scholarly journals Rootstock and Plastic Mulch Effect on Watermelon Flowering and Fruit Maturity in a Verticillium dahliae–Infested Field

HortScience ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (9) ◽  
pp. 1438-1445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pinki Devi ◽  
Penelope Perkins-Veazie ◽  
Carol A. Miles
Keyword(s):  
Verticillium Wilt ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Verticillium Dahliae ◽  
Hollow Heart ◽  
Fruit Yield ◽  
Harvest Date ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Benincasa Hispida ◽  
Lycopene Content ◽  
Female Flowering

Separately, grafting and the use of plastic mulch can increase yield, quality, and early harvest of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), especially when plants are under biotic and/or abiotic stress. A 2-year field study was conducted to evaluate the combination of four different rootstocks and two types of plastic mulch (black and clear) on date of watermelon first flowering, fruit ripening, yield, and fruit quality when plants were exposed to Verticillium dahliae. Seedless watermelon cv. Secretariat was grafted onto rootstocks Lagenaria siceraria cv. Pelop, Benincasa hispida cv. Round, and two interspecific hybrid squash rootstocks Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata cvs. Super Shintosa and Tetsukabuto, with nongrafted ‘Secretariat’ as the control. Fruit were harvested 0, 7, and 14 days after both the leaflet and tendril attached to the fruit pedicel were completely dry (fruit considered to be physiologically mature). The area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) values for verticillium wilt were not different for mulch type in either year, although the overall AUDPC value was greatly reduced in the four grafted treatments (227) compared with nongrafted (743). There was no difference in days to male or female flowering due to mulch type or year, and rootstock did not affect first flowering of male flowers. Female flowering was 14 and 11 days later in 2018 and 2019, respectively, for ‘Secretariat’ grafted onto bottle gourd ‘Round’ compared with ‘Secretariat’ grafted onto ‘Tetsukabuto’. Female flowering of ‘Secretariat’ on ‘Round’ was also 7 days later compared with nongrafted ‘Secretariat’ both years. However, days to first harvest was not different with mulch or rootstock and was 92 days after transplanting (DAT) in 2018 and 114 DAT in 2019. There was no difference in yield (fruit number and weight) due to year, harvest date, or mulch, but there was a difference due to grafting. ‘Secretariat’ grafted onto ‘Super Shintosa’ had the greatest total number and weight of fruit per plant (3.7 and 14.8 kg, respectively), and nongrafted ‘Secretariat’ had the lowest (0.7 and 3.2 kg, respectively). Fruit quality attributes hollow heart formation (rating 3.2/5 on average), hard seed count (6 on average), total soluble solids (11% on average), and lycopene content were not different among mulch type, rootstock treatment, or harvest date; however, lycopene content did differ due to year (52.44 and 32.51 µg·g−1 in 2018 and 2019, respectively). Flesh firmness was highest for watermelon grafted onto ‘Super Shintosa’ rootstock (6.7 N) and lowest for nongrafted watermelon (4.3 N). Overall, rootstocks reduced verticillium wilt severity and increased fruit yield whereas mulch had no effects, and 5 V. dahliae colony forming units (cfu)/g of soil may be the minimum level for impact on watermelon fruit yield.

scholarly journals Grafting Watermelon and Using Plastic Mulch to Control Verticillium Wilt Caused by Verticillium dahliae in Washington

HortScience ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 349-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sahar Dabirian ◽  
Debra Inglis ◽  
Carol A. Miles
Keyword(s):  
Verticillium Wilt ◽  
Verticillium Dahliae ◽  
Fruit Yield ◽  
Fruit Firmness ◽  
Soil Density ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Mount Vernon ◽  
Lycopene Content ◽  
Clear Plastic ◽  
Black Plastic

