Growing Better Melons
George Clough
Oregon State University
Hermiston Agricultural Research &
Extension Center
Growing Better Melons
w/polyethylene mulch, drip irrigation
!"#$%&'(
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!"#$%&'($%)&!
!*$#+,-,&!
!./+(!01,%21,%)&!
!341+5$-/%!
!6/((+%$-/%!
Growing Better Melons:
Transplants
)*+,-.,/0&'(
(
(1,23$-0&&(
( ( (7!8!9,,:&!
(4.,-*((1&.,53$&670-.(
( ( (7!4%+;/#1!
! ! !7!%/!)<+%%+%5!/#!#,'($%-%5!
! ! ! !7!,&'=!9>&,,2(,&&!1,(/%&!
((
8$&,*+,-.,/0&'(
(
(9"&.&(
(
!
!
!
!
!
!
(7!6($%)&!
!7!.',?+$(+@,2!AB4+'1,%)!
! ! !C"#$%&'($%),#D!
!7!E%?#,$&,2!!F$G/#!!
!7!H%?,#)$+%)I!
! ! !2,(+J,#I!
! ! !B4$(+)I!
9"-&$*02,:"-&'(
(
(4$;0(
( ( (F$#5,#!K!L!M/&)!
()/0(
( ( (N(2,#!!K!!L!!M/&)!
Watermelon Transplant Size:
Cell Size
Leaf Area
Weight
51 (1f”)
7.97
0.66
73 (1!”)
6.36
0.45
96 (1d”)
4.56
0.31
135 (1c”)
3.12
0.20
Watermelon Transplant Size:
Watermelon Transplant Size:
Yield (t/acre)
Cell Size
Early
Total
51
18.5
42.3
73
18.9
39.8
96
21.9
40.1
!!
Watermelon Transplant Depth:
- "soil line“ vs cotyledon
- 3 years
deep-setting tended to increase early yield
deep-set plants appeared more vigorous
depth did not influence total yield
Vavrina,, U of Fla.
Watermelon Transplant Age:
Watermelon Transplant Age:
- 2 locations
age of transplant did not affect early or
total yield or fruit size
Vavrina, U of Fla.
Vavrina
- 3 cell sizes (50, 73, 135 cell)
, et al.,
- 3 years
U of Fla.
neither age of transplant nor cell-size
affected early or total yield or fruit size
Vavrina, et al., U of Fla.
Growing Better Melons:
Varieties
45
!""#$%&'()*(+,-$./(+0$
40
35
Yield tons/a
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Clough, OSU
1998 Seedless Watermelon Production
Cultivar
Soluble Fruit Wt
(ton/acre) Solids (%)
(lbs)
Yield
Carousel
37.4
10.4
15.0
Crimson Jewel
32.4
11.2
14.1
Honey Heart
28.7
10.5
12.8
King of Hearts
27.4
11.1
13.2
Nova
35.0
10.3
12.4
Palomar
29.0
10.5
13.0
Summer Sweet 2532
41.5
10.0
15.3
Summer Sweet 3521Y
30.0
10.6
10.6
Clough, OSU
1998 Seedless Watermelon Production
Cultivar
Soluble Fruit Wt
(ton/acre) Solids (%)
(lbs)
Yield
Summer Sweet 5032
26.9
10.4
15.4
Summer Sweet 5544
29.7
11.2
14.6
SWX0037
37.2
10.7
18.4
SWX3022
25.8
11.3
16.6
SWX3053
28.3
10.7
13.1
SWX4016
38.6
10.5
17.6
Tri-X 626
33.7
10.8
13.5
Clough, OSU
12
2008 Watermelon Yield
7/23/2008
*Primed
10
Yield tons/a
8
6
4
2
0
Waters & Clough
2008 Seedless Watermelon Production
Cultivar
Soluble
(ton/acre) Solids (%)
Yield
Fruit Wt
(lbs)
7167
8.6
8.5
12.6
7187
8.7
8.4
12.7
9601 HQ
9.7
9.3
12.2
9651 HQ
5.8
8.8
11.5
Crunchy Red F1
9.8
8.2
13.2
Melody
6.1
8.6
11.4
Super Crisp 32
7.9
8.7
13.2
Sweet Delight
6.0
8.8
12.8
Tri-X 212
10.4
8.5
13.7
Tri-X 313
