scholarly journals Assessing Quantitative Criteria for Characterization of Quality Categories for Grafted Watermelon Seedlings

Horticulturae ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Filippos Bantis ◽  
Athanasios Koukounaras ◽  
Anastasios Siomos ◽  
Georgios Menexes ◽  
Christodoulos Dangitsis ◽  
...  

Vegetable grafting is a practice employed worldwide since it helps prevent biotic and abiotic disorders, and watermelon is one of the most important species grafted. The objective of this study was to set critical limits for the characterization of quality categories for grafted watermelon seedlings. Specifically, watermelon (scion) seedlings were grafted onto squash (rootstock) seedlings, moved into a healing chamber for 7 days, and then transferred into a greenhouse for seven more days. At 7 and 14 days after grafting, experienced personnel assessed grafted seedling quality by categorizing them. The categories derived were Optimum and Acceptable for both time intervals, plus Not acceptable at 14 days after grafting. Optimum seedlings showed greater leaf area, and shoot and root fresh and dry weights at both time intervals. Moreover, they had greater stem diameter, root-to-shoot ratio, shoot dry weight-to-length ratio and Dickson’s quality index compared to the other category at 14 days after grafting. Therefore, Optimum seedlings would likely develop into marketable plants of high quality, with better establishment in the field. Not acceptable seedlings showed considerably inferior development, while Acceptable seedlings were between the other categories, but were still marketable.

Agriculture ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 326
Author(s):  
Filippos Bantis ◽  
Athanasios Koukounaras ◽  
Anastasios S. Siomos ◽  
Christodoulos Dangitsis

Watermelon is mainly grafted onto interspecific squash, and during the season of high demand, seedlings of variable quality are used to cover grafting needs. The objective was to combine watermelon and interspecific squash of different seedling quality categories in order to obtain the optimal combination for the production of high-quality grafted watermelon seedlings. Acceptable seedlings of both species were grouped into quality categories, namely “low”, “optimum”, and “high”. Seedlings of each quality category were combined with each other and grafted seedlings from the nine derived categories were evaluated at two time intervals, at 7 (exit from the healing chamber) and 14 (final product) days after grafting. At both time intervals, watermelon “high” combined with interspecific squash “optimum” exhibited relatively higher shoot length, stem diameter, leaf area, and shoot and root dry weight, as well as shoot dry weight-to-length ratio, which is a quality index. The study shows that watermelon scions should have “high” quality, while interspecific squash rootstocks should have “optimum” quality during grafting for the production of high-quality grafted plants. If possible, “low” to-be-grafted watermelon seedlings should be avoided because the grafted derived seedlings are considered low quality.


1978 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Pearman ◽  
S. M. Thomas ◽  
G. N. Thorne

SummaryEight amounts of nitrogen ranging from 0 to 210 kg N/ha were applied to two tall and one semi-dwarf variety of winter wheat in the spring of 1975 and 1976. The tall varieties were Cappelle-Desprez and Maris Huntsman; the semi-dwarf variety was Maris Fundin in 1975 and Hobbit in 1976. Interactions between varieties and nitrogen were few and small compared with the main effects. All varieties produced their maximum grain yields with 180 kg N/ha. The yield of the semi-dwarf varieties, but not the others, decreased slightly with more nitrogen.Cappelle-Desprez yielded less grain than the other varieties in both years. In 1975 the yields of Maris Fundin and Maris Huntsman were similar and in 1976 Hobbit yielded more than Maris Huntsman. The varieties had similar numbers of ears at maturity and similar patterns of tillering. The semi-dwarf varieties had most grains per spikelet, and hence grains per ear, and Cappelle-Desprez had least. The semi-dwarf varieties had the smallest grains. The semi-dwarf varieties had less straw than the other varieties and hence the largest ratios of grain to total above-ground dry weight. The decrease in dry weight of stem and leaves between anthesis and maturity was similar for all varieties. In 1975 the efficiency of the top two leaves plus top internode in producing grain was the same for all varieties, but in 1976 Hobbit was more efficient than the other two. There were some small differences between varieties in nutrient uptake that were not related to differences in growth. Maris Fundin tended to have a greater phosphorus and potassium content than the tall varieties. Hobbit contained slightly less nitrogen than the tall varieties at maturity, and had a smaller concentration of nitrogen in the grain.Applying 210 kg N/ha doubled grain yield in 1975. Applying nitrogen resulted in a largeincrease in number of ears and a small increase in number of grains per ear due to the development of more fertile spikelets per ear. Nitrogen decreased dry weight per grain, especially of the semi-dwarf varieties. With extra nitrogen, straw dry weight at maturity, shoot dry weight atanthesis and leaf area were all increased relatively more than grain yield, and stems lost moredry weight between anthesis and maturity than without nitrogen. The year 1976 was exceptionallydry and nitrogen had only small effects in that it affected neither straw dry weight nor numberof ears but slightly increased grain yield by increasing the number of spikelets and number of grains per spikelet. It also increased leaf area proportionately to grain yield. In 1975 nitrogen increased evaporation of water from the crop before anthesis but decreased it after anthesis, even though it continued to increase the extraction of water from below 90 cm.


