Paper · 1995 · Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science

Growth Analysis of Watermelon Plants Grown with Mulches and Rowcovers

Nader Soltani; J. LaMar Anderson; Alvin R. Hamson

10
claims
17
verbatim quotes
65
citations
4
research areas
✓
Open access

Abstract

`Crimson Sweet' watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] plants were grown with various mulches and rowcovers and analyzed for relative growth rate (RGR), net assimilation rate (NAR), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf area index (LAI), and crop growth rate (CGR). Spunbonded polyester fabric (SB-PF) and perforated polyethylene film (PCP) rowcovers generally showed greater mean RGR, SLA and CGR than spunbonded polypropylene polyamide net (SB-PP), black plus clear combination plastic mulch and black plastic mulch alone. Plants on mulches and under rowcovers showed significant increases in RGR, NAR, and SLA over plants grown in bare soil. Carbon dioxide concentration inside the transplanting mulch holes was nearly twice the ambient CO, concentration. Growth analysis of sampled watermelon plants during early stages of development under various treatments was predictive of crop yield. Plants under SB-PF and PCP rowcovers produced the earliest fruit and the greatest total yield. An asymmetrical curvilinear model for watermelon growth and development based on cardinal temperatures was developed. The model uses hourly averaged temperatures to predict growth and phenological development of `Crimson Sweet' watermelon plants grown with and without rowcovers. Early vegetative growth correlated well with accumulated heat units. Results indicate a consistent heat unit requirement for the `Crimson Sweet' watermelon plants to reach first male flower, first female flower and first harvest in uncovered plants and plants under rowcovers. Greater variability was observed in predicting date of first harvest than first bloom.

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Claims 10

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

SB-PF and PCP rowcovers generally had greater mean RGR, SLA and CGR than other listed covers or mulches.

Taxon
WatermelonCitrullus lanatust0
Treatment
Spunbonded polyester fabric (SB-PF) and perforated polyethylene film (PCP) rowcoverse0
Outcome
RGR, SLA and CGRe0
Direction
greatere0
Comparator
spunbonded polypropylene polyamide net (SB-PP), black plus clear combination plastic mulch and black plastic mulch alonee0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Spunbonded polyester fabric (SB-PF) and perforated polyethylene film (PCP) rowcovers generally showed greater mean RGR, SLA and CGR than spunbonded polypropylene polyamide net (SB-PP), black plus clear combination plastic mulch and black plastic mulch alone.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 276–534 · show in text ↑
t0

“Watermelon”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 19–29 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivesignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Mulches and rowcovers significantly increased RGR, NAR and SLA compared with bare soil.

Taxon
WatermelonCitrullus lanatust0
Treatment
mulches and under rowcoverse0
Outcome
RGR, NAR, and SLAe0
Direction
increasese0
Comparator
plants grown in bare soile0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Plants on mulches and under rowcovers showed significant increases in RGR, NAR, and SLA over plants grown in bare soil.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 535–654 · show in text ↑
t0

“Watermelon”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 19–29 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Carbon dioxide concentration in transplanting mulch holes was nearly twice ambient concentration.

Taxon
WatermelonCitrullus lanatust0
Outcome
Carbon dioxide concentratione0
Direction
twicee0
Value
nearly twicee0
Comparator
ambient CO, concentratione0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Carbon dioxide concentration inside the transplanting mulch holes was nearly twice the ambient CO, concentration.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 655–768 · show in text ↑
t0

“Watermelon”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 19–29 · show in text ↑
Method / resourceobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Early growth analysis predicted watermelon crop yield.

Taxon
watermelonCitrullus lanatuse0
Outcome
predictive of crop yielde0

Not reportedComparatorValue

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Growth analysis of sampled watermelon plants during early stages of development under various treatments was predictive of crop yield.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 769–903 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

SB-PF and PCP rowcovers produced the earliest fruit.

Taxon
WatermelonCitrullus lanatust0
Treatment
SB-PF and PCP rowcoverse0
Outcome
earliest fruite0
Direction
earlieste0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Plants under SB-PF and PCP rowcovers produced the earliest fruit and the greatest total yield.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 904–998 · show in text ↑
t0

“Watermelon”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 19–29 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

SB-PF and PCP rowcovers produced the greatest total yield.

Taxon
WatermelonCitrullus lanatust0
Treatment
SB-PF and PCP rowcoverse0
Outcome
total yielde0
Direction
greateste0

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Plants under SB-PF and PCP rowcovers produced the earliest fruit and the greatest total yield.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 904–998 · show in text ↑
t0

“Watermelon”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 19–29 · show in text ↑
Method / resourceobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

An asymmetrical curvilinear model was developed to predict watermelon growth and phenological development from hourly temperatures.

Taxon
watermelonCitrullus lanatuse0
Outcome
predict growth and phenological developmente0
Comparator
with and without rowcoverse0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“An asymmetrical curvilinear model for watermelon growth and development based on cardinal temperatures was developed. The model uses hourly averaged temperatures to predict growth and phenological development of `Crimson Sweet' watermelon plants grown with and without rowcovers.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 999–1278 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Early vegetative growth correlated well with accumulated heat units.

Taxon
WatermelonCitrullus lanatust0
Treatment
accumulated heat unitse0
Outcome
Early vegetative growthe0

Not reportedDirection

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Early vegetative growth correlated well with accumulated heat units.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1279–1347 · show in text ↑
t0

“Watermelon”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 19–29 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Heat-unit requirements to first male flower, female flower and harvest were consistent across cover conditions.

Taxon
watermelonCitrullus lanatuse0
Material
`Crimson Sweet'e0
Organ / stage
first male flower, first female flower and first harveste0
Outcome
consistent heat unit requiremente0

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Results indicate a consistent heat unit requirement for the `Crimson Sweet' watermelon plants to reach first male flower, first female flower and first harvest in uncovered plants and plants under rowcovers.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1348–1555 · show in text ↑
Method / resourceobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Prediction of first harvest date varied more than prediction of first bloom date.

Taxon
WatermelonCitrullus lanatust0
Outcome
variabilitye0
Direction
Greatere0
Comparator
first bloome0

Not reportedValue

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“Greater variability was observed in predicting date of first harvest than first bloom.”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1556–1642 · show in text ↑
t0

“Watermelon”

✓ located verbatim in the source · title, characters 19–29 · show in text ↑

mulching · growth · Citrullus lanatus (watermelon)Positive and negative results

19 papers: 17 positive, 2 negative or no effect

16 papers in the same direction as this paper · 2 in the opposite direction

  1. positive
  2. no effect
  3. no effect

15 papers more in this group

See all 19 papers →

Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.