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Submitted to: Nematropica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 8/29/2007 Publication Date: 3/15/2008 Citation: Davis, R.F. 2007. Effect of Meloidogyne incognita on watermelon yield. Nematropica. 37:287-293. Interpretive Summary: The effect of southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) infection on the yield of Cooperstown seedless watermelons was investigated in 2004 and 2006 in Tifton, GA. Plots where nematodes were killed by fumigating with methyl bromide were compared to plots that were not fumigated. Neither maximum vine length nor vigor rating three weeks after transplanting differed between methyl bromide-treated plots and non-treated plots in 2004. Both Cooperstown and Companion (the pollinator variety) watermelons had significantly greater root galling caused by the nematodes in non-fumigated plots than in the fumigated plots in both years. The level of galling on Companion generally was the same as that on Cooperstown. More fruit and greater total weight were harvested from methyl bromide-fumigated plots in both 2004 and 2006 due to more fruit and greater weight being harvested during the first harvest; fruit number and weight were not different between fumigated and non-fumigated plots for the second harvest in either year. Nematode parasitism reduced the weight of the first harvest by 30% in 2004 and 24% in 2006. Fumigation increased yields by increasing the number of fruit during the first harvest but not the weight of individual fruit. Technical Abstract: Field tests were conducted in 2004 and 2006 in Tifton, GA to document the effect of Meloidogyne incognita infection on watermelon yield. Experiments had 24 replications of two treatments: methyl bromide fumigated and non-fumigated. Each plot consisted of one row of nine plants: the first, fifth, and ninth plants in the row were pollinators (cv. Companion), and the other six plants were cv. Cooperstown seedless watermelons. Neither maximum vine length nor vigor rating three weeks after transplanting differed between methyl bromide-treated plots and non-treated plots in 2004. Both Cooperstown and Companion watermelons had significantly greater galling in non-fumigated plots than in the fumigated plots in both years. The level of galling on Companion generally was the same as that on Cooperstown. Significantly more fruit and greater total weight were harvested from methyl bromide-fumigated plots in both 2004 and 2006 due to more fruit and greater weight being harvested during the first harvest; fruit number and weight were not different between fumigated and non-fumigated plots for the second harvest in either year. Nematode parasitism reduced the weight of the first harvest by 30% in 2004 and 24% in 2006. Fumigation increased yields by increasing the number of fruit during the first harvest but not the weight of individual fruit. |
