scholarly journals Evaluation of Watermelon Varieties under Organic Production Practices in Georgia

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 382-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
George E. Boyhan ◽  
Suzanne O’Connell ◽  
Ryan McNeill ◽  
Suzanne Stone
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Production Practices ◽  
Certified Organic ◽  
Solids Content

Organic production is a fast-growing sector of agriculture in need of variety evaluations under their unique production systems. This study evaluated 16 watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) varieties for their performance characteristics under organic production practices. Plants were grown on plastic mulch-covered beds on land that had been certified organic in accordance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Organic Program. Six of the entries were F1 hybrids; the remaining entries were open-pollinated (OP) varieties. Of the 10 OP varieties, three were considered heirloom varieties, including Cream of Saskatchewan, Georgia Rattlesnake, and Moon & Stars. ‘Georgia Rattlesnake’ was the highest yielding variety and had the greatest average fruit weight. Along with ‘Georgia Rattlesnake’, ‘Nunhems 800’, ‘Nunhems 860’, ‘Orangeglo’, and ‘SSX 8585’ were included in the top five yielding varieties. The top five yielding varieties had fruit size that averaged more than 20 lb. Fruit size correlated with rind thickness, with lighter fruit having thinner rind (Pearson’s correlation, r = 0.779), which is not unexpected. ‘Sangria’ had the greatest average soluble solids content at 11.2%, which was greater than all entries with soluble solids less than 10%.

scholarly journals Higher Temperatures Decrease Fruit Size in Strawberry Growing in the Subtropics

Horticulturae ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 34
Author(s):  
Christopher Menzel
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Size ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Titratable Acidity ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Small Fruit ◽  
Solids Content

Five strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) cultivars were grown in Queensland, Australia to determine whether higher temperatures affect production. Transplants were planted on 29 April and data collected on growth, marketable yield, fruit weight and the incidence of small fruit less than 12 g until 28 October. Additional data were collected on fruit soluble solids content (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA) from 16 September to 28 October. Minimum temperatures were 2 °C to 4 °C higher than the long-term averages from 1965 to 1990. Changes in marketable yield followed a dose-logistic pattern (p < 0.001, R2s = 0.99). There was a strong negative relationship between fruit weight (marketable) and the average daily mean temperature in the four or seven weeks before harvest from 29 July to 28 October (p < 0.001, R2s = 0.90). There were no significant relationships between SSC and TA, and temperatures in the eight days before harvest from 16 September to 28 October (p > 0.05). The plants continued to produce a marketable crop towards the end of the season, but the fruit were small and more expensive to harvest. Higher temperatures in the future are likely to affect the economics of strawberry production in subtropical locations.

scholarly journals Specialty Melon Cultivar Evaluation under Organic and Conventional Production in Florida

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 905-912 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjing Guan ◽  
Xin Zhao ◽  
Danielle D. Treadwell ◽  
Michael R. Alligood ◽  
Donald J. Huber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Size ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
San Juan ◽  
Root Knot Nematode ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Fruit Number ◽  
Solids Concentration ◽  
Certified Organic ◽  
Conventional Field

