Squash Production

Written by Tomas D. Gajete and Charlito R. Juico Monday, 14 July 2008 http://www.openacademy.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1191&Itemid=378 Squash, botanically known as Cucurbita maxima Duchesne ex Lamk., is commonly grown in the Philippines throughout the year. It is usually grown in home gardens and in commercial scale for its immature fruits, young shoots, flowers, and seeds. In some places, intercropping squash with other crops like corn, sugarcane and coconut is practiced. Like other cucurbits, squash is recognized as an important source of vitamins and minerals. This module covers the cultural practices in squash production. It is designed to guide small farmers who are engaged in vegetable farming after rice production. Recommended Varieties Nueva Viscaya Strain, San Leonardo, and Suprema are the three varieties of squash recommended for commercial production (Fig.1). Other characteristics of these varieties are presented in Table 1. Yield Days to range maturity (t/ha) 90 25-35 Fruit shape Texture Flesh color Other chracteristics Tolerant to insect pests and squash mosaic virus Dry and wet season Dry and wet season

Variety San Leonardo

Fine Moderately grain / Orange flat glutinous Nueva Moderately Fine grain/ 90 25-35 Orange Vizcaya flat glutinous Fine Suprema 90 25-35 Flat grain Orange /glutinous 10 tons equivalent to 10,000 kilos

Fig. 1a. Suprema variety of squash b) San Leonardo Variety Source: a) East West Seed Company b) Research Office RET CLSU Site Selection/Soil Type Choose a 1000 m2 well-drained area previously planted to rice and accessible to water source. Squash grows in all types of well-drained soil, but the best soil type for the crop is sandy loam or clay loam with pH of 6.0 to 6.7. Growing Season For optimum yield and profit, plant in rice-based lowland areas from October to December, and May to July for hilly areas. Planting squash on these months will avoid the peak population of insect pests and the high incidence of plant diseases. Land Preparation For lowland rice-based areas, plow and harrow the field 2-3 times alternately. Furrow the field at a row spacing of 2 m. Prepare hills at 1 m apart. Incorporate organic fertilizer and complete fertilizer thoroughly with the soil at planting. For hilly areas, make holes 2 m x 1 m and incorporate 100 g organic fertilizer mixed with 14-14-14/hole. Planting Plant 2-3 seeds per hill. Thin the weak seedlings when the first true leaf has developed and leave two vigorous plants per hill. Fertilizer Application For lowland rice-based areas, incorporate organic fertilizer and complete fertilizer at harrowing before planting. For hilly areas apply 100 g organic fertilizer mixed with 1 tbsp of complete fertilizer in each hole. Table 2 presents the recommended fertilizer application. Follow the rate and time of application to produce healthy and vigorous vines and bigger fruits. Table 2. Fertilizer requirement for squash production.

Rate of Kind of Fertilizer Application (per Time of Application ha 1000m2) Organic fertilizer 50 kg (100 g/hill) At planting 14-14-14 5 kg (10g/hill) At planting When vine is 1 meter Urea 15 kg (30g/hill) long Muriate of potash + 5 kg(10g/hill) When vine is 3 meter solophos 30 kg(60g/hill) long Source: Gajete, T.D. et. al 2004 Irrigation

Method of Application Basal (Spot) Spot Side dress Side dress

Irrigate once a week or hand water with 1 L/hill every other day. Irrigate also every after fertilizer application. Withhold watering or irrigation when the fruits reach matured green stage because this will result in lower quality. Weed Control Weed in between plants in the hole at 7 to 14 days after emergence. Repeat if weeds still grow in between plants. Pests Management Aphids and leafhoppers are the most prevalent insect pests of squash throughout the year. For diseases, mosaic virus is the most damaging. The suggested management presented in Table 3 can be used as a guide in small scale production. However an alternative chemical control in Table 4 can be used also as a guide in cases of pests and diseases outbreaks. Insect Pests of Squash Squash beetle - Yellowish beetles (Fig. 2a) damage the squash by scrapping the surface of the leaves producing a skeletonized appearance. Infestation at cotyledon stage may result in death of seedlings. Aphids (Aphids gossypii) -- The insect is as big as a coarse sand and lives in colonies at the under surface of the squash leaves (Fig.2b). They produce offspring even without male, so they multiply rapidly in a short period. They produce sticky substances that favor the growth of sooty molds on the leaves of squash. The soot-like growth of the mold interferes with the photosynthetic activity of the plant. Aphids also secrets substance that is toxic to the plant causing leaf curling and dwarfing of shoots. Leaf hoppers (Impoasca sp.) suck the leaves of squash and other crops causing hopper burn

