Watermelon and Cantaloupe Production Key Technology 100 Q&A

Author: Ma Shuangwu (Editor-in-Chief)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Watermelon and cantaloupe are not only rich in nutrients but also have the effects of relieving heat or quenching thirst. They are popular summer fruits enjoyed by people. The cultivation of watermelon and cantaloupe in China has a long history, especially with significant development in the middle and late 1980s. According to statistics from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, in 2003, China's watermelon cultivation area was 2,199,000 hectares, and the cantaloupe cultivation area was 509,000 hectares, accounting for 58.2% and 40.3% of the world's total watermelon and cantaloupe cultivation areas, respectively. China is a major producer of watermelon and cantaloupe, and the cultivation of these fruits has become a key pillar industry for increasing farmers' income. This book is based on the author's extensive research and extension work at the Zhengzhou Fruit Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, incorporating new technologies, achievements, and experiences in watermelon and cantaloupe cultivation from both domestic and international sources. The book is divided into nineteen parts. The first fourteen parts provide detailed introductions to the variety selection, seedling technology, open-field cultivation, mulch film covering, small arch greenhouses, plastic large greenhouses, intercropping of watermelon and grain, grafted watermelon, seedless watermelon, and pollution-free watermelon—new practical technologies—as well as watermelon harvesting, storage, and processing techniques. The last five parts mainly introduce the variety selection, open-field and protected cultivation—new practical technologies—as well as the identification and control of major pests, diseases, and weeds in watermelon and cantaloupe cultivation. The content is comprehensive, easy to understand, and clearly presented. Where language alone is insufficient to convey the message, illustrations are provided. It is an excellent guidebook for watermelon and cantaloupe cultivation, suitable for to read. Watermelon and cantaloupe cultivation is an agricultural science with both a serious and a flexible side. It is hoped that through practice, it can be applied flexibly and continuously improved together with.