8.8
8.3
13.7
Waters & Clough
18
2009 Watermelon Yield
16
<=>?=>@@A(
14
<=BC=>@@A(
D=CB=>@@A(
*Primed
Yield tons/a
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
Waters & Clough
35
2009 Total Yield
30
Yield tons/a
25
20
15
10
5
0
Waters & Clough
2009 Seedless Watermelon Production
Cultivar
Soluble
(ton/acre) Solids (%)
Yield
Fruit Wt
(lbs)
7167
32.2
9.9
15.8
7187
22.7
10.2
14.3
9601 HQ
33.1
10.2
14.1
9651 HQ
25.6
10.1
13.5
Crunchy Red F1
27.0
9.4
14.2
Melody
25.8
9.8
13.6
Super Crisp 32
25.1
10.4
14.2
Sweet Delight
26.0
10.5
15.3
Tri-X 212
23.1
9.7
13.4
Tri-X 313
25.8
9.8
14.3
Waters & Clough
Growing Better Melons:
Mini- or Personal Varieties
Seedless Mini-Watermelon Production
Cultivar
Soluble Fruit Wt
(ton/acre) Solids (%)
(lbs)
Yield
Fruit/
Acre
5104
43.7
11.3
10.4
4180
5109
30.3
10.8
7.6
3930
5116
35.6
11.3
8.3
4260
Extazy
33.4
10.9
8.5
3960
Liliput
37.6
11.3
10.3
3640
MiniTriploid 2132
40.1
10.9
11.5
3490
MiniTriploid 2308
30.4
11.0
10.4
2930
MiniTriploid 2168
34.8
11.8
12.8
2690
Petit Perfection*
30.0
11.9
6.3
4710
RWT 8149
32.0
11.5
6.9
4620
Molinar & Mueller, 2003
Organic Seedless Mini-Watermelon Production
Cultivar
Soluble Fruit Wt
(ton/acre) Solids (%)
(lbs)
Yield
Fruit/
Acre
Bibo
14.6
11.9
3.0
9750
Little Deuce Coupe
20.5
11.7
4.1
9960
Mini Yellow
25.3
10.5
6.2
8330
Petit Perfection
24.0
10.9
4.2
11220
Poquito
31.8
10.1
7.2
8710
Precious Petit
20.1
10.9
3.3
11980
RWT 8189
16.1
12.0
3.4
9365
Valdoria
24.7
9.9
5.1
9860
Vanessa
24.2
9.9
5.3
9040
Drip irrigation, black polyethylene mulch, California
Molinar, Mueller, & Yang, 2006
Seedless Personal Watermelon Production
Cultivar
Soluble Fruit Wt
(ton/acre) Solids (%)
(lbs)
Yield
Fruit/
Acre
Bibo
38.5
14.0
6.6
11700
Petit Perfection
43.4
13.0
8.0
10890
Precious Petit
40.9
10.0
7.4
11980
RWT 8149
49.3
14.0
7.3
13470
Drip irrigation, black polyethylene mulch, conventional, Indiana
Gunter, et al., 2005
Seedless Mini-Watermelon Production
Cultivar
Soluble
(ton/acre) Solids (%)
Yield
Fruit
Shape
Xite
33.4
11.6
1.13
Mohican
26.3
11.6
1.10
Petite Perfection
30.3
12.0
1.05
Average 4 locations, 5 in-row spacings
Hassel et al, 2009
Seedless Mini-Watermelon
Production
In-row
Spacing
Plants
Fruit Yield
1000/acre
Ton/acre
1000/acre
9
6.5
31.6
11.0
12
4.8
32.8
11.0
15
3.9
29.7
10.3
18
3.2
28.6
9.7
21
2.8
27.4
9.0
Average of 4 locations, 3 cultivars
Hassel et al, 2009
Seedless Mini-Watermelon Production
Cultivar
Soluble
(ton/acre) Solids (%)
Yield
Hollow
Heart
Colored
Seed
Betsy
28.9
11.8
0.2
1.4
Petit Treat
24.6
12.6
4.1
0.7
Valdoria
30.0
11.8
0.3
2.4
Vanessa
32.0
11.6
0.7
0.6
Average 6 in-row spacings
Walters, 2009
Seedless Mini-Watermelon
Production
In-row
Spacing
Plants
Fruit Yield
1000/acre
Ton/acre