Verticillium wilt, caused by the soilborne fungus Verticillium dahliae, is a significant disease affecting watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) production in Washington State. This field study at three locations in Washington in 2015 compared verticillium wilt susceptibility, fruit yield and quality of nongrafted watermelon, and grafted plants grown with black plastic and clear plastic mulch. Overall for grafting treatments, area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) values were higher for nongrafted ‘TriX Palomar’ (765) than for ‘TriX Palomar’ grafted onto ‘Super Shintosa’ (132), ‘Tetsukabuto’ (178), or ‘Just’ (187). Overall for mulch, the AUDPC value was higher for plants grown with black plastic mulch (385) than for plants grown with clear plastic mulch (237). Overall for location, the AUDPC value was lowest at Eltopia (84), intermediate at Othello (182), and highest at Mount Vernon (680). At season end, more Verticillium microsclerotia were present in stems of nongrafted ‘TriX Palomar’ than in grafted treatment stems at Eltopia and Mount Vernon, but not at Othello. Differences in microsclerotia presence occurred only in the top or scion portion of the stem, but not in the graft union, rootstock, or crown portions of the stem. There was no difference due to mulch in regard to Verticillium microsclerotia detected in stem assays. After harvest, V. dahliae soil density under black plastic mulch increased 6-fold at Eltopia, 4.7-fold at Othello, and 1.9-fold at Mount Vernon. In contrast, V. dahiae soil density under clear plastic mulch was nearly identical to the level at planting at each location (<1, 2.6, and 27 cfu/g at Eltopia, Othello, and Mount Vernon, respectively). There was a significant interaction between grafting and location for fruit yield such that there was no difference at Eltopia and Othello, but at Mount Vernon, yield of nongrafted ‘TriX Palomar’ was lower (7.4 kg/plant) than for grafted plants (average 13.0 kg/plant). The number and weight of marketable fruit per plant were higher at Othello (4.0 and 27.65 kg/plant, respectively) than at Eltopia (2.0 and 12.23 kg/plant, respectively) and Mount Vernon (2.2 and 11.63 kg/plant, respectively). Fruit firmness was greater overall for all three grafted treatments (average 2.67 N) than for nongrafted ‘TriX Palomar’ (2.20 N), but there was no difference in total soluble solids (TSS) or lycopene content of fruit due to grafting. Yield, fruit firmness, and TSS did not differ due to mulch type; however, lycopene content was greater for plants grown with black plastic mulch than with clear plastic mulch at Eltopia. There was no difference in TSS due to location, but fruit firmness was lower at Eltopia and Othello (2.20 and 2.44 N, respectively) than at Mount Vernon (3.00 N), whereas lycopene content was less at Mount Vernon (27.85 μg·g−1) than at Eltopia or Othello (38.58 and 36.54 μg·g−1). The results of this study indicate that although verticillium wilt symptoms were visible in watermelon plants when V. dahliae level was <3 cfu/g of soil, watermelon yield was not reduced. However, when V. dahliae soil density was >50 cfu/g of soil, yield was greater for grafted plants and for plants grown with clear plastic mulch.

scholarly journals Comparison of Weed Suppression and Mandarin Fruit Yield and Quality Obtained with Organic Mulches, Synthetic Mulches, Cultivation, and Glyphosate

HortScience ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 795-799 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.F. Abouziena ◽  
O.M. Hafez ◽  
I.M. El-Metwally ◽  
S.D. Sharma ◽  
M. Singh
Keyword(s):  
Rice Straw ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Weed Management ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Fruit Yield ◽  
Weed Suppression ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Residual Effects ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Straw Mulch

Organic crop production, whether for export or local consumption, is increasing to avoid the residual effects of synthetic herbicides in foods, soil, and water, toxicity to other nontarget organisms, and herbicide-resistant weed populations. Organic farmers consistently ranked weed management as one of their most important production problems. Therefore, a 2-year study was conducted under 15-year-old mandarin trees to compare the effects of rice straw mulch, cattail mulch, black plastic mulch, hand hoeing, cultivation, glyphosate, and unweeded control treatments on weed control, fruit yield, and fruit quality. The greatest control (94%–100%) of weeds occurred with the plastic mulch (200 or 150 μm) and three mulch layers of rice straw or cattail. Covering soil with cattail or rice straw mulch (two layers) gave 85% to 98% control of weeds. Uncontrolled weeds in the weedy control caused significant reduction in yield and fruit quality and decreased the yield/tree by 62% compared with hand hoe treatment. Plastic mulches of 200 and 150 μm, cattail (Cyprus articulatus L.) mulch (two or three layers) and two mulch layers of rice (Oryza sativa L.) straw treatments significantly increased the fruit yield/tree by 24%, 18%, 20%, 11%, and 12% more than cultivation treatment, respectively, without significant differences among these superior treatments. Soil mulching with three layers of rice straw, cultivation, glyphosate, and 80-μm plastic mulch treatments caused a significant reduction in weed density and weed biomass, but gave lower yield than superior treatments. Total soluble solids of fruits was unaffected by any of the weed management strategies, whereas values of total acidity and vitamin C were significantly lower in the unwedded control than most weeded treatments. These results demonstrate that two layers of cattail or rice straw mulch could be used effectively for controlling weeds in citrus groves. Their effectiveness in controlling weeds may increase their use in agriculture systems with a concomitant decrease in the need for synthetic herbicides. Further studies are needed to evaluate their side effects on beneficial organisms, diseases, and insects.