Interest in producing specialty melons (Cucumis melo) is increasing in Florida, but information on yield performance, fruit quality, and disease resistance of specialty melon cultivars grown in Florida conditions is limited. In this study conducted at Citra, FL, during the 2011 Spring season, 10 specialty melon cultivars were evaluated, in both certified organic and conventionally managed fields, including: Creme de la Creme and San Juan ananas melon (C. melo var. reticulatus), Brilliant and Camposol canary melon (C. melo var. inodorus), Ginkaku and Sun Jewel asian melon (C. melo var. makuwa), Arava and Diplomat galia melon (C. melo var. reticulatus), and Honey Pearl and Honey Yellow honeydew melon (C. melo var. inodorus). ‘Athena’ cantaloupe (C. melo var. reticulatus) was included as a control. ‘Sun Jewel’, ‘Diplomat’, ‘Honey Yellow’, and ‘Honey Pearl’ were early maturing cultivars that were harvested 10 days earlier than ‘Athena’. ‘Athena’ had the highest marketable yield in the conventional field (10.7 kg/plant), but the yield of ‘Camposol’, ‘Ginkaku’, ‘Honey Yellow’, and ‘Honey Pearl’ did not differ significantly from ‘Athena’. Under organic production, ‘Camposol’ showed a significantly higher marketable yield (8.3 kg/plant) than ‘Athena’ (6.8 kg/plant). ‘Ginkaku’ produced the largest fruit number per plant in both organic (10 fruit/plant) and conventional fields (12 fruit/plant) with smaller fruit size compared with other melon cultivars. Overall, the specialty melon cultivars, except for asian melon, did not differ significantly from ‘Athena’ in terms of marketable fruit number per plant. ‘Sun Jewel’, ‘Diplomat’, and ‘San Juan’ showed relatively high percentages of cull fruit. ‘Honey Yellow’, ‘Honey Pearl’, and ‘Sun Jewel’ exhibited higher soluble solids concentration (SSC) than ‘Athena’ in both organic and conventional fields, while ‘Brilliant’, ‘San Juan’, and ‘Ginkaku’ also had higher SSC than ‘Athena’ under organic production. ‘Honey Yellow’, ‘Sun Jewel’, ‘Brilliant’, and ‘Camposol’ were less affected by powdery mildew (caused by Podosphaera xanthii) and downy mildew (caused by Pseudoperonospora cubensis) in the conventional field. ‘Honey Yellow’ and ‘Camposol’ also had significantly lower aboveground disease severity ratings in the organic field compared with ‘Athena’, although the root-knot nematode (RKN) (Meloidogyne sp.) gall rating was higher in ‘Honey Yellow’ than ‘Athena’.

scholarly journals Grafting Melons Increases Yield, Extends the Harvest Season, and Prevents Sudden Wilt in New England

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Janel L. Ohletz ◽  
J. Brent Loy
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Irrigation Frequency ◽  
Planting Dates ◽  
Soil Temperatures ◽  
Spring Temperatures ◽  
Solids Content

Melons (Cucumis melo var. reticulatis) are potentially a high value crop for New England, but production is limited by cool spring temperatures and sudden wilt. The sudden wilt syndrome in melon, attributed to both biotic and abiotic factors, is characterized by rapid wilting of vines either just preceding or during the harvest season, reducing melon quality and shortening the harvest period. We investigated the effects of grafting melons to rootstocks of interspecific hybrid squash (Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata), which have exhibited tolerance to soilborne diseases and cooler soil temperatures. In 2015, we compared the performance of ‘Halona’ melon grafted to two rootstocks, ‘Carnivor’ and ‘NH1320’, to that of nongrafted (NG) plants at two New Hampshire Agriculture Experiment Research Farms, Woodman (WRF) and Kingman (KRF). Pistillate flowering and melon harvests were 3 to 9 days earlier in NG than grafted (GR) plants. By harvest period, GR plant growth exceeded that of NG plants, and GR plants did not display wilting symptoms observed in NG plants. Total marketable yields were 57% and 90% higher for GR/‘Carnivor’ (47.8 and 45.0 Mg·ha−1) and 44% and 89% higher for GR/‘NH1320’ (43.9 and 44.9 Mg·ha−1) compared with the NG treatment (30.5 and 23.7 Mg·ha−1) at WRF and KRF, respectively. There were no differences in fruit numbers per plot between treatments, but mean fruit weight was between 33% and 71% larger in GR than NG treatments. In 2016, GR (‘NH1320’ rootstock) and NG ‘Halona’ were compared at three transplantation dates, 12 and 21 May and 1 June, and with two irrigation frequencies, drip irrigation every 2 days (2-d Irr) or every 4 days (4-d Irr). NG plants exhibited symptoms of sudden wilt in early August compared with no symptoms on GR plants. Harvests of NG melons were 3 to 8 days earlier than GR plants for all three planting dates. The increase in yields of GR plants compared with NG plants for the 12 and 21 May and 1 June planting dates were, respectively, 131%, 123%, and 149% greater with the 2-day Irr, and 93%, 100%, and 78% greater with 4-d Irr. Irrigation frequency did not significantly affect fruit size or soluble solids content (SSC), whereas grafting increased both fruit number and fruit size but did not significantly affect SSC at all three planting dates.

scholarly journals In Situ Characterization of Fruits and Seeds of a Number of White Sapote (Casimiroa edulis Llave & Lex.) Accessions in Mexico