1000/acre
6
12.4
36.8
14.0
9
8.3
30.0
11.0
12
6.2
29.0
10.1
18
4.1
29.2
9.0
24
3.1
28.7
8.7
30
2.5
26.0
7.2
Average of 4 cultivars
Walters, 2009
Seedless Mini-Watermelon
Production
In-row
Spacing
Costs
Net Revenue
($/acre)
Local
Wholesale
6
10,892
$28,310
$4,790
9
9,008
$20,260
$2,700
12
8,240
$18,490
$2,450
18
7,568
$15,060
$1,480
24
7,182
$14,490
$1,480
30
6,778
$ 7,121
-$1,219
Average of 4 cultivars
Walters, 2009
Growing Better Melons:
Crop Nutrition
Nutrient Availability & Effectiveness:
Fixation - phosphorus
Leaching - NO3-N, K, B
Volatilization - urea"NH3 #
Competition - soluble salts
pH - optimum 6 - 6.5:
Ca, P, Mg deficient < 6
Fe, P deficient > 7
Requirements:
Preplant soil test
- quick, inexpensive
- very general, field variability
- "calibrated" to soil type
Application Rate:
Readily available
- production guides
- usually for maximum yields
- adjust for expected yield
reduced growth ! reduce rates
Fruit removal:
w / 40 ton / acre yield
(80000 lb) (7.5% DM) (3% N) = 180 lb N / acre
(80000 lb) (7.5% DM) (0.5% P) = 30 lb P / acre
= 68 lb P2O5 / acre
(80000 lb) (7.5% DM) (2.5% K) =150 lb K / acre
Requirements:
Tissue analysis
- more expensive
- slow turn-around time
- indicates plant nutrient status
- sampling more difficult
Plant sap quick-tests
- very quick
- accurate
Plant tissue analysis at early bloom stage for
watermelon.(
4.,.E&(
F(
G(
H(
9,(
I/(
4(
Fe
G02(%0-.(JKL(
B
Cu
Mo
G,2.&(#02(7$33$"-(J##7L(
<2.5 0.25
Adequate
2.5- 0.25- 2.7- 1.0- 0.25- 0.2- 30-1 20-1 20- 20- 5-1 0.33.5 0.50 3.5 2.0 0.50 0.4 00
00 40 40 0
0.5
High
>3.5
3.5
1.0
Zn
Deficient
0.5
2.7
Mn
2.0
0.25
0.5
0.2
0.4
30
100
20
100
20
40
20
40
5
10
0.3
0.5
Maynard, U Fla
Sufficiency ranges for petiole sap testing
for watermelon.
Crop development
stage
Fresh petiole sap
concentration (ppm)
NO3-N
K
Vines 6” long
1200-1500
4000-500
0
Fruits 2” long
1000-1200
4000-500
0
Fruits one-half mature
800-1000
3500-400
0
At first harvest
600-800
3000-350
0
Maynard, U Fla
Nutrition X Irrigation
Movement, redistribution and
accumulation of soluble nutrients are
influenced by irrigation application.
Nutrients move w/ wetting front as
water moves through soil.
Application w/Drip:
Broadcast (in bed) and Incorporate:
- 25-40% of N & K and 100% of P
and micronutrients.
Fertigate:
- remainder of N & K as crop develops.
Application w/Drip:
Fertigation:
- apply nutrients in 1st part of irrigation
cycle
- chemigate near end of cycle to prevent
algae growth, precipitation etc.
Application w/Drip:
Foliar
- application of nutrients directly to the
leaves.
- large amounts of nutrients cannot be
applied w/o injury to plant.
- may be very effective with micronutrients,
especially if soil pH is alkaline.
