Watermelon Cultivar Evaluations

Warren Roberts, Lynn Brandenberger, Penny Perkins-Veazie, Jonathan Edelson, Jim Shrefler

 

Materials and Methods

Two watermelon cultivar trials were conducted at the Wes Watkins Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Lane, Oklahoma, in 2002. In the first trial, watermelons were individually seeded by hand into Jiffy-9 pellets on June 5, 2002. Twenty cultivars were planted. Cultivars included seeded melons as well as seedless (triploid) melons. Several cultivars represented the small, personal-size watermelons.

All cultivars were transplanted to the field by hand on June 17, 2002. Plots were 9 feet wide, and 30 feet long. Plants were spaced 3 feet apart within the row. There were 10 plants per plot, with 4 replications of each plot.

Plastic mulch was applied on raised beds prior to planting. Drip irrigation was installed at the same time the mulch was applied. Fertilizer applications and pest control was according to OSU recommendations. Irrigation was applied as needed, based on tensiometer readings.

Harvest occurred from August 20 until August 30. Since the cultivars represented a wide range of sizes, all melons that appeared to be solid, firm, and not dis-figured were harvested. Fruit counts, fruit size, and weight per acre were recorded.

                                                                                                          Yield        Fruit Weight No. melons

   Cultivar                               Company                   type           (tons/acre)         (Ibs)            per acre

    Royal Sweet                        PetoSeed                  diploid            14.18              18.5                 1533

    Ht RWM 8133                      Rogers                      diploid            13.88              17.7                 1573

    SummerFlavor8l0                Abbott&Cobb             diploid            12.61              18.7                 1331

    SummerGold                       Wilihite                      diploid            11.87              17.9                 1331

    Summer Flavor 710             Abbott & Cobb           diploid            11.26              16.5                 1371

    5005 Dillon                           Hazera                      triploid              9.69              12.8                 1573

    Jamboree RWM 8036         Rogers                      diploid              9.18              17.6                 1049

    Millennium                            Harris Moran             triploid              9.06              11 .7                1533

    HSR2942                             Hollar                         diploid              9.02              17.7                 1129

    ACX 8238                             Abbott & Cobb           triploid              8.72              10.1                 1724

    Hyb RWM 8133                   Rogers                      diploid              8.01              13.9                 1129

    Summer Flavor 800             Abbott & Cobb           diploid              7.54              14.5                 1008

    Sangria                                Rogers                      diploid              7.29              14.9                 1049

    Super Seedless 7187 HQ   Abbott & Cobb           triploid              7.25              12.2                 1250

    Scarlet Trio                          Rogers                      triploid              6.48              13.4                   968

    Tri-X 313                              Rogers                      triploid              6.24              12.4                 1022

    Summer Sweet 5244          Abbott&Cobb             triploid              6.24              10.7                 1170

    Millionaire                             Harris Moran             triploid              4.54              14.4                   605

    Summer Flavor 820             Abbott & Cobb           diploid              3.61              14.9                   484

    Tri-X Shadow                       Rogers                      triploid              0.00                0.0                       0

 

In the second test, cultural practices were similar to those of the first test, except that the seeds were planted into Jiffy-9 pellets on June 24, and then planted directly to the field on the same day. Plastic mulch and drip irrigation were used, and fertilizer and pest control practices were according to OSU recommendations. Harvest occurred from August 20 until August 30. Since the cultivars represented a wide range of sizes, all melons that appeared to be solid, firm, and not dis-figured were harvested. Fruit counts, fruit size, and weight per acre were recorded.

 

                                                                                                        Yield           Fruit Weight     No. melons

    Cultivar                                 Company                 type           (tons/acre)             (Ibs)               per acre

    Super Seedless 7167          Abbott & Cobb        triploid             8.04                  12.4                 1291

    Hazera SW1 (Liliput)           Hazera                    triploid             6.63                    7.0                 1896

    Hazera 6009                        Hazera                    triploid             6.03                    8.2                 1452

    Super Seedless 7177 HQ   Abbott & Cobb        triploid             5.96                  12.8                   928

    Sangria                                Rogers                    diploid             5.55                  13.8                   807

    Hazera 6007                         Hazera                     triploid             4.20                    8.0                 1452