Drought Stress of Cucurbit Crops
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Drought stress - Cucurbits are particularly sensitive to drought. Fruit are typically 85% to 90% water and can suffer under drought conditions. Pumpkins often produce long vines with many leaves and can transpire large quantities of water during hot summer days. Severe drought stress affects fruit development, resulting in unmarketable produce. Affected cucumber fruit may appear curled, distorted, or tapered at the blossom end; pumpkins become soft and wrinkled. In addition, drought-stressed pumpkins fail to gain appropriate size, which affects yields. A loss of foliage during drought will also result in sunburn of the fruit.
Drought symptoms on pumpkin.
(Photo: Timothy Coolong, University of Kentucky)
Drought/sunburn symptoms on pumpkin.
(Photo: Timothy Coolong, University of Kentucky)
Management:
- Irrigate when necessary.
