scholarly journals Influence of Honey Bee Pollination on Triploid Watermelon Fruit Set and Quality

HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 1118C-1118
Author(s):  
S. Alan Walters
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Hollow Heart ◽  
Pistillate Flower ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Vegetable Crops ◽  
Bee Pollination ◽  
Male Flowers ◽  
Triploid Watermelon

Cucurbit vegetable crops, such as watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), require insect pollination for fruit set, which is usually achieved by placing honey bee (Apismellifera) colonies in a field or relying upon natural bee populations. Pistillate (or female) watermelon flowers require multiple honey bee (or other bee) visitations after visiting staminate (or male) flowers for fruit set, and pollination is even more of a concern in triploid watermelon production since staminate flowers contain mostly nonviable pollen. Six honey bee visitation treatments, 1) no visitation control, 2) two visits, 3) four visits, 4) eight visits, 5) 16 visits, and 6) open-pollinated control, were evaluated to determine the effect of honey bee pollination on `Millionaire' triploid watermelon fruit set, yield, and quality utilizing `Crimson Sweet' at a 33% pollinizer frequency. No differences (P> 0.05) between honey bee pollination treatments were observed for `Millionaire' quality characters (hollow heart disorder or percent soluble solids). The lowest pistillate flower abortion rate (20%) and subsequently the greatest triploid watermelon yields (fruit numbers and weights per hectare) occurred with the openpollinated control compared to all other honey bee visitation treatments. Fruit abortion rates decreased linearly, while fruit numbers and weights per hectare increased linearly as number of honey bee visits to pistillate flowers increased from 0 (no visit control) to the open-pollinated control (≈24 visits). This study indicated that >16 honey bee visits are required to achieve maximum triploid watermelon fruit set and yields, which is twice the number of honey bee visits required by diploid watermelons to achieve similar results.

scholarly journals Honey Bee Pollination Requirements for Triploid Watermelon

HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 1268-1270 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Alan Walters
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Hollow Heart ◽  
Subsequent Development ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Bee Pollination ◽  
Male Flowers ◽  
Triploid Watermelon

Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) are important pollinators of triploid watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum & Nakai]. Pistillate (or female) watermelon flowers require multiple honey bee or other wild bee visitations after visiting staminate (or male) flowers for fruit set, and pollination is even more of a concern in triploid watermelon production since staminate flowers contain mostly nonviable pollen. Six honey bee visitation treatments—1) no visitation control, 2) two visits, 3) four visits, 4) eight visits, 5) 16 visits, and 6) open-pollinated control—were evaluated to determine the effectiveness of honey bee pollination on `Millionaire' triploid watermelon fruit set, yield, and quality utilizing `Crimson Sweet' at a 33% pollenizer frequency. `Millionaire' quality characters (hollow heart disorder or percent soluble solids) did not differ (P > 0.05) between honey bee pollination treatments. The open-pollinated control provided the highest fruit set rate (80%) and the greatest triploid watermelon numbers and weights per plot compared to all other honey bee visitation treatments. Fruit set, and fruit numbers and weights per plot increased linearly as number of honey bee visits to pistillate flowers increased from 0 (no visit control) to the open-pollinated control (about 24 visits). This study indicated that between 16 and 24 honey bee visits are required to achieve maximum triploid watermelon fruit set and yields at a 33% pollenizer frequency, which is twice the number of honey bee visits required by seeded watermelons to achieve similar results. This is probably due to many honey bees visiting staminate triploid watermelon flowers (that are in close proximity) before visiting pistillate flowers thus providing mostly nonviable pollen that is useless for fruit set and development. Therefore, more honey bee visits to pistillate triploid watermelon flowers would be required to achieve maximum fruit set and subsequent development compared to seeded watermelons.

scholarly journals Influence of Diploid Pollinizer Frequencies on Triploid Watermelon Quality and Yields

2003 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dena C. Fiacchino ◽  
S. Alan Walters
Keyword(s):  
Significant Interaction ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Hollow Heart ◽  
Heart Disorder ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Frequency Interaction ◽  
Quadratic Response ◽  
Seedless Watermelon ◽  
Triploid Watermelon