1974 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 183 ◽  
Author(s):  
KF Faull ◽  
BG Coombe ◽  
LG Paleg

Two gibberellins, one GA1-like, the other GA3-like, were identified in the extracts of roots and tops of 8-,11- and 15-day-old barley seedlings by paper chromatography, paper electrophoresis, thin-layer chromatography, gas-liquid chromatography and bioassay procedures, followed by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The amounts of gibberellins in the seedlings ranged from 7 to 11 ng per plant. The concentrations of gibberellins in the seedlings were 32-320 ng/g dry weight and 5-28 ng/g fresh weight; concentrations in the roots were higher than those in the shoots.


Agronomy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Domenico Ronga ◽  
Enrico Francia ◽  
Giulio Allesina ◽  
Simone Pedrazzi ◽  
Massimo Zaccardelli ◽  
...  

Although compost and biochar received high attention as growing media, little information is available on the potential of vineyard by-products for the production and use of composted solid digestate (CSD) and biochar (BC). In the present study, two experiments are reported on CSD and BC mixed with commercial peat (CP) for grapevine planting material production. Four doses (0, 10%, 20%, 40% vol.) of CSD and BC were assessed in the first and second experiment, respectively. CSD mixed at a dose of 10% recorded the highest values of shoot dry weight (SDW) and a fraction of total dry biomass allocated to shoot (FTS), both cropping bench-graft and bare-rooted vine. On the other hand, CSD mixed at a dose of 40% displayed the highest values of SDW and FTS, cropping two-year-old vine. BC used at a dose of 10% improved SDW, root dry weight, total dry weight, FTS, shoot diameter, and height on bare-rooted vine. The present study shows that CSD and BC, coming from the valorization of vineyard by-products, can be used in the production of innovative growing media suitable for nursery grapevine production. Further studies are needed to assess the combined applications of CSD and BC in the same growing media.


HortScience ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 432e-432
Author(s):  
Garry V. McDonald ◽  
H. Brent Pemberton ◽  
Marvin L. Baker ◽  
Jo Mondier

Liners of Rosa `MEIrutral' (=Red Sunblaze) were potted in 11.5-cm pots using Fison's Sunshine Mix no. 2 amended with 0%, 10%, 20%, or 30% composted poultry litter (PL) by volume. Plants were grown for 3 weeks before cutting back to 5 cm for final forcing (short-cycle) and were fertilized with 200 mg N/liter from 20N–8.9P–16.6K on a three feed and one leach schedule for the duration of the experiment. By flowering, plants growing in the 30% PL media were dead or stunted. However, there was little difference in total number of flowers, days to flower, and root and shoot dry weight between the other treatments. Media pH rose from 6.6 to 7.4 and EC rose from 0.7 to 6 millimhos with increasing PL content. This result alone could explain the poor growth in the highest PL rate treatment. However, tissue N levels were supraoptimal for the 20% and 30% PL rates, and tissue P levels were excessive for all PL rates. If a high-quality source of composted PL is available, it could be used as a media component for potted rose production at rates <20%, but monitoring of pH and EC and modifying fertilization techniques may be necessary to ensure success.


1996 ◽  
Vol 121 (4) ◽  
pp. 699-704 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yaping Si ◽  
Royal D. Heins

Sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum `Resistant Giant no. 4') seedlings were grown for 6 weeks in 128-cell plug trays under 16 day/night temperature (DT/NT) regimes from 14 to 26 °C. Seedling stem length, internode length, stem diameter, leaf area, internode and leaf count, plant volume, shoot dry weight (DW), seedling index, and leaf unfolding rate (LUR) were primarily functions of average daily temperature (ADT); i.e., DT and NT had similar effects on each growth or development parameter. Compared to ADT, the difference (DIF, where DIF = DT - NT) between DT and NT had a smaller but still statistically significant effect on stem and internode length, leaf area, plant volume, stem diameter, and seedling index. DIF had no effect on internode and leaf count, shoot DW, and LUR. The root: shoot ratio and leaf reflectance were affected by DT and DIF. Positive DIF (DT higher than NT) caused darker-green leaf color than negative DIF. The node at which the first flower initiated was related to NT. The number of nodes to the first flower on pepper plugs grown at 26 C NT was 1.2 fewer than those of plants grown at 14 °C NT.


