Watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) are large round fruits that thrive very well in dry areas. Some varieties have seeds while others are seedless. The fruits are generally eaten raw They are a good source of water but can also be used for making jams, other preservatives, flavouring in drinks and smoothies. They are quite nutritious, for instance, one cup serving of watermelon can provide calories, vitamin C, vitamins A, B6, B1 and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, antioxidants among others.
Pata Negra F1 Source: mallagro.com |
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Augusta F1
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Sentinel F1 |
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Fahari F1 Source: syngenta.co.zm |
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Sugar baby |
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Sukari F1 Source: famunera.com |
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Crimson sweet Source: alabama.com |
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Charleston gray Source: americanseedco.com |
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Asali F1 |
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Anita F1 Source: kangarooseeds.com |
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Farao F1 |
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Astrakhan Source: ebay.com |
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Julie F1 Source: smartfarmingug.com
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Sweet Rose F1 agroduka.com |
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Zuri F1 East African Seed Co. |
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Watermelons require long, warm growing periods. Bright, hot days (27 – 35°C) and warm nights (16-21°C). Altitudes of upto 1000m are ideal. Well drained sandy loam soils with a pH of 5.0 to 7.5 are best suitable. Seed rates: of 1.5-3.0kg/ha
Manures: Apply 2-3 shovels per hill or spread 20 or more tons/ha and work it into the soil.
Phosphate: Apply 10-12g (1 teaspoonful) of Phosphate fertilizer with 46% P2O5 such as Double superphosphate or Triple superphosphate per hill before planting. About 150-200kg/ha will be required. Nitrogen: Apply 1 teaspoonful (10g) CAN after thinning and similar amounts just before flowering. A total of 200-250kg/ha Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN 26%N) will be required.
Tray sowing Source; bhg.com.au |
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Direct seed sowing |
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Seed pre-germination technique
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Use of cuttings
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Propagation by grafting Source: dreamstime.com
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Identification of disease-free areas for production of healthy watermelon seeds.
land preparation
crop spacing (Source: jica.go.jp_
Honey bee pollination
Weed free crop
Plant pruning
Plant training
Water harvesting measure include;
Rain water harvesting systems (ponds, dams and roof catchment).
Conservation agriculture include;
Mulching, Intercropping or drip irrigation system.
Drip irrigation
Layout of a drip irrigation system in vegetables.
Farm yard manure FYM: 12-20 tons/ha
Basal: 5 bags of NPK 17:17:17 or 3.5 bags DAP & 2 bag MOP
Top Dress:
1 st: 2.5 bag CAN @ 25 Days after Planting
2 nd: 2.5 bag CAN @ 45 Days after Planting
Micronutrients: Ca, Bo & Mg spray at the Vegetative, flowering and fruit setting stage
Diagnosing crop nutrient deficiency in watermelon
Rapid soil testing services
Scouting techniques and frequency to determine the presence of the different types of pests, diseases and their respective severities in order to make a decision on the control measures to be undertaken.
Integrated Weed Management (IWM) is the management of weeds using two or more appropriate approaches including preventive, planting in a weed free prepared land, use of mulch (biodegradable or synthetic), cultural, rotation, intercropping and chemical control depending on the weed types infesting the field.
Cultural control includes:
Transplanting rather than direct planting, proper fertilization, irrigation, use of cover crops and plastic mulch to reduce weed populations. Transplanting is done 3-4 true leaves plants. Watermelon transplants develop more rapidly than direct seeded because these increases early season competitiveness of water melon and may suppress weed emergence due to rapid canopy development particularly in rows.
Fertilizer may affect weed populations since Watermelons roots reach middle of rows rate in season: So, broadcasting fertilizer early in season fertilizes the weeds in middle row. Drip irrigation and fertilizer in the root zone reduces amounts of fertilizer to weeds.
Raised polyethylene plastic beds with drips prevent weeds in rows and allow irrigation and fertilizer to crop root zone.
Types of weeds
Wondering jew sow thistle
Double thorn
Pigweed
Black jack Goat weed
Gallant soldier
Chickweed
Physical control include:
Chemical control:
It is where appropriate recommended herbicides are applied to control weeds following the label. The weed composition needs to be identified and the data used to implement timely and the best management approach.
Chemical Control:
Chemical weed control refers to any technique that involves the application of herbicide to weeds or soil to control the germination and growth of the weed species.
Herbicide weed control is a technology that requires intensive knowledge on herbicides required for specific watermelon, when to apply and how application is done.
Solarization Bed Control:
It is where you use transparent polythene and hot temperatures months to increase temperatures to kill weed seeds and seedlings. Basic phenomena is building up of lethally high temperatures in top soil where most dormant and viable seeds are present.
Mechanism possible is breaking dormancy of weed seeds and solar scotching of emerged weeds and direct killing of weed seeds by heat.
Stale seed bed Control:
Stale seed bed “false” is where seeds are allowed to germinate by rainfall or wetting and killing them (1-2flushes of the weeds) before sowing the Clean certified Watermelon variety seeds.
They are killed using glyphosate, sulfosate and glufosinate. At this stage shallow or use of non-residue paraquat maybe used to destroy dense flush of young weed seedlings.
Mechanical Control
There are several forms of mechanical weed control as described earlier ranging from handheld tools to the most advanced vision-guided hoes. Hand hoeing may be used to control weeds in small-scale farming as it is less safe to use herbicides in home gardening due to the lack of training.
Maturity
Water melon is ready for harvest when:
Main harvesting stages:
Fruits are ready for harvesting from 80 to 100 days from sowing. Harvesting continues for a further 40-50 days.
Harvesting method
Yields: 10-15 tons/ha.
Field assembling and packing
Control of postharvest diseases
Postharvest decay of harvested watermelon
Anthracnose decay of watermelon fruit (Source:Suslow, UC Davis)
Fusarium rot on ‘Sugar Baby’ watermelon
Greasy spot and associated whitish mold growth of Phytophthora infected fruit
Stem-end rot
Control
Sorting and grading
Sorting
Grading:
Fruits ready for the market after sorting and grading
Zero Energy Brick Cooler
The Zero Energy Brick Cooler consist of a double brick wall filled with sand in between, and a storage chamber. The sand is kept moist with water. The inside chamber is cooled through evaporation of the water in the sand.
Zero Energy Brick Cooler
Evaporative Charcoal Cooler
The Evaporative Charcoal Cooler consist of a double brick wall filled with charcoal in between, and a storage chamber. The charcoal is kept moist with water. The inside chamber is cooled through evaporation of the water in the charcoal.
Evaporative charcoal cooler for fruits and vegetables
Minimally processed products (slices, salads): Watermelon slices packed in punnets and cling film wrappings
Source: th.bing.com
Watermelon wine: Wine prepared from ripe watermelon. It is made by fermenting watermelon juice by adding wine yeast and sugar.
source tasteofhome.com,
Watermelon jam: Jam prepared from ripe watermelon
Source casaruraldavina.com
Watermelon powder: Powder prepared from drying watermelon juice
Watermelon flour: Flour prepared by grinding dried watermelon seeds
Source beyondtheequator.com
Watermelon seed oil Edible oil extracted from dry watermelon seeds
http://www.essentialoil.in/
water melon candy
sweets made from dried watermelon