2.4 Huang Xiaoyu h
A new hybrid variety selected by Hunan Melon Research Institute. The fruit is round, and the weight of a single melon is about 2 kg. The peel is about 3mm thick, the fruit does not crack, the flesh is slightly golden yellow, the sugar content is 12% ~ 13%, the meat quality is fine, there are few fibers and seeds, and the quality is excellent. Strong disease resistance, easy fruit setting, extremely early maturity, female flowers open until the fruit matures for about 26 days.
Cultivation Techniques of Small Watermelon (I)
Small watermelon (hereinafter referred to as small watermelon) is a common edible watermelon with small fruit shape. A normal fruit weighs between 1.0-2.0 kg, so it has the nickname of pocket watermelon and mini watermelon, and is a rookie in the watermelon family. Xiaoxi melon is beautiful and small in appearance, tender in meat, sweet in juice, good in quality and convenient to carry. It is a high-grade gift melon in summer and is deeply loved by the public. In recent years, with the improvement of people's living standards, the miniaturization of families and the rise of tourism, small watermelons have been accepted by consumers and have good market prospects. Its price is more than 1 times higher than that of ordinary watermelon, and the economic benefits of producers are considerable. Now it has become one of the high-efficiency agricultural projects and developed rapidly. According to the incomplete statistics of Shanghai 1999, the cultivation of small watermelons in Beijing, Guangzhou, Jiangsu and Zhejiang shows a rapid development trend.
The growth and development of small watermelon is different from that of ordinary watermelon, and there will be some problems in the development process. It is undoubtedly of positive significance to master the growth and development characteristics of small watermelon and take corresponding measures to improve its yield, quality and normal development. The author has made some investigations and observations in this regard, which are arranged as follows for reference.
1 growth characteristics of small watermelon
The seedlings of 1. 1 were weak and grew poorly in the early stage.
Small watermelon seeds are small, with a 1000-grain weight of 30.8-37.5g. The seeds have few storage nutrients, weak soil fertility, small cotyledons, thin hypocotyls and weak growth, especially when seedlings are planted in low temperature and weak light, which is more likely to affect their growth, and their growth is obviously weaker than that of ordinary early-maturing watermelon varieties. This will affect the flower bud differentiation process of female and male flowers, which is manifested in the small ovary of female flowers, incomplete and abnormal development in the early stage of male flowers, abnormal stamens, little or no pollen, and it is difficult to carry out and complete the pollination, fertilization and fruit development process normally.
If the seedlings are planted in unfavorable climatic conditions, the plant growth at seedling stage and elongation stage is still weak. Once the climate improves, the plant growth returns to normal, and the small watermelon has strong branching ability, early female flowers, high planting density, easy fruit setting, more vines and more fruits; If you can't bear fruit in time, it's easy to be vain and delay delivery.
1.2 The fruit shape is small and the fruit development cycle is short.
Small watermelon is small in shape, generally the weight of a single watermelon is 1.0-2.0 kg, and the fruit development cycle is short. Under suitable temperature conditions (25-30℃), the female flower ripens in just over 20 days, which is 7- 10 days earlier than the common early-maturing watermelon varieties. Under the cultivation conditions of early sowing and early maturity, it takes longer days for small watermelons, about 40 days for one crop of melons (harvested in mid-May), about 30 days for the second crop of melons (harvested in mid-June) with slightly higher temperature, and the subsequent temperature is only 22-23 days. Small watermelons are prone to crack because of their thin skin, rich fertilizer and water, excessive plant growth or uneven water and nutrients.
1.3 is sensitive to fertilizer reaction.
The vegetative growth of small watermelon is closely related to the amount of fertilizer applied, and it is particularly sensitive to nitrogen fertilizer. Excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer is more likely to cause excessive vegetative growth of plants and affect fruit setting. Therefore, the fertilization amount of base fertilizer is 30% less than that of ordinary watermelon, and the grafted seedlings of small watermelon can be reduced by about 50%. Because of the small fruit shape and small nutrient input, multi-vine and multi-fruit cultivation is often used, which has little effect on fruit size.
1.4 The periodicity of the results is not obvious.
Due to the dual effects of its own growth characteristics and poor cultivation conditions, small watermelon grows poorly in the early stage, such as natural fruit setting in the early stage. Due to the limitation of assimilation area, the fruit is very small and easy to drop seedlings, which seriously affects the vegetative growth of the plant. With the development of growth period and the improvement of temperature conditions, the growth of plants is restored, and it is more likely to cause virtual growth if fruit cannot be set in time. Therefore, in the early stage of growth, on the one hand, it is necessary to prevent nutritional growth from being weak, and at the same time, it is necessary to set fruit in time to prevent vain growth. After normal fruit setting, the cause and effect are small, the fruit development cycle is short, and the influence on the plant's own nutritional growth is small, so it has strong ability to bear fruit continuously and can bear fruit on a variety of crops. Similarly, the growth of fruits has little effect on the vegetative growth of plants. This self-regulation ability is very beneficial to multi-vine and multi-crop cultivation and overcoming fruit cracking, so the fruit periodicity of small watermelon is not as obvious as that of ordinary watermelon.
