Winter Melon

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Project experiments for 1998 / 1999

Winter Melon Links:

RIRDC New Rural Industries
GPPIS (FAO)

Species: Benincasa hispida

Family: Cucurbitaceae

Crop status: Established

Varieties

Different cultivars are usually used for production of mature and immature fruit (Yang and Walters 1992). Producers around Darwin use open pollinated seed.

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Figure 1: Production volume and value of winter melon in the Northern Territory 1995/96 (from Lim 1998).

Production

Grown commercially in NT, Qld and NSW (Lee 1995).

Climate: Winter melon is drought tolerant and suitable for the dry tropics (Lim 1998). A long growing season (5 months) is needed to reach maturity, though fruit can be harvested at various immature stages (Larkcom 1991). Two crops per year are possible in warm climates (Robinson and Decker-Walters 1996), and is normal in Florida (Lamberts 1992).

Temperature: The plant grows well at 24°C to 32°C. The proportion of female flowers increases with cooler and shorter days (Lim 1998). High temperatures also favour the wax bloom (Robinson and Decker-Walters 1996).

pH: A pH of 5.5-6.4 is preferred (Robinson and Decker-Walters 1996).

Soil type: Well manured, well drained soil is preferred (Waters et al. 1992).

Soil preparation: It can be grown on flat ground, without raising into beds (Lim 1998).

Trellising: The plant does not require trellising (Lim 1998) and should be grown on the ground if large fruits are wanted (Larkcom 1991).

Germination: Place seeds on a hot bed at 28°C in wet paper for germination in 3-5 days (Peter McLaughlin 1998, pers. comm.). Try to keep the minimum temperature above 10°C for the first few weeks. Seedlings can be transplanted at 15-20 cm tall. If planting directly, sow several seeds in each position and thin to the one or two strongest seedlings (Larkcom 1991).

Plant density: Producers in the Northern Territory grow at 60-80 cm between plants and 1.5 m between rows (Lim 1998). This density requires about 2 kg seed / ha (Robinson and Decker-Walters 1996). Higher densities can be used if growing upright (Larkcom 1991).

Water: The plant is relatively drought tolerant but will benefit from irrigation after 1-2 weeks without rain (Robinson and Decker-Walters 1996). Overhead irrigation (Peter McLaughlin 1998, pers. comm.).

Nutrition: Fertilise until fruit set (chicken manure and Nitrophoska) (Peter McLaughlin 1998, pers. comm.). A nitrogen side dressing every two weeks until flowering is beneficial (Robinson and Decker-Walters 1996).

Maintenance: Growing points can be nipped out of plants to train them in the required direction, and to induce early fruiting. A good crop is obtained by nipping after the first four leaves, resulting in four lateral branches. Placing straw under the fruit will reduce ground marks (Larkcom 1991). Leave just one fruit on each lateral branch (Robinson and Decker-Walters 1996).

Flowering: Usually begins 60-80 days after planting. Fruit set can be a problem in cold climates, but can be enhanced by hand pollination (Larkcom 1991). Honeybees will pollinate (Robinson and Decker-Walters 1996).

Harvest: Picked immature, about 3-4 weeks after fruit set (Lim 1998). Harvest winter melon at 20-25 cm diameter depending on the variety and market feedback (Peter McLaughlin 1998, pers. comm.) or 10-12 cm long (Cantwell et al. 1996). Can grow up to 40 kg and 1 m long (Robinson and Decker-Walters 1996), but is usually picked at 1.5 kg when it is like a very sweet pumpkin, though round. Overgrown melons can be picked at maturity for use in soups and hotpots, but they receive a lower price (Peter McLaughlin 1998, pers. comm.).

Yield: Around 20 t/ha (Robinson and Decker-Walters 1996).

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Postharvest

Handling: Wipe and clean any dirt, but leave the white wax on. Immature melons are packed into paw paw boxes. Mature melons are packed into half ton bins on pallets, and should be lower than the top of the bin to prevent freight damage (Peter McLaughlin 1998, pers. comm.).

Temperature: 12-15ºC (Lim 1998).

Shelf life: Immature melons keep for 3 weeks. Large matured melons can be kept up to six months (Lim 1998). Place without touching each other, with the paler side facing down, or hanging in nets or sacks (Larkcom 1991).

Quality assessment

Fresh appearance with uniform colour and size, and low seed development. Small, solid green hairy melons are the best. Younger fruit is more firm (Cantwell et al. 1996).

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Figure 2: High and low prices of winter melon at Flemington Markets during 1996 (green), 1997 (blue) and the first half of 1998 (red), recorded on a half monthly basis (Flemington Market Reporting Service, NSW Agriculture).

Pests / Diseases

The plant suffers from very few pests or diseases, consequently it is sometimes used as rootstock for other cucurbits (Larkcom 1991, Robinson and Decker-Walters 1996). Virtually none in northern NSW (Peter McLaughlin 1998, pers. comm.).

Potential viruses are listed at Plant viruses online (Brunt et al. 1996).

Markets

(click here for exchange rates).

Price is stable at $2/kg (Peter McLaughlin 1998, pers. comm.). Northern Territory growers receive between $1.50 and $3.00/kg (Lim 1998). Melbourne is supplied year round from Victoria in summer, and Queensland / Northern Territory in winter (Chew and Morgan 1996). Development potential for winter gourd was rated as low, since the size makes handling difficult (Vinning 1995). The Chinese use these gourds for a range of medicinal purposes (see Yang and Walters 1992).

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References

Brunt, A.A., Crabtree, K., Dallwitz, M.J., Gibbs, A.J., Watson, L. and Zurcher, E.J. (eds.) (1996 onwards). `Plant Viruses Online: Descriptions and Lists from the VIDE Database. Version: 16th January 1997.' (URL http://biology.anu.edu.au/Groups/MES/vide).

Cantwell, M., X. Nie, R. J. Zong and M. Yamaguchi (1996). Asian vegetables: Selected fruit and leafy types. Progress in new crops. Ed.: Janick, J. Arlington, VA, ASHS Press: 488-495.

Chew, M. and W. Morgan (1996). Melbourne retail Asian vegetable survey. Melbourne, Agriculture Victoria 143 pp.

Lamberts, M. (1992). Production trends for specialty Asian vegetables in Dade County, Florida. Acta Horticulturae 318: 79-85.

Larkcom, J. (1991). Oriental vegetables: the complete guide for garden and kitchen. London, John Murray 232 pp.

Lee, B. (1995). Audit of the Australian Asian vegetables industry. RIRDC Research Paper No. 95/13. Canberra, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation 97 pp.

Lim, T. K. (1998). Loofahs, gourds, melons and snake beans. The New Rural Industries. Ed.: K. W. Hyde. Canberra, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation: 212-218.

Robinson, R. W. and Decker-Walters, D. S. (1996). Cucurbits. New York, CAB International 226 pp.

Vinning, G. (1995). Market Compendium of Asian Vegetables. RIRDC Research Paper No. 95/12. Canberra, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation 386 pp.

Waters, C. T., Morgan, W. C. and McGeary, D. J. (1992). How to identify, grow and use oriental vegetables. Melbourne, Agmedia 128 pp.

Yang, S. L. and T. W. Walters (1992). Ethnobotany and the economic role of the Cucurbitaceae of China. Economic Botany 46: 349-367.