Black Pi Dong is the largest melon cultivar grown in South China, with an annual planting area exceeding 800,000 mu. Currently, most of the black melon varieties are still cultivated by local farmers. However, as market demand for high-quality products continues to rise, and pests and diseases in agricultural areas become more severe, it has become increasingly challenging for farmers to meet production standards. This situation has created a pressing need for the development and adoption of disease-resistant and high-quality melon varieties.
To address this issue, the Institute of Vegetables at the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences has developed the first black hybrid melon variety in the province—“Black You Da.†This new variety offers higher yields (6,778 kg per mu, which is 13.87% higher than local varieties) and exhibits strong resistance to wilt disease and other common ailments. The fruit has an attractive appearance, with a round shape, a length of 58–75 cm, a diameter of about 25 cm, green skin, shallow grooves, smooth texture, and a meat thickness of 5.5–6.5 cm. It also features dense flesh, high soluble solids content, and good adaptability, making it ideal for meeting the demands of the Guangdong black-skin gourd market.
For optimal cultivation, the following practices are recommended:
1. Choose well-drained, sandy soil that is rich in organic matter and located in a sunny area. A deep, loose soil structure is ideal for root development.
2. Plant with a spacing of 1.8 meters between rows. In spring, plants should be spaced 0.8–1 meter apart, while in autumn, the distance should be around 50–70 cm. Each plant should have approximately 500 square meters of space.
3. Ensure adequate fertilization and irrigation throughout the growing season. Apply 1,000 kg of well-decomposed farmyard manure as a base fertilizer. Use compound fertilizers during the seedling stage, and apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizers after flowering. Spray foliar fertilizers 1–2 times during the mid-growth period before fruit setting. Reduce water supply 10–15 days before harvest to improve storage and transport quality.
4. Prune all lateral vines and select the best fruits to develop in the 23–35th node, particularly the 28th one. After the fruit sets, leave 10–15 healthy leaves above the fruit for continued growth.
5. Pest and disease management is crucial. For Fusarium wilt, implement crop rotation, use fully decomposed manure, and apply 800 times diluted *Trichoderma* during planting. If symptoms appear early, irrigate roots with 600 times diluted *Wilt Stop* or 95% *Green Hen No. 1 WP* at 500 times. For downy mildew, rotate crops, disinfect the soil with 25% metalaxyl at 8g/m², and manage irrigation carefully. During rainy seasons, harvest earlier if necessary. Chemical control includes *Ank* at 1500 times, *Cankill* at 400 times, and *Jin Lei Duo Mi* at 1500 times, applied both through spraying and root irrigation.
Zinc deficiency can be addressed with *Antai WP* sprayed at 600 times. For thrips, use *Efficient & Powerful* at 1500 times, *Sea Out Insects* at 100 times, and *Vegetable Killer* at 1000 times. For whiteflies, apply *Bufalin EC* at 1000 times for effective control, or *Methyl Ciprofloxacin* at 1000 times for adults, eggs, and nymphs.
6. Harvest the melons 35–40 days after flowering. Choose a sunny day for harvesting and handle the fruits gently to avoid damage.
Polysaccharide
Polysaccharide is a glycosidic bond bonded sugar chain, at least more than 10 monosaccharides composed of polymerized sugar polymer carbohydrates, can be used in the general formula (C6H10O5) n said. Polysaccharides composed of the same monosaccharides known as homopolysaccharides, such as starch, cellulose and glycogen; polysaccharides composed of different monosaccharides known as heteropolysaccharides, such as gum arabic is composed of pentose and galactose. Polysaccharide is not a pure chemical substance, but a mixture of substances with different degrees of polymerization. Polysaccharides are generally insoluble in water, have no sweet taste, cannot form crystals, and have no reducibility or change of spin. Polysaccharides are also glycosides, so they can be hydrolyzed, and in the process of hydrolysis, they tend to produce a series of intermediate products, and eventually completely hydrolyzed to obtain monosaccharides.
Edible mushroom polysaccharide;Wolfberry polysaccharide;Jujube polysaccharide
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