Journal of Scientific Research and Reports

The profitability of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) production under shade-net-house cultivation depends on the interactive effects of the growing environment, irrigation management and soil-moisture conservation practices. This study evaluated the economic feasibility of muskmelon cultivation by integrating shade-net colour, drip irrigation scheduling and plastic mulching under semi-arid summer conditions. The experiment was conducted during the summer of 2017 at the Instructional Farm of the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Dr. Annasaheb Shinde College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, Maharashtra, India. A split-factorial design was used with five growing environments as main treatments: 35%, 50%, and 75% green-white shade nets, a 50% red shade net and open-field cultivation. These were combined with eight sub-treatments comprising four drip irrigation levels of 120%, 100%, 80% and 60% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), each with silver-black plastic mulch or no mulch. Economic performance was assessed using cost of cultivation, gross returns, net returns and the benefit–cost (B:C) ratio. The treatment combining a 50% red shade net under drip irrigation at 120% ETc with silver-black plastic mulch (S₄I₁M₁) recorded the highest B:C ratio of 2.79, indicating the most profitable production system. Conversely, the lowest B:C ratio of 0.31 was obtained under a 75% green-white shade net with drip irrigation at 60% ETc and no mulch (S₃I₄M₂). The results demonstrate that appropriate selection of shade-net colour, adequate irrigation based on ETc, and plastic mulching can substantially improve the economic efficiency of summer muskmelon production. A 50% red shade net, with drip irrigation at 120% ETc and silver-black plastic mulch is recommended as a promising strategy for enhancing profitability under conditions similar to those of Rahuri, Maharashtra.