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Website: http://btny.agriculture.purdue.edu/melcast
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What is MELCAST?
MELCAST is a system whereby melon growers can determine the best time to apply fungicides. The MELCAST system uses scientific and localized weather data to determine when fungicide applications are best made. Melcast Update (this web page) is intended to help muskmelon and watermelon growers keep track of daily MELCAST EFI (Environmental Favorability Index) values that are calculated for several state locations. Each issue highlights current disease problems and melon management concerns. You should choose a MELCAST Station closest to your melon operation to obtain daily EFI values:

2014 MELCAST Locations and Station Codes
Location State Station Latitude Longitude Notes
Tift County GA GA-TIF 31.50432 -83.58421 Tift County, GA
Daviess County IN IN-DAV 38.7000 -87.1667 1 mile N of Washington on SR 57
Decker IN IN-DEC 38.5000 -87.5000 2 miles NE of Decker
Elkhart County IN IN-ELK 41.53392 -86.01253 2 miles NE of Wakarusa
Gibson County IN IN-GIB 38.2550 -87.6833 1 mile S of Owensville on SR 65
Jackson County IN IN-JAC 38.8500 -86.0833 1 mile N of Vallonia
Oaktown IN IN-OAK 38.8500 -87.4667 2 miles SW of Oaktown
Richmond IN IN-RCH 39.4949 -84.5326 Downtown Richmond
Rockville IN IN-PAR 39.4555 -87.1344 Downtown Rockville
Sullivan IN IN-SUL 39.0333 -87.5500 7 miles W of Carlisle on SR 58
SW Purdue Ag Center IN IN-SWP 38.7500 -87.4833 5 miles N of Vincennes
Vincennes IN IN-VIN 38.6333 -87.5000 1 mile E of Lincoln High School
Wanatah IN IN-WAN 41.430 -86.898 Downtown Wanatah
Lexington KY KY-LXT 37.9737 -84.5342  
Liberty KY KY-LIB 37.1957 -84.9417  
Niles MI MI-NIL 41.83468 -86.24717 6 miles N of Niles on M-140
Clarkton MO MO-CLA 36.4911 -89.9627  
Fortuna MO MO-FOR  
Hornersville MO MO-HOR 35.9978 -90.1592 Southeast Region
Jefferson City MO MO-JEF 38.5287 -92.1387 Carver Farm, Jefferson City, MO
Sikeston MO MO-SIK
La Grange NC NC-LAG 35.4019 -77.8244
Charleston SC SC-CHA 32.8028 -80.0697

For More Information:
See these MELCAST publications for more information:
BP-64-W MELCAST: Melon Disease Forecaster (PDF - 939K)
BP-67 Foliar Disease Control Using MELCAST (PDF - 625K)

Download the Free MELCAST Recordbook:
We have created an Excel version of the MELCAST pocket record book. This Excel spreadsheet helps growers keep track of MELCAST EFI values as they accumulate during the growing season, sprays made, and indicates when you are nearing spray thresholds.

Click here to download the free Excel MELCAST Recordbook (141 KB) - Updated 5/6/2005

To use, double-click on the downloaded file and choose "Enable Macros".

Windows Users: if you get a message that the "macros in this workbook are disabled because the security level is high or have not been digitally signed or verified to be safe" then follow these directions:
1) Go to the "Tools" menu and choose "Options..."
2) Choose the "Security" tab
3) Click on the "Macro Security..." button
4) Set the security level to "Medium" from the "Security Level" tab and click "OK"
5) Click "OK" to exit "Options"
6) Try opening the Melcast Recordbook again

Follow instructions on the "Help" page to start using the MELCAST recordbook.  We'd appreciate any feedback.

Ask About Setting Up a New MELCAST Location:
No matter where you live, we can utilize latitude and longitude coordinates to gather daily weather satellite data that can input into the MELCAST system to generate daily EFI values. Ask us about getting a station started at your melon location.

Contact Us
Direct all questions or comments to Dan Egel egel@purdue.edu.

Please select a Melcast station above to view current EFI values.
Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue University Administration
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