Effects of Different Pruning Methods on Plant Growth and Yields of Thin-skin Melon

We used thin-skin melon variety ‘Jinmi No. 1'(Cucumis melo) to study the effects of pruning on plant growth,yield,quality and disease resistance. The pruning treatment consisted of two-vine,three-vine,four-vine and vertical trellis pruning. The results showed that vertical trellis pruning produced the longest vine. Three-vine pruning made the heaviest single fruit weight of 510 grams,70,60 and 100 grams heavier than the vertical trellis pruning,two and four-vine pruning,respectively. Two-vine pruning produced the thickest stem,largest leaf area,highest soluble solid contents and highest total yield. Total yield of two-vine pruning was 3 500.2 kg per 667 m2,which was 15%,8.9% and 2.2% higher than three-vine pruning,four-vine pruning and vertical trellis pruning,respectively. The fruit quality of two-vine pruning was the best with the soluble solid content 15.1%,which was 16.6%,25.8% and 27.8% higher than three-vine,four-vine pruning and vertical trellis pruning,respectively. Plants with two-vine pruning had the best disease resistance.