Two small watermelon varieties
There are many varieties of small watermelons, some of which are imported from Japan, Taiwan Province Province and South Korea. In recent years, domestic units concerned have cultivated a number of varieties, and their production performance, fruit characters and quality are close to those of imported varieties. Several varieties widely used at present are introduced for reference in selection.
2. 1 red light rain
A new hybrid variety selected by Hunan Melon Research Institute. It has great growth potential and can bear fruit continuously. The fruit shape is slightly larger. The weight of a single melon is about 2.0Kg, and 1 plant can produce 3 ~ 5 melons. The fruit is round, with green stripes, beautiful appearance, thin skin, red flesh, sugar content above 13%, delicate flesh, no residue and few seeds. It takes about 35 days from female flower opening to fruit ripening. This variety 1999 won the New Variety Award at Daxing County 12 Watermelon Festival in Beijing. At present, it has a certain planting area in Nanhui County of Shanghai and Jiashan County of Zhejiang Province.
2.2 Spring scenery
A new hybrid variety selected by Hefei Huaxia Watermelon and Melon Research Institute. The fruit is oval, bright green and covered with thin strips. The weight of a single melon is 2.0 ~ 2.5 kg. The fruit is round, not deformed and not hollow. The pulp is tender, with sugar content of 65,438+03%, small gradient and excellent flavor. The peel is thin, only 2 ~ 3 mm, elastic, not easy to crack and good storage and transportation resistance. Plant growth is stable, elongation is good at low temperature, male and female flowers differentiate normally under harsh conditions in early spring, fruit setting is good, and it is easy to cultivate. Female flowers bloom for about 35 days in the early stage of fruit ripening and about 30 days in the middle stage. At present, it is cultivated in a large area in the suburbs of Shanghai and Jiashan County of Zhejiang Province.
2.3 Yangchun
A new hybrid variety selected by Hefei Huaxia Watermelon and Melon Research Institute. The fruit is round, the skin is green, covered with dark green stripes, the appearance is beautiful, the flesh is golden and bright, the meat is tender and refreshing, the sugar content in the center is 12%- 13%, the gradient is small, the flavor is good and the quality is excellent. This plant is robust, disease-resistant and stress-resistant. Normal growth under low temperature and weak light, easy to set fruit. There are many fruits per plant, and the weight of a single melon is about 2kg, which is very early-maturing, suitable for early-maturing and greenhouse covering cultivation.
2.4 Huang Xiaoyu h
A new hybrid variety selected by Hunan Melon Research Institute. The fruit is round, and the weight of a single melon is about 2 kg. The peel is about 3mm thick, the fruit does not crack, the flesh is slightly golden yellow, the sugar content is 12% ~ 13%, the meat quality is fine, there are few fibers and seeds, and the quality is excellent. Strong disease resistance, easy fruit setting, extremely early maturity, female flowers open until the fruit matures for about 26 days.
2.5 Short Phoenix
A new hybrid variety bred by Taiwan Province Nongyou Seedling Company. Very early-maturing small fruit variety, with round to round fruit, neat fruit shape with dark green stripes, crystal yellow flesh, tender, crisp, sweet and juicy meat, sugar content of about 12%, neat fruit shape, thin skin and easy cracking. Low temperature tolerance, suitable for autumn, winter and spring cultivation, high yield, generally 667m2 yield 1400Kg.
2.6 Ruby in Early Spring
Hybrid varieties introduced from Japan. 1996, and was recognized by Zhejiang Crop Variety Approval Committee in 2000. This variety is stable in growth, resistant to low temperature and weak light, and suitable for greenhouse cultivation in early spring. Very early maturity, 1 female flowers appear in the 5th to 6th nodes of the main vine, densely planted, and mature at room temperature of 22 ~ 25℃ after flowering. The fruit is round to round, the weight of a single melon is 1.5 ~ 2.0 kg, the skin is dark green with dark green stripes, and the skin is about 3mm thin, which is not resistant to storage and transportation. The flesh is yellow, delicate and slag-free. The sugar content in the center is above 12%. Good taste, high yield, the general yield of 667m2 is about 2000Kg.
