Effects of cultivation practices on growth, yield and quality of dryland grafted watermelon
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DOI:10.7606/j.issn.1000-7601.2013.06.007
Key Words: watermelon  graft  cultivation modes  photosynthetic rate  yield  quality
Author NameAffiliation
BAI Yu-long, MA Zhong-ming*, XUE Liang (1.甘肃农业大学, 甘肃 兰州 730070 2.甘肃省农业科学院 甘肃 兰州 730070) 
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Abstract:
      In order to improve the quality and production efficiency of grafted watermelon in loess plateau region, six treatments including covered ridge sowing (RM), covered ridge ditching sowing (GM), covered ditch sowing (TG), half covered ridge sowing (RH), half covered ridge ditching sowin g(GH), half covered and ditch grass covered ridge cowing(RS) was conducted. And the parameters of watermelon growth, yield and quality were measured. The results showed that the GM vines length and chlorophyll content were significantly higher than the control treatment RH. Photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, leaf water use efficiency were highest for the RM treatment, whereas the differences between GM and RM wasnot significant. In addition, GM and RM performed bette r than RH. Yield of GM was 14.48% higher than that of RH. Soluble solids content of GM is significantly higher than RM, while no significant difference existed for other treatment. Nitrate content of RS and RH was significantly lower than the other treatments. Acidity indicators showed no marked difference among treatments. Our findings suggest that covered ridge ditching sowing is the alternative approach to grafted watermelon production in the dry areas of loess plateau.