Cucumis melo
The melon was already cultivated in Ancient Egypt during the third millennium BC. C. , and its cultivation extends by the majority of the continents. It is native to Iran , Anatolia and the Caucasus , with a secondary center in northwest India and Afghanistan .
Description
The plant has soft, hairy stems that grow flush with the ground. Its leaves have grooved petiole and are patched, that is, its appearance is similar to that of a hand . One of the places where there are major productions is in Quinta de Tilcoco, Chile.
Fruit
The shape of the fruit ranges from spherical to ellipsoidal. In the so-called banana melons there are ripples that make them look like a pumpkin .Their size depends on the variety and the growing conditions. Thus, there are small melons that weigh around 400 g and other very large ones that can weigh 20 kg or more. The stem is cylindrical, from 1 to 3 m in height, with a terminal spike-shaped inflorescence composed of bisexual flowers. The grain is a caryopsid of about 4 mm in diameter. It has inflorescences in panicles and seeds of 3 mm , spherical and oblong, black, reddish and yellowish. It has a root system that can reach in permeable terrains at 2 m depth. The flowers have stamens and pistils . In the most commonly used varieties, fruit weights fluctuate between more than half a kilo and less than five.
The color of the epidermis and of the pulp is variable according to the group. The epidermis can be white, gray, greenish or yellow and of smooth texture, rough or reticulate. The pulp is aromatic, with soft texture and different colors: yellow, green, pink and intermediate tones. In the center is a cavity containing many seeds coated with a sticky substance.
It has a high percentage of water (90%), low in calories (34 per 100 g) and sodium (16 mg%) and almost 1 g of fiber, which provides satiety. 2
History
The medicinal use of the melon is evidenced by its presence in the Capitulare de villis vel curtis imperii , an order issued by Charlemagne claiming his fields to cultivate a series of herbs and condiments including peppers, currently identified as Cucumis melo . 3
Cultivation
It needs at least 15 ° C to germinate; Sowing is done during the frost free period and outdoors in mid-spring. The growth of the plant is not really active until it exceeds 15 ° C, with the optimum reaching 32 ° C. It resists drought better than corn . It is capable of drought for a fairly long period, and resume its growth later when the drought ceases. On the other hand, it needs less water than maize to form one kilogram of dry matter.It develops well in alkaline soils, especially sugary varieties that require the presence of calcium carbonate in the soil, which increases the sucrose content of stems and leaves. It prefers healthy, deep, not too heavy soils. Supports salt.
It is a bad precedent for other crops, particularly for autumn cereals .
When watering, it should be avoided for the water to touch the leaves, because it is easy for the plant to rot; Therefore it is not planted on terraces and it is preferred to irrigate by furrows. It can also be grown on dry land and even the fruits can be tastier, but the potential yields are lower. It is necessary to make thinning (thinning of leaves) to avoid that it grow very vigorous and produces too many masculine flowers and few feminine, that are going to originate the fruits. In greenhouses are grown melons that produce precociously. These plants grow vertically and are supported with the help of ropes.
The fruit should not be harvested until maturity is assured, and the sugar content is high enough. To the touch this is perceived when the bark around the peduncle yields slightly to the pressure of the fingers; The specific weight of the melon is also a characteristic index, increasing as the maturity increases the density of the pulp.
It suffers the attack of several fungi of the soil and also of the powdery mildew ( Podosphaera pannosa ), that can be controlled with fungicides that do not contain sulfur , since it is very sensitive to this element.