Abstract
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.
Highlights
IntroductionWatermelon hybrids (scions) are mainly grafted onto cucurbit rootstocks, such as interspecific squash or bottle gourd
The production of watermelon is economically valuable on a worldwide scale
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
Summary
Watermelon hybrids (scions) are mainly grafted onto cucurbit rootstocks, such as interspecific squash or bottle gourd. One of the most commonly employed rootstocks for watermelon throughout the world, TZ-148, is an interspecific squash hybrid (Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata), which provides the plant with the abovementioned traits. Nowadays, grafted watermelon seedlings are used in high percentages around the world. Over 90% of the watermelon cultivated area is planted with grafted seedlings in Greece (Th. Koufakis, Agris S.A., Kleidi, Imathia, Greece, personal communication), Japan, and South Korea, while in China, that number reaches 20% [1]. Grafted watermelon seedlings are produced in three separate stages: growing to-be-grafted seedlings (scion and rootstock) (stage I), the grafting and healing of grafted seedlings (stage II), and the acclimatization of grafted seedlings (stage III). Important parameters for successful grafting are the timing and proper connection between
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