(IPPM) in Vegetables - Vegetableipmasia.org

Resource Manual on IPPM in Vegetable
World Education Philippines, Inc.
d. Fertilizer
Table 19. Growth Stages of Squash
Growth Stage
No. of Days
Seedling
Vegetative
Flowering
Fruiting
Maturity
7-15 Days after Sowing (DAS)
20-35 DAS
40-55 DAS
60-75 DAS
80-95 DAS
· A soil test is the most accurate guide to fertilizer requirements. The following
recommendations are general guidelines:
· The optimum pH range is 5.8-7.0. Apply 2.5 tons/ha of manure in the spring when
available.
· Nitrogen: 57-80 (N) kg/ha (Sidedress with an additional 30-60 lb N per acre when
plants begin to flower).
· Phosphate: 130-142 (P205) kg/ha.
· Potash: 57-114 kg K20/ha. (broadcast and disked-in prior to seeding).
· Sidedress with 28-57 kg N/ha, or where mulching and trickle irrigation are
practiced, N can be fed through the trickle irrigation system at 17-28 kg/ha when
the vines begin to spread. To prevent clogging or plugging from occurring use
soluble forms of nitrogen (urea or ammonium nitrate) and chlorinate the system
once a month with a 10-50 ppm chlorine solution. Chlorinate more frequently if
the flow rate decreases.
e. Irrigation
Summer squash roots to a depth of 90-120 cm. Maintain soil moisture above 60% of the
soil water holding capacity. It is important to regulate irrigation properly to avoid
excessive moisture or water stress. Research has shown that the use of drip irrigation
under black plastic mulch is superior to sprinkler irrigation with black plastic mulch.
Yields usually increase dramatically.
f. Flowering and Pollination
Summer squash plants bear separate male and female flowers on the same plant
(monoecious). Only the female flowers set fruit. Bees transfer pollen from male flowers
to female flowers, making fruit set possible.
It is recommended that one honey bee hive should be introduced for every 0.40-0.80 ha
during the blooming period since native bee populations may not be adequate, or may not
coincide properly with the blooming period.
Questions arise in relation to cucumbers, melons, gourds, and summer and winter squash,
crossing and affecting the eating quality of one vine crop or another. This is not a
problem. Intercrossing is only a problem when seed is saved for replanting, in which case
86