Melon (Cucumis melo) is a desirable fruit commodity known for its sweet taste and flesh color that ranges from white-green to orange. For growers, cultivating melons represents a promising opportunity to increase income. Additionally, there exists a diverse array of melon variants, which increases market options.
However, melon cultivation faces challenges, including disease. One such obstacle is powdery mildew, which is caused by aphids. Powdery mildew is caused by the growth of fungi after aphids infest the habitus. Fungi such as Oidium sp, Sphaerotheca fulligena, and Podosphaera xanthii can cause this disease. The recommended countermeasure is spraying fungicides 2-3 times per week.
Another effective strategy to reduce pesticide residue effects is to cultivate resistant varieties against powdery mildew, such as IPB meta 3, IPB meta 6, and tacapa from the Faculty of Biology Gadjah Mada University. Although pesticide spraying is still necessary, the frequency is lower. In tacapa melons, pesticide application is enough once a week at the beginning of plant growth.
Combining superior cultivars for pest control is crucial to prevent yield loss and decreased fruit quality. Preventive measures are vital in addressing powdery mildew as this disease can impair the photosynthetic efficiency of plants.