2.7 Black Beauty
The first hybrid variety bred by Taiwan Province Nongyou Seedling Company was recognized by Zhejiang Crop Variety Approval Committee in 2000. Strong growth, disease resistance, strong moisture resistance, and outstanding cultivation performance in summer. Very early maturity, 1 female flowers appear in the 6 ~ 7 nodes of the main vine, densely planted, and it takes only 22 days from flowering in summer and autumn to fruit maturity. The fruit is oval, the skin is black and the stripes are not obvious. Single melon weighs 2 ~ 3 kg, and its skin is thin and tough, and it is resistant to storage and transportation. The pulp is bright red, and the sugar content in the center is 12%, the highest is 14%, and the gradient is small. It is most suitable for summer and autumn cultivation.
Other cultivated varieties are Xiaolan (Taiwan Province Nongyou Seedling Company), Nabit (Korea), Little Angel (Hefei Fengle Seed Industry Co., Ltd.), Xiaoyu (Guangzhou Shelley Horticulture Research Institute), Huajing No.5 (Watermelon Association of Mengjin County, Henan Province) and Qiaomeiren (Vegetable Seedling Center of Hebei Province).
Type, structure and performance of protection facilities
In order to prevent watermelon from cracking, it must be cultivated under the protection of facilities, which is often used for plastic film cultivation in greenhouses (middle sheds) and small arch sheds.
3. 1 large (middle) shed
In the south and Jianghuai areas, the greenhouse spans 4 ~ 6m, is 1.7 ~ 1.8m high and 30m long, and is small in the north-south direction, so it is actually a middle shed. It is characterized by poor heat preservation, but rapid temperature rise, which is beneficial to crop growth. In the early stage of growth, the temperature is low, so in order to improve the thermal insulation performance, multi-layer mulching, namely three arches and four mulching (with two layers of film inside, grass cover outside and plastic film on the ground) is often used, and air layer insulation is used to improve the thermal insulation performance. It is observed that the temperature can be increased by 65438 0 ~ 3℃ with each additional film. The suitable span of vertical cultivation shed is 6m, the height is 2m, and the shoulder height is 1.2m, so as to meet the extension of bracket and melon vine; At the same time, in order to increase strength and wind resistance, double-row column shed should be used instead.
3.2 barrack
The span of common watermelon covered with double film (small arch+plastic film) is only1.2 ~1.3m. In the early stage, it was semi-covered with plastic film, and in the middle and late stage, it was cultivated in greenhouse. However, for small watermelons, the arch shed span should be increased to 1.8 ~ 2.0m, and the shed should not be dismantled for rain protection in the early stage of heat preservation. The temperature covered by the shed varies greatly. After planting, it is still necessary to build a simple shed with a width of about 60 ~ 80 cm in the shed and cover it with a double film to increase the temperature.
4 planting season
Small watermelons grow rapidly and their fruits mature early. A variety of crops can be planted under the protection of facilities. Its cultivation methods can be divided into early maturity cultivation in winter and spring greenhouse, cultivation in spring greenhouse, cultivation in summer and cultivation in autumn. The seasonal arrangement of different cultivation methods is as follows:
4. 1 Early-maturing cultivation in greenhouse in winter and spring
It is the main cultivation method of small watermelon. The suitable sowing date is1from late October to early February, and from late February to early March, which can make full use of the favorable climatic conditions from March to May. Harvest began in mid-May, with long growth and fruiting period, multiple stubbles and high yield.
4.2 Greenhouse cultivation in spring
Seeding and seedling raising in the middle and late February, planting in a small arch shed in the middle and late March, cold protection and heat preservation in the early stage, and harvesting in the middle and early June, with low cost.
4.3 Summer cultivation
A small watermelon can be cultivated during the high temperature leisure period in the greenhouse in summer. Seeding at the end of May, seedling age 10 ~ 15 days, greenhouse planting in mid-June and harvesting in mid-August. Summer cultivation is in a period of high temperature and drought, and diseases and insect pests such as virus diseases, mites and aphids are seriously harmful. Therefore, we should remove the skirt film and cover the sunshade net for shading, ventilation and cooling, and cover the ground with grass to reduce the soil temperature, increase the soil temperature and humidity, and use pesticides to control pests and diseases in time.
4.4 autumn cultivation
The growth period in autumn and early winter is longer, and it is still in the high temperature stage in the early stage, and the temperature is lower in the later stage, so it is necessary to cover the film to raise the temperature. According to sowing season, it can be divided into early autumn cultivation and autumn cultivation. Early autumn cultivation should be sown in the first half of July, sown from late July to early August, and harvested from late September to National Day. Sow in autumn, sow in the middle and late August, sow in the middle and early September, and harvest around New Year's Day. The sowing date of small watermelon cultivation in summer and autumn is not strict.
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