scholarly journals Evaluating Grafted Watermelon for Verticillium Wilt Severity, Yield, and Fruit Quality in Washington State

HortScience ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 50 (9) ◽  
pp. 1332-1337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse Wimer ◽  
Debra Inglis ◽  
Carol Miles
Keyword(s):  
Verticillium Wilt ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Verticillium Dahliae ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Washington State ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Flesh Firmness ◽  
Mount Vernon ◽  
Progress Curve ◽  
Serious Disease

Verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium dahliae is a serious disease for watermelon growers in Washington State. Grafting represents a possible alternative disease management strategy, but little is known about rootstock resistance to verticillium wilt or the performance of grafted watermelon in the different production regions of the state. In this study, verticillium wilt severity, yield, and fruit quality were evaluated at three contrasting field sites in Washington using verticillium wilt-susceptible ‘Sugar Baby’ (diploid) watermelon grafted onto four commercial rootstock cultivars (Marvel, Rampart, Tetsukabuto, and Titan); nongrafted ‘Sugar Baby’ was included as the control. Verticillium dahliae soil densities varied at each site (<1.0, 5.7, and 18.0 colony-forming units (cfu)/g soil at Othello, Eltopia, and Mount Vernon, respectively). Area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) values differed significantly among treatments at Eltopia and Mount Vernon. Nongrafted ‘Sugar Baby’ had the highest AUDPC value at all three sites, while ‘Sugar Baby’ grafted onto ‘Tetsukabuto’ had the lowest AUDPC value at Eltopia and Mount Vernon. Nongrafted ‘Sugar Baby’ also had the lowest fruit weight per plant at all sites, but ‘Sugar Baby’ grafted onto ‘Tetsukabuto’ had the highest fruit weight per plant at Eltopia and Mount Vernon. Marketable fruit weight per plant did not differ among treatments at Othello. Yield was negatively correlated with AUDPC values at both Eltopia and Mount Vernon. Fruit number per plant was only significantly impacted at Eltopia, where ‘Sugar Baby’ grafted onto ‘Tetsukabuto’ had more fruit per plant than all other treatments except ‘Sugar Baby’ grafted onto ‘Rampart’. Fruit quality (flesh firmness, total soluble solids, and lycopene content) was unaffected by grafting at either Othello or Eltopia, except for increased flesh firmness for ‘Sugar Baby’ grafted onto ‘Marvel’ and ‘Titan’ as compared with nongrafted ‘Sugar Baby’ at Eltopia. At season’s end, plants were sampled from all treatments at Eltopia and Mount Vernon and assayed for V. dahliae. Microsclerotia typical of this organism were observed in all samples. Results from this study indicate that verticillium wilt of watermelon can be successfully managed by grafting when the V. dahliae soil density exceeds 5.0 cfu/g in Washington. In addition, grafting does not reduce fruit quality and using certain rootstocks can improve the quality of flesh firmness at certain locations.

scholarly journals Evaluation of blackberry and hybrid berry cultivars new to Polish climate – Short communication

2013 ◽  
Vol 40 (No. 2) ◽  
pp. 88-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Wójcik-Seliga ◽  
E. Wójcik-Gront
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Short Communication ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Fruit Yield ◽  
Harvest Date ◽  
Quality Analysis ◽  
Central Poland

