Abstract: Based on the data of daily mean temperature, maximum and minimum temperature, duration of sunshine, from 101 meteorological stations in Xinjiang in 1961-2013, the fundamental spatial-temporal change characteristic of key climatic factors (≥15℃ days, ≥20℃ temperature-light index and mean range of daily temperature from June to August) affecting melon-planting were analyzed by using the methods of linear regression, accumulative anomaly, guarantee rate analysis and mixed spatial interpolation technology based on ArcGIS. And the impacts of climate change on melon-planting zoning were studied by combining with the change characteristics of key climate factors before and after mutation. The main results showed, spatial distribution of ≥15℃ days, ≥20℃ temperature-light index, and mean range of daily temperature from June to August had very obvious difference from place to place in Xinjiang. Generally, they were more or higher in south and east than in north and west, in plain and basin than in mountain regions. In the background of global warming, the ≥15℃ days, ≥20℃ temperature-light index presented significantly increasing trend with the rate of 2.493 d/10a and 0.06/10a, respectively, and they had mutation in 1997. But mean range of daily temperature from June to August had a significantly decreasing trend with the rate of -0.249/10a and had mutation in 1987 in 1961-2013. According to the climatic conditions of various maturing melon growth and quality, melon-planting climatic zoning can be divided into 4 regions and 7 sub-regions in Xinjiang. Due to climate change, the best planting zone expanded significantly in terms of mid-maturing and late-maturing melon, the second-best planting area of them decreased, the suitable planting area of early-maturing melon, unsuitable planting area for melon decreased after 1997 in Xinjiang.

Key words: climate change, days, temperature-light index, mean range of daily temperature, melon- planting climatic division, Xinjiang