Abstract
Triploid watermelon seed does not germinate in cold, wet soils as well as diploids; germination is slower due to reduced embryo size and thicker seed coat; fissures on the seed coat provide safe harbour for fungal spores; and triploid fruit set is later than most diploid cultivars. Because of these problems producers often transplant rather than direct-seed seedless watermelons. Seed priming has been shown to improve germination in other crops and would be an attractive method allowing for direct seeding of seedless watermelons. Seed from open-pollinated 4n × 2n crosses were primed in solutions of H 2 O, polyethylene glycol 8000, KNO 3 , or left untreated. Treatment times were 1, 3, or 6 days, and treated seed were subsequently dried for either 1 or 7 d. Seed were scored for germination in the laboratory and emergence under field conditions. Germination was better using H 2 O than KNO 3 and PEG but not always better than the untreated control. Treatment time of 1 day was superior to 3 or 6 days, but length of drying time was insignificant. In the field trial, treatments did not differ in emergence.
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Claims 5
Claim · model-written summary
Priming in H 2 O gave better germination than priming in KNO 3 and PEG.
Verbatim
t0“Triploid Watermelon Seed”
e1“Germination was better using H 2 O than KNO 3 and PEG but not always better than the untreated control”
Claim · model-written summary
Priming in H 2 O was not consistently better for germination than the untreated control.
Verbatim
t0“Triploid Watermelon Seed”
e1“Germination was better using H 2 O than KNO 3 and PEG but not always better than the untreated control”
Claim · model-written summary
Priming for 1 day was superior to priming for 3 or 6 days.
Verbatim
t0“Triploid Watermelon Seed”
e2“Treatment time of 1 day was superior to 3 or 6 days”
Claim · model-written summary
Length of drying time after priming had no significant effect.
Not reportedComparatorDirection
Verbatim
t0“Triploid Watermelon Seed”
e3“length of drying time was insignificant”
Claim · model-written summary
In the field trial, the priming treatments did not differ in emergence.
- Taxon
- Triploid watermelont0
- Treatment
- treatmentse4
- Outcome
- emergencee4
- Direction
- did not differe4
- Setting
- field triale4
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
t0“Triploid Watermelon Seed”
e4“In the field trial, treatments did not differ in emergence”