Jeonbuk Agricultural Research Institute "Full-scale Autumn Watermelon Shipment... Thorough Management"

Expecting High-Quality Harvest through Pest Control and Environmental Management

Recently, due to the large temperature difference between day and night and the continued dry weather, the Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Agricultural Research and Extension Services (Director Choi Jun-yeol) has urged special attention to the management during the harvest period of high-quality autumn watermelons.

Autumn watermelons from the Gochang and Jeongeup areas in Jeonbuk are about to be shipped in full swing. Provided by Jeonbuk Agricultural Research Institute

According to the Agricultural Research and Extension Services on the 7th, autumn watermelons in the province are mainly grown in Gochang and Jeongeup, where seedlings are planted in mid-August during the peak summer, and are now approaching full-scale shipment. Thanks to the large diurnal temperature variation and dry weather in these areas, the sweetness and quality of the autumn watermelons are excellent, making them popular among consumers.

However, if proper management is not carried out due to autumn climate changes and cultivation conditions, the quality may deteriorate, so careful management is required until shipment.

Low sunlight and continued abnormal high temperatures reduce the resistance of watermelons. This increases the risk of various diseases and pests such as powdery mildew and greenhouse whitefly. Under conditions of insufficient sunlight and high relative humidity at night inside facilities, the proliferation of diseases and pests accelerates, so caution is necessary. Also, since control becomes difficult if initial prevention is missed, pesticides should be regularly sprayed at the early stages of occurrence.

In autumn, with little rain and persistent dry weather, moisture management is important. Care must be taken to prevent fruit wilting in dry weather. Soil moisture should be supplied with a small amount of irrigation. If irrigation increases after the fruit enlargement stage while the soil remains dry, fruit cracking may occur, so to avoid sudden changes in soil moisture, irrigation amounts should be gradually reduced.

Watermelons are sensitive to low temperatures, so it is recommended to maintain the temperature inside facilities between 25 and 30℃. Stable temperature management is also necessary to prevent sudden temperature drops at night.

Kim Hyung-guk, head of the Watermelon Testing Center at the Agricultural Research and Extension Services, said, "The harvest period is a crucial time that determines the income of autumn watermelon farmers," and urged, "Special attention should be paid to pest control and environmental management to produce high-quality autumn watermelons."