During the 1999 and 2000 growing seasons in Illinois, studies were conducted to determine the influence of two pollinizers (`Crimson Sweet' and `Fiesta') and three pollinizer frequencies (11%, 20%, and 33%) on `Millionaire' seedless watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) quality and yields. More large-sized [>16 lb (7.2 kg)] `Millionaire' watermelons were produced when `Crimson Sweet' was used as the pollinizer compared to `Fiesta', which resulted in `Crimson Sweet' leading to greater marketable and total `Millionaire' yields. Pollinizers responded similarly over the pollinizer frequencies for `Millionaire' watermelon yields as no pollinizer by pollinizer frequency interaction was observed. The 20% and 33% pollinizer frequencies produced similar `Millionaire' yields per acre and both resulted in greater yields compared to the 11% pollinizer frequency. Soluble solids in `Millionaire' fruits were not influenced by pollinizer or pollinizer frequency. However, hollow heart disorder followed a quadratic response with respect to pollinizer frequency with the lowest amount of hollow heart observed at the 33% pollinizer frequency and greatest at the 11% pollinizer frequency. No significant interaction (P ≤ 0.05) was observed for pollinizer by pollinizer frequency for hollow heart disorder in `Millionaire'; although, more hollow heart disorder in `Millionaire' was observed when `Fiesta' was used as the pollinizer.

scholarly journals Diploid Watermelon Pollenizer Cultivars Differ with Respect to Triploid Watermelon Yield

2007 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 518-522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua H. Freeman ◽  
G.A. Miller ◽  
S.M. Olson ◽  
W.M. Stall
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Design ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Pollen Flow ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Average Weight ◽  
Solids Concentration ◽  
Triploid Watermelon ◽  
Experimental Plots ◽  
Soluble Solids Concentration

As triploid watermelons (Citrullus lanatus) increase in popularity, production has shifted away from seeded watermelons. To achieve successful fruit set in triploid watermelons, a diploid watermelon cultivar must be planted as a pollen source. Three diploid cultivars in 2005 and seven diploid cultivars in 2006 were evaluated at one and three locations, respectively, to determine their effectiveness as pollenizers. Each cultivar was planted within plots of the triploid watermelons ‘Tri-X 313’ (2005) and ‘Supercrisp’ (2006) with buffers on all sides of the plots to contain pollen flow within individual plots. Performance of pollenizers was based on triploid watermelon yield, soluble solids concentration, and incidence of hollowheart. In 2005, there were no significant differences in total weight, fruit per acre, average weight, or soluble solids concentration among pollenizers. In 2006, significant differences in yield were observed, and plots with ‘Sidekick’ as a pollenizer yielded the highest but were not significantly different from ‘Patron’, ‘SP-1’, ‘Jenny’, or ‘Mickylee’. In 2006, there were no significant differences in fruit per acre, soluble solids concentration, or incidence of hollowheart between pollenizers. The experimental design was successful in isolating pollenizers and there was minimal pollen flow outside of experimental plots as indicated by minimal fruit set in control plots.

scholarly journals BEE-SCENT FOR IMPROVED POLLINATION OF WATERMELON

HortScience ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 488g-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. W. Elmstrom ◽  
D. N. Maynard
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Central Florida ◽  
Southwest Florida ◽  
Set Size ◽  
Seed Content ◽  
Solids Content

Watermelon, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai, requires insects, most commonly honey bees, for pollination and fruit set. The transfer of an adequate amount of pollen is essential to ensure optimum fruit set, size, and shape. To encourage bee visits and the transfer of pollen, two applications of Bee-Scent*, a bee attractant, at 2.47 liter·ha-1 were made to watermelon on five farms in central and southwest Florida. Honey bee, Apis melifera L., activity was monitored for two days following each application and yield and fruit quality were determined. On only a few occasions was increased honey bee activity noted. Application of bee attractant increased total yield in one field in central Florida and resulted in an increase in early yield at all three locations in southwest Florida. Soluble solids content of mature fruit was not directly affected by treatment. Treatment increased the seed content of fruit from three of five farms.

