Therefore, cattle should be removed from infested areas before melons are produced, or should be quarantined prior to movement to other areas. Contact herbicides such as paraquat are generally ineffective on large plants, unless thorough coverage is attained. Glyphosate is generally ineffective on prickly paddy melon and is not recommended. Herbicides should be applied when plants are small. Control will likely decrease with increasing plant size.
Fern growth is necessary for maximal carbohydrate storage for the following year's crop.
There are few control measures that can be implemented after the ferns develop. Fields should be thoroughly surveyed before rotating to asparagus or melons, where dudaim melon is most difficult to control. References Dixon, D and Kreps, L. 1973. Leys, A. R., Amor, R. L., Barnett, A. G, and Plater, B. 1990. Evaluation of herbicides for control of summer growing weeds on fallows in south-eastern Australia.