It is a warm season crop and is an herbaceous annual vine. Its fruits come in variety of shape, size and color. The crop belongs to the family of Cucurbitaceae. It is a rich source of Vitamin A, calcium and phosphorus. It can be grown in polyhouse, greenhouse and shade net house. It also has health benefits such as it helps managing diabetes, good for asthma patients, heart patients, eyes and skin diseases and for bone health. It has antimicrobial, antiseptic and antifungal properties.  

It is grown in variety of soils ranging from sandy loam to loamy soil are ideal for summer squash farming. The pH soil ranging from 5.5-6.5 is optimum for summer squash farming. 

Punjab Chappan Kadoo-1: The variety released in 1982. It is an early maturing variety which is ready to harvest in 60 days after sowing. The plant of this variety has thick foliage, green color leaves, disc shaped fruits which are green in color. The variety is resistant to downy mildew and is tolerant to virus, red pumpkin beetle and powdery mildew. It gives an average fruit yield of 95qtl/acre. 

For summer squash farming, well prepared land is required. To bring the soil to fine tilth, 2-3 ploughing followed by harrowing is done. Furrow the field at 2m apart to a depth of 15cm. 

Time of sowing:
The optimum time for sowing is mid-January to March and October to November month (under protection).
 
Spacing:
Sow two seeds per hill at the distance of 45cm.
 
Sowing depth:
Seeds should be planted 2.5-3.5cm deep.
 
Method of sowing:
Dibbling method

Seed rate:
For summer squash farming, use seed rate of 2kg per acre.
 
Seed treatment:
Before sowing, seed are soaked in water for 12-24 hours. It will increased germination percentage.
To protect seed from soil borne fungus, treat seed with Carbendazim@2 gram/kg of seed or Thiram@2.5 gram/kg of seed before sowing. After chemical treatment, treat seed with Trichoderma Viride@4 gram/kg of seed or Pseudomonas fluroscens@10 gram/kg of seed.

Fertilizer Requirement (kg/acre):

Nutrient Requirement (kg/acre):

Application of FYM@15tonnes per acre is done before the preparations of bed. Apply fertilizer dose in the form of nitogen@40kg/acre (urea@90kg/acre), phosphorus@20kg/acre (SSP@125kg/acre) and Potash@15kg/acre (MOP@25kg/acre) is done. Apply half dose of Nitrogen and full dose of phosphorus and potash at the time of land preparation and the rest of the half dose of nitrogen is applied as a top dressing after one month of sowing. 

Immediate irrigation is required after seed sowing and then subsequent irrigation are given at interval of 6-7 days depending upon the season. In total, 9-10 irrigations are required. 

Hand weeding and hoeing should be done to control the weeds. Shallow cultivation should be done for 2 week old plant to control the weed growth. 

• Disease and their control:

Bacterial wilt: It is caused by Erwinia tracheiphila. It affects the vascular tissues of the plant which result in immediate wilting.

Treatment: Spraying of foliar insecticides is done to cure the bacterial wilt.

Powdery mildew: The symptoms are appearance of white powdery spots on upper surface of leaves which causes leaf withering.

Treatment: Application of carbendazim@2 gram in 1litre of water will help to cure powdery mildew. It can also be controlled by fungicidal sprays of Chlorothalonil, benomyl or dinocap.
 

Cucumber mosaic virus: The symptoms are stunted growth of plant, leaves turn down and fruit knobs become light yellow in color.

Treatment: Application of Diazinon is done to cure mosaic disease. Use of Immidachloprid-17.8%SL @7 ml in 10 litres of water is done to cure disease.
 

• Pest and their control:

Fruit fly: It is a serious pest found in longmelon. Females fly lay eggs below epidermis of young fruits. Later on maggots feed on pulp afterward fruits starts rotting and get drop.
 
Treatment: Foliar application of Neem oil @3.0% is given to cure the crop from fruit fly pest.

Aphid and Thrips: They suck the sap from the leaves resulting in yellowing and drooping of leaves. Thrips results in curling of leaves, leaves become cup shaped or curved upward. 

Flea beetle: They are small shiny black beetles which feed on young plants. 

Depending upon variety and season first picking is done after 60-80 days of sowing. Harvesting is done after 7 days of fruit setting. Picking should be done at the interval of 2-3 days.

Keep isolation distance of 800m from other varieties of summer squash. Three inspections should be done, first is done before flowering, second is done at the time of flowering and fruiting development and third is done before harvesting of crop. Roughing of diseases and off type plant should be done. Seed harvesting is done when fruit turns from bright yellow to orange color. Harvested fruits are cut into two halves and then seeds are removed by hand. The seeds are then washed with water and the fruit flesh is poured off. The extracted seeds are then dried. It gives an average yield of 2-2.5qtl/acre.