The different names of squash melons farming are round melon, round gourd and Indian squash. It is a crucial summer vegetable grown in north India. Moreover, the vegetable comes under the Cucurbitaceae family. And it is known as Tinda in Punjab. Raw fruits of squash melon are used as vegetables. The immature fruits (100gm) contain Proteins@1.4%, carbohydrates@3.4%, fat@0.4%, vitamin@18mg and carotene@13mg. On the other hand, people use squash melon for better blood circulation and dry cough due to their medicinal properties.
Climate for Squash Melon
200 to 300mm of rainfall is suitable for squash melon farming. However, it needs 10-28°C temperature for sowing better growth. Also, sow the seeds during 10-20°C temperature. It adds better germination and sound development of the plants. The fruits can be harvested at a temperature between 20-28°C.
Soil for Squash Melon
The sandy loam soil rich in organic matter with a profound drainage system is perfect for squash melon farming. And the soil pH must be 6 to 7 for this cultivation. Also, it can give a high yield when sowing in the soil, having a nearly water table. Also, you can prepare the land with the help of advanced farm machines, Swaraj 744 and others. The preparation will give you more profound results.
Popular Varieties
Squash melon has many varieties to grow. We are here with some of the varieties.
Tinda 48: This vine grows 75 to 100 cm long. The fruits are round and shining light green. The average yield of this variety is 25 QTL/acre.
Tinda Ludhiana: the variety has light green and flat round. The fruit-bearing capacity of this variety is 8 to 10 fruits per vine. After 60 days of sowing, it matures and provides an average yield of 18 to 24 QTL/acre.
Punjab Tinda-1: The variety was developed in 2018 as an early maturing variety. It shows an average yield of 72 QTL/acre after 54 days of sowing.
Arka Tinda: Indian Institute of Horticulture Research, Bangalore, introduced this variety.
Swati: This variety matures after 2 months of sowing and bears dark green fruits.
Anamalai Tinda
Mahyco Tinda
Land Preparation
For squash melon farming, you have to bring the soil to a fine tilth by ploughing it. Then you should mix the weel-decomposed cow dung while making raised beds for cultivation. Now, you can sow the seed on furrows or in pits. However, the work of land preparation is not accessible without farming machines. So, use fuel-efficient farm machines like Swaraj 742 and others to make ideal seedbeds for this cultivation.
Sowing
The north Indian places can help grow this crop 2 times a year by sowing in June-July & February-March. The space for seed sowing must be 45cm. And the sowing depth is 2-3cm by direct sowing methods.
Seed
The seed rate is 1.5 Kg of seeds per acre of land. Soak squash melon seeds in water for 12 to 24 hours before sowing to increase germination percentage. Moreover, take good quality seeds without any diseases. It will help to fight further infections shown in the crops.
Weed Control
Weeds are a real danger for any farming since they consume necessary nutrients. Mulching will help control the weeds and conserve the moisture in the field. Also, do hand weeding and make the area clear from weeds. The first-hand weeding operations must be done after 15 to 20 days of sowing.
Irrigation
By being a short duration crop, it needs frequent irrigation. For furrow sowing, irrigate the field after the 2nd or 3rd day of sowing. In the summer season, the irrigation interval must be 4 to 5 days, depending upon soil and climate conditions. The irrigation depends upon the rainfall in the rainy season. Moreover, you can increase the yield by about 28% by applying drip irrigation.
Plant Protection
Many pests and diseases can harm the crop. So, you should apply pesticides and herbicides to protect the crops.
Aphid and Thrips: Spray with Thiamethoxam @ 5gm/15Ltr of water
Powdery Mildew: Spray of water-soluble Sulphur @ 20gm/10Ltr of water
Anthracnose: Treat seed with Carbendazim @ 2gm/kg of seed
Harvesting
The average maturing time of this crop is 60 days after sowing, but it can differ from variety to variety. Carry out harvesting when fruits gain medium size. The fruit picking must be carried out at an interval of 4-5 days.
Seed Production
The isolation distance must be 800m from other varieties. Also, remove the infected plants. At the time of maturity, the fruits change their colour. Now, you should crush the mature fruits by hands in the water to separate seeds from the pulp. The heavy seeds settle on the ground. Collect them for further use.
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