HortScience ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (12) ◽  
pp. 1849-1852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Andres Agustin ◽  
Matha Soto ◽  
Franco Famiani ◽  
Juan Guillermo Cruz-Castillo
Keyword(s):  
Seed Weight ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Total Soluble Solids ◽  
Casimiroa Edulis ◽  
Solids Content ◽  
Total Seed

Fifty-six accessions of white sapote (Casimiroa edulis Llave & Lex.) grown in situ in 11 municipalities in the state of Michoacán, Mexico, were characterized using 14 morphometric variables (six of fruit and eight of seed). There was a high cv for fruit weight (0.50), the number of developed seeds (NDS) (0.48), and total seed weight (0.45). Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that the main differences among the C. edulis accessions were fruit weight, seed projected area, Feret diameter (FD), the length of polar and equatorial axes of the fruit, the number of undeveloped seeds (NUS), the NDS, hardness of the skin (HS), and total soluble solids content of the fruits. Three groups of accessions were determined by cluster analysis (CA). The first group was made up of 53 accessions with intermediate values of fruit size and seed size. The second group, comprising two accessions, had the lowest values of fruit size. The third group showed an outstanding individual with the highest values for fruit size/weight, seed weight, and total soluble solids. Through an in-depth examination of the genotypes of the first group, four genotypes were identified for their positive characteristics. The results indicate an extremely high variability in the fruit and seed characteristics produced by different trees/genotypes of white sapote in Mexico. Hence, an initial, preliminary individuation/selection of five genotypes could be considered for the development of new cultivars for establishing white sapote orchards in Mexico.

scholarly journals Yield and fruit quality of apple from conventional and organic production systems

2008 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cassandro Vidal Talamini do Amarante ◽  
Cristiano André Steffens ◽  
Álvaro Luiz Mafra ◽  
Jackson Adriano Albuquerque
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Management System ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Titratable Acidity ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Apple Trees ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Solids Content

The objective of this study was to assess the yield and fruit quality of apple produced with a conventional and an organic production systems in Southern Brazil. The orchards consisted of alternate rows from 10 to 12-year old 'Royal Gala' and 'Fuji' apple trees on M.7 rootstocks, grown as slender spindles, on 4x6 m spacing. Eighteen apple trees of each cultivar and management system were randomly selected and assessed for nutrition, flowering, fruit set, yield, and fruit quality during two growing seasons (2002/2003 and 2003/2004). The organic management system resulted in lower concentrations of K, Mg, and N in leaves and fruits, and in smaller fruits for both cultivars, and lower fruit yield for 'Fuji' than from the conventional production system. For both cultivars, fruits from the organic orchard harvested at commercial maturity had a more yellowish skin background color, higher percentage of blush in the fruit skin, higher soluble solids content, higher density, higher flesh firmness, and higher severity of russet than fruits from the conventional orchard. Fruit from the organic orchard had lower titratable acidity in 'Royal Gala', and higher incidence of moldy core and lower incidence of watercore in 'Fuji', than fruit from the conventional orchard. A non-trained sensory panel detected no significant differences for fruit attributes of taste, flavor and texture between fruit from the production systems for either cultivar.

scholarly journals Differential Watermelon Fruit Size Distribution in Response to Plastic Mulch and Spunbonded Polyester Rowcover

2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramón A. Arancibia ◽  
Carl E. Motsenbocker
Keyword(s):  
Air Temperature ◽  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Growth And Yield ◽  
Net Benefit ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Horticultural Crops

Plasticulture has been successfully used to enhance growth and yield of horticultural crops, and also for season extension in cooler climates. The effect of three plastic mulches (silver on black, photoselective thermal green, and black) in combination with spunbonded polyester rowcover (0.9 oz/yard2) on spring-planted watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) production was investigated. Two red-fleshed cultivars [Sangria (seeded) and Crimson Jewel (triploid)] were used. Plastic mulches increased early and total marketable yield in comparison with bare ground for both cultivars, but net benefit increased in ‘Crimson Jewel’ only. In contrast, yield and net benefit were the same among plastic mulches. Rowcover increased soil and air temperature, with the effect being greatest at lower ambient temperatures. During a near-freeze event, air temperature under the rowcover was about 7.2 °F higher than without a rowcover. Rowcover increased early and total marketable yield, but fruit weight decreased in both cultivars. Yield distribution into three fruit size categories was inconsistent between the cultivars. In ‘Sangria’, the large fruit category had the highest yield proportion for all treatments. In contrast, the highest yield proportion of ‘Crimson Jewel’, with exception of mulch without rowcover, corresponded to small fruit. Rowcover increased gross income at wholesale prices, but net benefit was not different from without rowcover. Protection of high-value plants, such as triploid watermelon, against light freezes, however, may still justify the use of rowcover in early plantings.

