Impact of Scion and Rootstock Seedling Quality Selection on the Vigor of Watermelon–Interspecific Squash Grafted Seedlings

Filippos Bantis, Athanasios Koukounaras, Anastasios S. Siomos and Christodoulos Dangitsis
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Filippos Bantis: Department of Horticulture, Aristotle University, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Athanasios Koukounaras: Department of Horticulture, Aristotle University, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Anastasios S. Siomos: Department of Horticulture, Aristotle University, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Christodoulos Dangitsis: Agris S.A., Kleidi, 59300 Imathia, Greece

Agriculture, 2020, vol. 10, issue 8, 1-10

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.

Keywords: Citrullus lanatus; Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata; TZ-148; vegetable grafting; quality indicators (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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