ABSTRACT
Muskmelon and watermelon are the important cucurbitaceous vegetable crops grown over a large area in different parts of India and are high in demand during hot months. The normal crop of melons is grown through seed sowing from end of February to second week of March and ready for harvesting in the month of May-June. Melons can be grown in hot and dry atmosphere but plants are sensitive to low temperature and frost. A humid climate may favour the development of foliar diseases. High humidity and excess moisture at the time of fruit maturity may hamper the quality of fruits. A well drained sandy loam soil is most suitable for the cultivation of melons. Under greenhouse conditions, melons are usually planted as off-season crop. Seeds of melons can be planted directly on the beds. Melon plants are trained vertically inside the protected structures along a training string to climb up the overhead wires.