There were 13 blackberry cultivars new in Poland tested, including: Black Butte, Boysenberry, Chester Thornless, Helen, Karaka Black, Kotata, Loch Ness, Loch Tay, Loganberry, and Oregon Thornless. The experiment was conducted between 2005 and 2010 in central Poland with the main focus on resistance of the cultivars to adverse local environmental conditions, as well as to assess the yield and fruit quality. Analysis of data on fruit yield and fruit weight indicated significant differences between cultivars and years. There were slight differences in harvest date from year to year. Cv. Chester Thornless had the greatest yield &ndash; avg. 12.9 kg/plant (2007&ndash;2008). All of the hybrid berries and the trailing blackberries had yields that were not different &ndash; below 3.5 kg/plant. Cvs Black Butte and Karaka Black had the heaviest fruit, above 6.0 g (2006) and up to 10 g per fruit (2007 and 2008). Cv. Oregon Thornless had the smallest fruits &ndash; 2.1 g per fruit (2006) and up to 3 g (2007, 2008). The experiment showed that plants were influenced by the Polish weather conditions. &nbsp; &nbsp;

scholarly journals Soil aeration and plastic film mulching increases the yield potential and quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mingzhi Zhang ◽  
yuan li ◽  
Yadan Du ◽  
Wenquan Niu ◽  
jianbin li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Protein Content ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Soluble Protein ◽  
Dry Matter ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Fruit Yield ◽  
Dry Matter Accumulation ◽  
Soluble Protein Content ◽  
Soil Aeration ◽  
Lycopene Content

The aim of this study was to investigate plant growth, fruit yields, IWUE and fruit quality in response to a micro/nano-bubble aeration (MNBA) system and a subsurface artificial air layer aeration system (SAALA) under different treatments. The results indicated that both MNBA and SAALA can positively influence plant dry weight, fruit yield, IWUE and, to some degree, fruit quality indices. In comparison with the no-aeration treatment, the MNBA treatment increased the dry matter accumulation, fruit yield, IWUE, lycopene content and soluble protein content by 7.1%, 9.0%, 7.1%, 6.2% and 16.2%, respectively, during the spring, while those during autumn increased by 4.0%, 14.4%, 4.0%, 3.8% and 1.7%, respectively. During the spring, the SAALA increased the dry matter accumulation, fruit yield, IWUE, lycopene content and soluble protein content by 13.0%, 25.1%, 13.0%, 2.9% and 15.1%, respectively, while those during autumn increased by 12.8%, 19.5%, 12.8%, 5.2% and 4.1%, respectively. PFM significantly improved the total dry weight, fruit yield and IWUE during both the spring and autumn seasons. Nevertheless, the soluble protein content decreased in response to the mulch treatment. The increased yield in response to soil aeration during autumn was significantly greater than that during the spring, and the yield increase in response to PFM was significantly greater in the spring than in autumn. Moreover, the nutrition indices in response to both soil aeration and PFM were more significant during spring than during autumn. Taking into account costs, efficiency and benefits, the optimal treatment was the MNBA and full PFM combination

scholarly journals GhKWL1 Upregulates GhERF105 but Its Function Is Impaired by Binding with VdISC1, a Pathogenic Effector of Verticillium dahliae

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 7328
Author(s):  
Yang Chen ◽  
Mi Zhang ◽  
Lei Wang ◽  
Xiaohan Yu ◽  
Xianbi Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Transgenic Plants ◽  
Gossypium Hirsutum ◽  
Verticillium Wilt ◽  
Verticillium Dahliae ◽  
Defense Response ◽  
Upland Cotton ◽  
Effector Protein ◽  
Positive Regulator ◽  
Its Gene

Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae, is a devastating disease for many important crops, including cotton. Kiwellins (KWLs), a group of cysteine-rich proteins synthesized in many plants, have been shown to be involved in response to various phytopathogens. To evaluate genes for their function in resistance to Verticillium wilt, we investigated KWL homologs in cotton. Thirty-five KWL genes (GhKWLs) were identified from the genome of upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). Among them, GhKWL1 was shown to be localized in nucleus and cytosol, and its gene expression is induced by the infection of V. dahliae. We revealed that GhKWL1 was a positive regulator of GhERF105. Silencing of GhKWL1 resulted in a decrease, whereas overexpression led to an increase in resistance of transgenic plants to Verticillium wilt. Interestingly, through binding to GhKWL1, the pathogenic effector protein VdISC1 produced by V. dahliae could impair the defense response mediated by GhKWL1. Therefore, our study suggests there is a GhKWL1-mediated defense response in cotton, which can be hijacked by V. dahliae through the interaction of VdISC1 with GhKWL1.

scholarly journals Sweet pepper production in substrate in response to salinity, nutrient solution management and training system

2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 275-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
José S Rubio ◽  
Walter E Pereira ◽  
Francisco Garcia-Sanchez ◽  
Luis Murillo ◽  
Antonio L García ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nutrient Solution ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Sweet Pepper ◽  
Training System ◽  
Fruit Yield ◽  
Salt Treatment ◽  
Hoagland Solution ◽  
Half Strength ◽  
Marketable Fruit

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the marketable fruit yield of sweet pepper plants (Capsicum annuum cv. Orlando) in function of the management of nutrient solution with training system. Plants were grown on coconut coir dust under greenhouse conditions in the southeast of Spain. A randomized block design in split-split plot with four blocks was used to test the effect of the nutrient solution strength (full or half-strength Hoagland nutrient solution), training system (two and three stems per plant) and water salinity (saline and non-saline) on total and marketable yield, fruit quality, and fruit mineral concentration. Salt treatment decreased fruit yield by decreasing the fruit fresh weight but not the number of fruits per plant. Under saline and non-saline conditions, the higher yield of fruits was obtained in plants watered with half-strength Hoagland solution, and grown with three stems per plant. Blossom end rot incidence increased under saline conditions or using full-strength Hoagland solution, but decreased with the combination of half-strength Hoagland solution and three-stem training system. Salt treatment also decreased fruit quality in all the treatments due to a decrease in PO2-, SO4(2-), Fe2+;3+, Cu1+;2+ and Mn2+ concentrations, and fruit shape index. Likewise, plants exposed to salinity and watered with half-strength Hoagland solution and trained with three stems showed a reduction in juice glucose and fructose concentration. Based on these results, an increase of the marketable fruit yield could be obtained under non or moderate saline conditions with the implementation of suitable culture practices.

Influence of Insecticides and Reflective Mulch on Watermelon Vine Decline Caused by Squash vein yellowing virus (SqVYV)

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chandrasekar S. Kousik ◽  
Scott Adkins ◽  
Craig G. Webster ◽  
William W. Turechek ◽  
Philip Stansly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Significant Interaction ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Central Florida ◽  
Chemical Treatments ◽  
The Past ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Vine Decline ◽  
Yellowing Virus

Watermelon vine decline (WVD) caused by the whitefly-transmitted Squash vein yellowing virus (SqVYV) has been a serious limiting factor in watermelon production in southwest and west-central Florida over the past few years. Symptoms of WVD typically appear as sudden decline of vines a few weeks before harvest or just after the first harvest. Fruit symptoms include rind necrosis and flesh discoloration that affects fruit quality and marketability. The combination of insecticide treatments consisting of an imidacloprid drench (Admire Pro, 560 ml/ha) at transplanting followed by two foliar applications of spiromesifen (Oberon, 2SC, 490 ml/ha) and reflective plastic mulch was evaluated for management of WVD during fall growing seasons of 2006, 2007, and 2009. Virus inoculum source was introduced by planting SqVYV-infected squash plants at the ends of each plot. In all three experiments, the insecticide-treated plots had significantly lower levels of WVD on foliage and fruit compared to non-treated plots. In 2007, the reflective plastic mulch was effective in reducing foliar WVD compared to non-reflective mulch, but not in 2006 and 2009. No significant interaction between plastic mulch and chemical treatments was observed on WVD development on foliage or fruit. Our results suggest that application of insecticides for managing whiteflies can help manage SqVYV-caused WVD. Accepted for publication 13 January 2015. Published 25 March 2015.

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