scholarly journals Pollen Viability of Selected Diploid Watermelon Pollenizer Cultivars

HortScience ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 274-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josh H. Freeman ◽  
Stephen M. Olson ◽  
Eileen A. Kabelka
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Pollen Viability ◽  
Viable Pollen ◽  
Diploid Cultivar ◽  
Triploid Watermelon

In the Spring and Fall 2006, the pollen viability of four diploid watermelon pollenizers was evaluated in Quincy, FL. Triploid watermelon plants [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai.] do not produce sufficient viable pollen to pollenize themselves and a diploid cultivar must be interplanted as a pollen source. Recent studies have illustrated differences in triploid watermelon yields as a result of the pollenizer cultivar used. The viability of the pollen produced by pollenizer cultivars may greatly influence the fruit set and fruit quality in the triploid watermelon crop. Pollen samples were taken from ‘Companion’, ‘Jenny’, ‘Mickylee’, and ‘SP-1’ and were stained to determine their viability. There were no significant differences in pollen viability among cultivars and all cultivars had high average viability. Pollen viability was never lower than 95% for any cultivar. This study indicates that pollen viability of the cultivars evaluated should not influence their effectiveness as pollenizers.

scholarly journals Use of Commercially Available Pollenizers for Optimizing Triploid Watermelon Production

HortScience ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 541-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J. Dittmar ◽  
David W. Monks ◽  
Jonathan R. Schultheis
Keyword(s):  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Hollow Heart ◽  
Fruit Yield ◽  
The Other ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Triploid Watermelon ◽  
Marketable Fruit ◽  
The Hill ◽  
Pollen Movement ◽  
Selection Of

An experiment was conducted during 2005 and 2006 in Kinston, NC, with the objective of maximizing triploid watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nak.] fruit yield and quality by optimizing the choice and use of pollenizers. Treatments were pollenizer cultivars planted singly [‘Companion’, ‘Super Pollenizer 1’ (‘SP1’), ‘Summer Flavor 800’ (‘SF800’), and ‘Mickylee’] or in pairs (‘Companion’ + ‘SP1’, ‘Companion’ + ‘SF800’, and ‘SP1’ + ‘SF800’). All pollenizers from these seven treatments were interplanted with the triploid cultivar Tri-X-313. Planting arrangement was compared by establishing ‘SF800’ in a hill versus an interplanted field arrangement. Effect of pollenizer establishment timing on triploid fruit yields and quality was evaluated by establishing ‘SP1’ 3 weeks after planting and comparing it with the establishment of ‘SP1’ at the time of triploid plant establishment. Finally, a triploid planting with no pollenizer (control) was included to determine pollen movement. Fruit yield from the control was 22% or less of yield of the other treatments containing a pollenizer and less than 10% in the initial or early harvests. Pollen movement was minimal among plots and differences in yield and fruit quality could be attributed to pollenizer treatment. In 2005, the use of ‘Companion’, ‘SP1’, or ‘Mickylee’ as pollenizers produced similar total yields, whereas ‘SF800’ produced the lowest yield. In 2005, ‘Companion’ produced more large fruit than the other individual pollenizer treatments. Combining the pollenizers generally did not enhance triploid yields or quality. Interplanting of pollenizers consistently resulted in greater yield compared with the hill system. Late planting of ‘SP1’ increased the incidence of hollow heart in the marketable fruit and decreased yield compared with simultaneously planting ‘SP1’ and triploid plants. Thus, selection of pollenizer, planting arrangement, and time of pollenizer establishment are all important considerations to optimizing triploid yield and quality.

scholarly journals PENGARUH PEMBERIAN BORON DAN WAKTU PEMANENAN POLEN TERHADAP PENINGKATAN PRODUKSI DAN VIABILITAS POLEN TETUA JANTAN SEMANGKA (Citrullus lanatus Thunberg.)