(Fig.2c). In squash, they cause drying of leaves during severe infestation. The plants can tolerate the damage if irrigated twice a week during the whole growing period but with reduced yield. White fly Bemicia tabaci -- These are small white and dainty flies that live in the undersurface of the leaves (Fig.2d). It transmits viral diseases to squash and other crops causing abnormal growth of leaves and shoots. Diseases of Squash Mosaic virus - Cause mosaic or yellow green pattern of the leaves with slight curling (Fig. 3a). This is transferred by insect vector or through the seed. Leaf curl virus - Like mosaic virus, this disease is seed-borne. It is also characterized by curling of the leaves and shoots with shortened internodes exhibiting a dwarfed appearance (Fig. 3b). The plant can survive and produce numerous leaflets but not capable of producing normal shoots and fruits. Table 3. Biological and remedial control of pests and diseases of squash. Insect pests/diseases Suggested management a. Insect ests: Squash Catch the beetle by sweeping it with insect net. beetle Aphids Crush the colonies then spray infected and healthy plants with basil leaf extract at 200ml/16 L water. Whitefly Overhead irrigation twice a week can reduce the population of these pests. Use yellow sticky trap. Flooding once a week will replenish the plant sap sucked by the pest. Leafhopper Overhead irrigation twice a week can reduce the population of these pests. Flooding once a week will replenish the plant sap sucked by the pest. b.Disease: Mosaic If symptoms appear on the plant at early stage, uproot virus/ leaf curl virus the plants, then burn. If plants are infected at fruiting stage, irrigate the plant at weekly interval up to harvesting as it can tolerate the virus. If matured fruits are harvested, do not use the seeds as planting materials. Uproot and burn infected plants after harvesting. Sources: Colting, L. M., et al, 2003; Farmers/Gardeners Practices

2. a) Squash beetle b) Aphids c) Leafhopper and d) Whiteflies

Source: http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/Graphics/cucurbins/sqbeetle.htm, www.gaipm.org/top50/leafhoppers and http://en.wikipedia.org Table 4. Insect pests and diseases of squash and their chemical control Suggested Pesticides Insect Pests and Diseases Common Name Insect Pests Squash beetle Carbaryl Aphids Whitefly Leafhopper Product Name Rate Application (tbsp/16 li water) When and How to Apply Alternate spraying of the insecticides when insects appear and repeat weekly depending on level of infestation. Stop spraying 2 weeks before harvest.

Diseases Mosaic virus,Squash Leaf Curl Virus Source: Gajete, T.D. et. al 2004

Provin 85 4.0-6.0 WP Cypermethrin Cymbush 1.0-1.5 Lannate Methomyl 2.0-3.5 40 SP Selecron Profenofos 3.0-5.0 500 EC Deltametrin Decis R 2.0-2.5 Rogue or remove infected plants and burn in isolated places. Mosaic virus can be prevented by controlling aphids vectors with the use of any of the above insecticides.

Fig. 3 a) Mosaic virus and b) Squash leaf curl virus. Source: East West Seed Company Training of Vines Train the vines to crawl in a direction going inside the plot so that these will be evenly distributed over the area. Properly trained vines help prevent growth of weeds in the plot because the thick leaves will shade the ground. Hand Pollination To increase fruit setting when insect pollinators are few, hand pollinate by inserting the male flower of the same age to the female flower between 6:00 and 8:00 in the morning. Thinning of Vines and Fruits Thin some lateral vine near the fully developed fruits. Remove all deformed fruits while still small to avoid nutrient competition. Place 5-6 cm thick of rice straw beneath the good fruits or lay bedding materials made of knitted bamboo if there are available bamboo to prevent rotting of the fruits. Harvesting Harvest immature fruits at 30-40 days from anthesis or pollination. The appearance of powdery, whitish substance on the surface of the fruit, and the hardening of the rind are indices of maturity if intended for seeds. At such stage, the seeds of a squash are already matured and fully developed. Harvest the matured fruit when the fruits appear brownish orange. Harvest fruits of plants that have no symptoms of viral infection, (mosaic, yellowing of leaves) if intended for seeds. This must be done to avoid virus-infected seeds for the next crop. REFERENCES: Alford, D. V. 1999. A Text Book in Agricultural Entomology.

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Cambridge, UK 314 p Bautista, O.K. and R.C. Mabesa, 1977. Vegetable Production. University of the Philippines at Los Baos, College, Los Baos, Laguna 320p. Colting, L.M., B. C. Ligat., L.G. Lirio., J.P. Perez and J.P. Pablo. 2003. Compendium of Insect Pest and Weeds Associated with High Value Crops in the Cordillera. Department of Agriculture Cordillera Highland Agricultural Resource Management (CHARM) Project: Cor. Sto. Tomas Rd. Marcos Highway, Baguio Dairy Farm, Baguio City and Benguet State University La Trinidad Benguet. P 71-86 Gajete, T. D. C.R. Juico, and J.R. Quilantang, 2004. Technoguide for Squash Production In: R.C. Undan, T.M. Aganon, F.L. Porciuncula, N. R. Carbonel, C.P. Aganon, Q.D. Dela Cruz, M.E.M. Orden, C.R. Juico, E.M. Cruz, and M.B. Agustin, (Eds) :Technoguides For Agricultural Production and Livelihood Projects. CLSU Research Office, RET, Science City of Muoz, Nueva Ecija pp 53-57. Siemonsma, J.S. and K. Piluek, (Eds) 1994. Plant Resources of South-East Asia Vol.8. Vegetables. Prosea Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia pp 160-165. Last Updated ( Monday, 14 July 2008 )