, the timing of replanting does not appear to have significant influence on total or marketable melon numbers.

Potassium Rates Affect Yield of Two Muskmelon Varieties in Florida

HortScience, 1996

Optimum economic yield is produced when nutrients in the proper amounts are supplied to the crop. Crop nutrient requirements (CNR) of essential elements have been determined for the major vegetables produced in Florida. However, for minor crops, such as muskmelon, little research has been conducted to determine the CNR, especially potassium. In many vegetables, yield has responded to increasing K rates when other elements were not limiting. Our objective was to determine the K fertility requirement for optimum yield of muskmelon and to evaluate the Mehlich-1 soil test calibration for soil testing low in K (<20 mg·kg–1). Experiments were conducted in the spring and fall seasons of 1995. Potassium at five rates (0, 56, 112, 168, and 224 kg·ha–1) was injected weekly, approximating the growth curve of `Galia' and `Mission'. There were significant yield responses to K fertilization for both cultivars during both seasons. During spring, average marketable yield was 14.5, 26.1, ...

Influence of management practices on the growth and yield of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.)

2020

The a field experiment laid out with treatment combinations of training system, fruit load and foliar spray of different water soluble fertilizers and water spray as control was carried out during late kharif 2017-18 and 2018-19. The objectives of the study to identify the suitable treatment combination for better growth and fruit yield of muskmelon. It was evident that the single stem training system per vine has resulted in increased the vine length of 25.15, 126.80 and 202.91 cm at 20, 40 and 60 DAT respectively. Leaf blade length was maximum with 7.25, 8.75 and 8.97 cm at 20, 40 and 60 DAT of crop growth respectively. Leaf blade width was maximum with 9.43, 9.47 and 9.59 cm. The leaf area at 20 DAT was 950.65 cm-2 in the treatment of two stems per vine, at 40 DAT it has increased up to 1348.52 and at 60 DAT it has reached up to 1363.41 cm-2 per vine. Leaf area index was high in in one stem per vine it was 1.59, 2.21 and 2.28 at 20, 40 and 60 DAT. Training with single stem per vi...

Organic Practices for the Production of Muskmelon

2011