Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine how grafting affects the concentration of plant nutrients in watermelon plants with different rootstocks and various skin color. This study was carried out in the greenhouses and laboratories of Mersin Alata Horticultural Research Institute in the 2020 spring/summer growing season. As rootstock, from the Lagenaria spp. group Argentario, from the Cucurbita maxima×C. moschata group Nun9075 and TZ148; and from the Citrullus amarus group PI 296341 were used. Turkey is an important producer for Nun9075 and TZ148, which are used as rootstocks for watermelon. B1, B2, S1 and S2 pure lines were used as scions. Pure lines S1 and S2 with striped rind ground pattern and pure lines B1 and B2 with dark green rind ground color were used. As a result, no direct relationship was found between rootstocks and watermelon lines in terms of plant nutrient uptake. Nitrogen (N) content was highest in Argentario (2.58%) rootstocks and S1 line (2.60%). Phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) content did not show a statistically significant difference among rootstocks and lines. The highest potassium (K) content was found on Argentario (2.83%) and NUN9075 (2.82%) rootstocks and S1 (2.88%) and B1 (2.81%) lines. While the highest Mg content was obtained from NUN 9075 (0.39%) and B2 lines, it had high values in other lines and was included in the same group. While the highest Zn content was obtained from NUN 9075 (40.03 ppm) rootstock, it was in the same group with high values in other rootstocks. The highest Mn content was obtained from rootstock 3335 (58.80 ppm) and B1 line (52.01 ppm).

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