HortScience ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 709B-709 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ray A. Watson ◽  
Katrine A. Stewart ◽  
Valentin Furlan

The effects of two mycorrhizal species (Glomus versiforme and Glomus intraradix) and a control on the growth of green pepper, Capsicum annuum, and lettuce, Lactuca sativa, seedlings have been evaluated using four types of growing media (Peatwool, Fafard bulk mix. Cornell mix and a compost based mix) and two types of containers, Cell Packs (125 cc volume) and Pro-Trays (65 cc volume) for green pepper and Cell Packs (125 cc volume) and Plug Flats (33 cc volume) for lettuce. The experiments were split plot randomized Complete block design with 6 blocks (lettuce) and 4 blocks (pepper). Seeds were sown directly into the containers of mycorrhizal inoculated media. All treatments received the same fertilizer regime. Cell volume had no significant effects on green pepper fresh weight, dry weight, stem diameter, leaf area or leaf number but the lettuce Cell Pack plants had significantly higher fresh and dry weights, more leaves and higher leaf area. The Fafard Bulk and the Compost mix gave significantly higher fresh and dry weights than did the other two media for both green pepper and lettuce. Mycorrhizal species did not influence plant growth with the exception of leaf area in green peppers and shoot dry weight in lettuce.


HortScience ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 46 (9) ◽  
pp. 1303-1307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genhua Niu ◽  
Denise Rodriguez ◽  
Mengmeng Gu

Texas mountain laurel (Sophora secundiflora) is a native shrub tolerating drought, heat, windy conditions, and alkaline or wet soils. However, its availability is somewhat low and little information is available on nutrient requirement and other culture information. Two greenhouse experiments were conducted to quantify the responses of Texas mountain laurel to different forms and rates of nitrogen (N) fertilizer. In Expt. 1, 1-year old seedlings were treated for 194 days with three NO3:NH4 ratios at 25:75, 50:50, and 75:25 and two rates of N at 100 and 200 mg·L−1 in a factorial design. There was no interaction between the N rate and form on any growth parameters. Nitrogen form did not significantly affect shoot dry weight, root dry weight, root–to-shoot ratio, or the total dry weight. There was no significant difference between N rate of 100 and 200 mg·L−1 on root dry weight, root-to-shoot ratio, or the total dry weight. The shoot dry weight of Texas mountain laurel fertilized with 100 mg·L−1 was higher compared with that of the plants fertilized at 200 mg·L−1. The reduced shoot dry weight at N of 200 mg·L−1 was the result of the higher substrate salinity. In Expt. 2, seedlings were fertilized with five N rates (50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 mg·L−1) for 203 days. Plants watered with 150, 200, and 250 mg·L−1 were taller than those fertilized with 50 mg·L−1. The shoot height of plants watered with 100 mg·L−1 was only significantly different from 50 mg·L−1. For rapid growth of Texas mountain laurel, a N rate range of ≈150 mg·L−1 was recommended supplied with a combination of NO3-N and NH4-N in the ratios of 0.3 to 3.0.


1990 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 1199-1205 ◽  
Author(s):  
JEAN MASSON ◽  
ANDRÉ GOSSELIN ◽  
NICOLAS TREMBLAY

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. ’Springset’) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. ’Ithaca’) transplants were grown under natural and supplemental light (100 μmol m−2 s−1 PAR) and fertilized with four nitrogen doses (100, 200, 300, and 400 mg L−1 N). Supplemental light increased tomato shoot dry weight, shoot percent dry matter, leaf area, root dry weight, and root-to-shoot ratio. Lettuce transplants showed increased shoot and root dry weight as well as leaf area when supplemental light was present. For both species, nitrogen increased shoot dry weight and leaf area, but decreased shoot percent dry matter and root-to-shoot ratio. High nitrogen doses increased tomato and lettuce shoot dry weight and leaf area chiefly under supplemental light.Key words: Lycopersicon esculentum, Lactuca sativa, pretransplanting nutritional conditioning, seedling


1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce R. Roberts ◽  
William N. Cannon Jr.

Two-year-old containerized seedlings of red spruce (Picearubens Sarg.) were subjected to ozone (O3) fumigation (0.25 ppm), simulated acid rain (pH 4.2 or 3.0), and drought prior to measurement of changes in growth and plant water status. Drought caused a significant decline in terminal height growth and new-shoot dry weight, but old-shoot dry weight, root dry weight, and root/shoot ratio were not appreciably affected. Deposition treatment (O3 and (or) acid rain) influenced both shoot and root dry weight but did not significantly affect height or root/shoot ratio. Treatment with either 0.25 ppm O3 alone or pH 3.0 rainfall alone caused the greatest reduction in growth, while treatment with 0.25 ppm O3 + pH 4.2 rain had the least effect. The influence of deposition treatment generally was more pronounced in seedlings subjected to drought than in well-watered plants. Seedlings subjected to drought had lower (more negative) water potentials than well-watered plants regardless of deposition treatment. While there were no significant differences in the water status of well-watered seedlings exposed to various deposition treatments, xylem water potential and osmotic potential of drought-stressed seedlings treated with O3 alone were consistently lower than these characteristics in seedlings treated with O3 + acid rain together. Except for one deposition treatment (0.25 ppm O3 + pH 3.0 rain) there was no evidence for osmotic adjustment of red spruce seedlings in response to stress factors imposed in this study.


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