Regular weeding should be done at one and two months after transplanting. This should be followed by fertilizer application and earthing up operations.

The second dose of fertilizers has to apply in 20-30 days after planting. The third dose has to be applied at 2 months after planting.

Mulching reduce weed competi­tion, soil compaction, and soil erosion. Mulching also maintains a uniform root environment and conserves soil moisture. Or­ganic materials like rice straw (5 t/ha) is good for mulching.

The plants will wilt and die if they stand in wa­ter for more than 48 hours. Phytophtora blight and bacterial wilt may cause total crop loss following prolonged flooding. Hence drainage is very much important.

Stake the plants to prevent lodging, particu­larly when they have a heavy load of fruits. Each plant is individually staked before flowering stage. Yields are generally higher with staking.

Field should be irrigated if there are signs of wilting at mid-day. Irrigate at three to four days interval during summer.