Abstract
Abstract On 3 Jun, all plots were direct seeded by hand into a Bernow series fine, sandy loam soil at the Wes Watkins AREC, Lane, OK. ‘Allsweet’ watermelons were seeded at 15 cm spacing into plots measuring 1 row wide by 12 m long, with rows spaced 3.7 m apart and each plot was separated by 3 m long buffers within rows. All treatments were replicated 3 times in a RCB design. Conventional cultural practices were used throughout the trial and irrigation was provided as needed using a surface level trickle irrigation system. Seed (S) treatments were applied on 2 Jun as a slurry to the same seedlot and allowed to dry thoroughly before planting. In-furrow (IF) treatments were applied before seeding on 3 Jun with a CO2-powered backpack sprayer calibrated to deliver 39 liters per ha at 30 psi through a single 8003 flat fan nozzle. One ft band (BA) treatments were applied at planting by hand and lightly incorporated into the soil with a rake. Sidedress (SD) treatments were applied on 15 Jul as a soil drench with a tractor-mounted injection system calibrated to deliver 239 liters per ha. Foliar (F) treatments were applied on 20 and 27 Jul with a CO2-powered backpack sprayer calibrated to deliver 127 liters per ha at 30 psi. Sprayer output was increased to 212 liters per ha at 40 psi for foliar treatments applied on 6 and 13 Aug. The sprayer boom was equipped with four hollow-cone nozzles spaced 30 cm apart for all foliar treatments. Thrips damage was rated on two leaves per plant from two plants per plot on 28 Jun and 22 Jul using the following scale: 1 = no damage, 2 = yellow flecking from thrips feeding, 3 = yellow flecking and leaf distortion from thrips feeding. Watermelons were harvested and weighed on 27 and 30 Aug and 1 Sep. Analyses of variance were used to analyze data and means were separated with Ryan-Einot-Gabriel-Welsch multiple range tests (P ≤ 0.10).
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