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-212
Author(s):  
Aris Susanto ◽  
Sri Hartatik ◽  
Muh. Burhan Rosyidi
Keyword(s):  
Seed Production ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Research Result ◽  
Male Flower ◽  
Random Group ◽  
High Viability ◽  
Hybrid Seeds ◽  
Male Flowers ◽  
Factorial Design Of Experiments

Pollen management is one of the important factors in the production of hybrid seeds. The main obstacle in the seed production of hybrid watermelon are the appearance of the flowers do not coincide, and limited the availability of pollen with high viability. This research aims to the of dosage of boron and pollen harvesting time the pollen production and viability of pollen watermelon male parent. The research was done on a farm Seed Production Research Land of PT. Benih Citra Asia, sub-district Ajung, districts Jember and done with a random group of factorial design of experiments, with the first factor: 4 level doses of boron, and the second factor: 3 time harvesting the pollen, with each combination treatment is repeated as many as three times. The research result of which demonstrate of application of boron 1,0 kg ha-1 and time of harvesting the pollen pre-anthesis produces the successs of pollination to 100%. The boron dosage 1 kg ha-1 is able to give the age of male flowers faster which is 25,89 DAP, and the age of female flowers is faster which is 31,67 DAP, and produces a higher fruit set that is 94,44%. The time for harvesting pollen in anthesis phase produces the highest pollen germination, which 63,81%.Keywords: male flower, media Brewbaker and Kwack, germination pollen, fruit set

scholarly journals Impact of Grafting on Watermelon Growth, Fruit Yield and Quality

2012 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fouad Mohamed ◽  
Khalid El-Hamed ◽  
Mohammed Elwan ◽  
Mennat-Allah Hussien
Keyword(s):  
Crop Production ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Abiotic Stress Tolerance ◽  
Fruit Yield ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Crop Damage ◽  
Control Treatment ◽  
Yield And Quality ◽  
Male Flowers

Impact of Grafting on Watermelon Growth, Fruit Yield and QualityGrafting is an alternative approach to reduce crop damage resulting from soil-borne pathogens and increases plant abiotic stress tolerance, which in turn increases crop production. The purpose of this study was to determine whether grafting could improve plant growth and fruit quality of watermelon through monitoring the changes induced by different rootstock-scion combinations. Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) cv. Aswan F1was grafted into five rootstocks (Nun 6001 F1, Strongtosa F1, Tetsukabuto F1, Ferro F1and Shintoza F1) hybrids betweenCucurbita maximaandCucurbita moschata.Highest vegetative growth and fruit yield were obtained by ‘Nun 6001 F1’ as a rootstock using the tongue approach method. Grafting reduced significantly sex ratio by reducing the number of male flowers. Grafting increased significantly lycopene content in fruit flesh by 57% over the control treatment, but did not affect soluble solids content (SSC). One third of the control non-grafted plants died andFusarium oxysporumwas isolated as the responsible pathogen. These results indicate that grafting watermelon onto specific rootstock influences growth, productivity, and quality of the fruit as well as disease resistance. Grafting can be suggested as an alternative method to control ofFusariumwilt in watermelon production.

scholarly journals In-row Diploid Watermelon Pollenizer Competition with Triploid Watermelon Based on Four Planting Ratios

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua I. Adkins ◽  
Joshua H. Freeman ◽  
Stephen M. Olson
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Plant Competition ◽  
Viable Pollen ◽  
Triploid Plant ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Triploid Watermelon

Diploid watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) pollenizers are planted within triploid watermelon fields to provide viable pollen for triploid fruit set. In recent years, pollenizer cultivars with desirable characteristics for planting in-row with triploid watermelons have been commercially available. The degree of plant competition from in-row pollenizers grown in the commercially common arrangement where pollenizers are placed equidistant from neighboring triploid plants has not been reported. Field experiments were conducted in 2005, 2006, and 2007 in Quincy, FL, to examine the competitive impact of in-row pollenizers grown equidistant from neighboring triploid plants. Four ratios of pollenizers-to-triploids: 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, and 1:4 were used to provide various levels of pollenizer competition. No significant difference in yield based on the weight or number of fruit per triploid plant resulted from the varied pollenizer ratios. Therefore, pollenizers grown in-row at an equidistant spacing from the neighboring triploid plants had no competitive impact on the yield of the triploid watermelon crop.

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