Nutrient Sources:
Nitrogen
- at least 50% as N03-N in cool or
fumigated soils.
NH4N03
Ca(NO3)2
KNO3
NaNO3 (Na may contribute to salts)
Nutrient Sources:
Phosphorus
- ordinary super phosphate (OSP) and
triple super phosphate (TSP) are
good
P sources (more S and Ca w/
OSP).
- diammonium phosphate (DAP) may
precipitate micronutrients.
Nutrient Sources:
Potassium
- KNO3
- K2SO4
- KCl (high salt index)
- K2SO4!2MgSO4
Growing Better Melons:
Soil Amendments:
Compost
Advantages:
Increase OM, WHC, CEC
Provide nutrients
Disadvantages:
Specialized equipment
Cost
Salts
2002 Columbia Basin trials
End-of-season Soil
Compost
0 t/a
5 t/a
10 t/a
OM (%)
1.0 c
1.3 b
1.4a
K(ppm)
165 b
187a
191a
2002 Columbia Basin trials
Wireworm “control”
Compost
0 t/a
5 t/a
10 t/a
Plant Loss (%)
14.6a
16.3a
2.4 b
Growing Better Melons:
Fumigation
Advantages:
Eliminate or reduce soil pests
(disease, insects, weeds)
Disadvantages:
Specialized equipment
Cost
Safety
Timeliness
Fumigants:
Metam sodium
Vapam, Sectagon, Soil Prep
Telone
Telone II, Telone EC
Chloropicrin
Chlor-o-pic, Larvacide
Combinations
Telone C17, Telone C35, Inline
Dimethyl disulfide (DDS)
Paladin, Paladin EC
2002 Columbia Basin Fumigation trials
Verticillium wilt
(Verticillium dahliae)
Fumigant
Telone C35
Inline
None
Plant Loss (%)
1.0 b
0.7 b
3.2a
2002 Columbia Basin Fumigation trials
Wireworm
(Limonius canus, L. californicus)
Fumigant
Telone C35
Inline
None
Plant Loss (%)
0.3 b
4.8 b
26.6a
Implementation of Risk Mitigation
Measures for Soil Fumigant Pesticides
Buffer zones (2011):
- application rate
- field size
- application equipment and methods
- emission-control measures (tarps)
Telone: no buffer required
others: minimum 30’
up to 300’
Miscellaneous
Windbreaks
Wheat, rye
Pollination
1 hive / acre
50-60,000 bees / hive
500-750’ between hives
Seedless
1:3 or 1:4 diploid:triploid
Rogers SP-4 Super Pollenizer
Other cultivars available:
Companion
Jenny
Minipool
Pinnacle
SP-1, 2, 4
Harris Moran Side Kick
Seminis
Nunhems
Hazera
Southwestern
Syngenta
Seedless Watermelon Pollenizers
(ton/acre)
Hollow
Heart
Companion
22.3c
9.0
Jenny
27.6ab
10.8
Mickylee
26.6abc
8.4
Patron
28.4ab
11.6
Pinnacle
23.8bc
5.8
Sidekick
29.1a
10.5
SP-1
27.6ab
8.3
Cultivar
Yield
Average of 4 locations
Freeman et al., 2007
M(
M
M(
Row Covers:
- increase soil and air temperatures
- frost protection
- insect exclusion
- wind protection
- moisture conservation
Results:
- increased earliness
- higher early yield
- higher total yield
- improved quality
Row Cover Materials:
- extruded polypropylene
(Agronet)
- spunbonded polypropylene
(Agryl, Gromax, Kimberly Farms, Lutrasil)
- spunbonded polyester
(Reemay)
- perforated polyethylene
(Linktuf, Vispore)
)/2"-0.(
N007,O(
P$&#"20(
Costs:
6' W Floating
$815/acre
35' W Floating
$1475/acre
6' W Perforated Clear
$240/acre
Labor:
construction - 12 hrs
venting - 30 hrs
removal - 27 hrs
based on single-sheet, continuous tunnels
6' bed centers, Fresno, Cal.
Management:
- pest control
weeds
insects
- venting
>85° F!flower drop
- wind
edges anchored
hoops properly spaced