Lihua Hu^1,2

1 Hangzhou Milele Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd, Hangzhou, 311103, Zhejiang, China
2 Zhejiang Agronomist College, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Genomics and Applied Biology, 2026, Vol. 17, No. 3   
Received: 25 Apr., 2026    Accepted: 30 May, 2026    Published: 15 Jun., 2026

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Melon is a high-value horticultural crop whose market performance depends not only on yield, but also on sweetness, texture, appearance, and storability. Among irrigation variables, frequency is especially important because it controls how often the root zone is rewetted, how strongly soil or substrate moisture fluctuates, and how stable the physiological environment remains during flowering, fruit set, enlargement, and ripening. This review examines how irrigation frequency influences melon growth, fruit development, and fruit quality under open-field, protected, soil-grown, and soilless systems. The literature shows a clear pattern: very infrequent irrigation often restricts leaf expansion, photosynthesis, and fruit growth because melon is sensitive to sudden water deficits, particularly around flowering and early fruit enlargement. By contrast, overly frequent irrigation can sustain vegetative vigor and fruit enlargement but may dilute soluble solids, increase cracking risk in some systems, and reduce water productivity when total water input is excessive. Between these extremes, stage-specific scheduling tends to perform best. Studies from semi-arid and greenhouse systems consistently indicate that adequate or relatively frequent irrigation during flowering and early fruit growth is needed to protect yield, whereas mild deficit or reduced irrigation frequency during late maturation can improve soluble solids, vitamin C, antioxidant activity, firmness, and sometimes reduce cracking without a major yield penalty. Evidence from eastern China, including a two-year greenhouse muskmelon experiment in Haining, Zhejiang, indicates that a moderate irrigation regime can produce a better balance between yield, quality, irrigation water use efficiency, and nitrogen use efficiency than either lower or higher water inputs. In northwestern China and other water-limited regions, pulsed drip irrigation, sensor-guided scheduling, and regulated deficit irrigation have shown strong promise for sustaining fruit quality while reducing water use. Overall, the review argues that irrigation frequency should be treated as a developmental and quality-management tool rather than simply a calendar decision. Future research should separate the effects of frequency from total irrigation amount, compare cultivar-specific responses, and strengthen evidence from humid protected systems such as those common in the Yangtze River Delta.

Melon; Irrigation frequency; Fruit development; Fruit quality; Deficit irrigation; Drip irrigation; Protected cultivation; Water use efficiency