Durgapura Madhu
A Rajasthan (Durgapura) selection for hot, arid conditions — round, netted, sweet fruit on a hardy vine, grown across the dry north-west and in river-bed plantings.
Quick facts
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Zaid / summer
- Maturity period
- First harvest ~80–90 days
- Expected yield
- 15–22 t/ha
- Suitable soil
- Sandy / light soil
About this variety
Durgapura Madhu is an open-pollinated muskmelon selected at Durgapura, Rajasthan, for the hot, arid tracts of the north-west. The fruit is round and netted with sweet flesh, and the vine tolerates dry heat and poorer sandy soil better than many types, which suits it to dryland fields and river-bed (diara) plantings where a cheap, hardy open-pollinated variety with saveable seed is wanted. It matures at about 80–90 days.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
First harvest ~80–90 days
Expected yield
15–22 t/ha
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Major diseases
- Hardy in dry heat; standard cucurbit disease watch
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Tolerant of dry heat and poorer sandy soil — suits arid and river-bed cultivation
- Sweet, netted fruit; hardy, dependable open-pollinated type
- Seed can be saved; early at about 80–90 days
Things to consider
- Lower yield potential and less uniformity than a modern hybrid
- No special disease resistance — downy and powdery mildew and the fruit fly need managing
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Rajasthan
- Gujarat
- Uttar Pradesh
- Haryana
- Madhya Pradesh