scholarly journals Heirloom Tomato Production in Conventional and Transitional-organic Managed Systems

HortScience ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 1034-1037 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul B. Francis ◽  
C. Robert Stark,
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
Conventional Culture ◽  
Cloudy Weather ◽  
Main Plot ◽  
Black Plastic ◽  
Marketable Fruit

Demand for heirloom tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and organically grown produce is increasing. The objective of this research was to compare heirloom tomato production in conventional (CS) and organic-transitional (OS) production systems. Heirloom cultivars Arkansas Traveler–the original, Cherokee Purple, Kentucky Beefsteak, Manulucie, and Persimmon Orange were grown in 2007 and 2008 on a raised bed, microirrigated, black plastic mulch culture in a split-plot design with production system as the main plot. Inorganic fertilizer at 160N–13P–50K kg·ha−1 [NH4NO3, Ca(H2PO4)2, KCl] or poultry litter (PL) at 5600 kg·ha−1 was applied in March and soil-incorporated. Transplanting occurred on 12 Apr. 2007 and 22 Apr. 2008. PL supplied 194N–133P–183K and 145N–83P–171K kg·ha−1 potential in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Overall, there were no system effects on total marketable fruit weight, marketable fruit numbers, average fruit weights, total cull weights, or percent marketable yields. Marketable yields averaged across systems ranged from 8,457 to 13,550 kg·ha−1 in 2007 and 1,224 to 5,974 kg·ha−1 in 2008. Weather-delayed transplanting followed by wet and cloudy weather in April and May and greater incidence of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) were suspected for lower yields in 2008. Petiole sap nitrate-N of whole plot treatments were considered within sufficiency levels for both systems when checked at pre- and early harvest. Soil pH of the CS dropped from 7.2 to 5.6 after two seasons but did not change in the OS. Organic production of heirloom tomatoes using PL yielded equivalently to conventional culture for 2 years after transition from conventional management.

scholarly journals Use of External Indicators to Predict Maturity of Mini-watermelon Fruit

HortScience ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 1034-1037 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edgar L. Vinson ◽  
Floyd M. Woods ◽  
Joseph M. Kemble ◽  
Penelope Perkins-Veazie ◽  
Angela Davis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Citrullus Lanatus ◽  
Information Criterion ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Fit Statistics ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Acid Ratio ◽  
Internal Indicator ◽  
Solids Content ◽  
Spot Color

Mini-watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.)] cultivars Valdoria and Vanessa were evaluated at 20, 30, 40, or 50 days after anthesis to determine maturity at harvest. Fruit circumference, weight, ground spot color, and number of senescent tendrils were measured as external indicators for each watermelon. Soluble solids content (SS), pH, and SS:total acid ratio (SS:TA) of each watermelon were determined to provide an indication of internal maturity. Regression and Akaike Information Criterion fit statistics analyses were performed to determine significant relationships and best predictors for external indicators of internal maturity factors. In this study, external predictors were most closely linked to fruit pH rather than to SS or SS/TA. Of the external indicators tested, fruit weight, circumference, number of senescent tendrils, and International Commission on Illumination (CIE) b* color coordinate values of the ground spot were best related to fruit pH. According to the regression models, two completely senesced tendrils, a circumference of 53 cm, weight of 3 kg, and CIE b* coordinate ground spot value of 40 are each sufficient to predict maturity when pH is used as the internal indicator of maturity under the conditions of this experiment.

scholarly journals Comparative Analysis of Antioxidant Properties and Fruit Quality Attributes of Organically and Conventionally Grown Melons (Cucumis melo L.)

HortScience ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (7) ◽  
pp. 1825-1832 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Salandanan ◽  
Marisa Bunning ◽  
Frank Stonaker ◽  
Oktay Külen ◽  
Patricia Kendall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ascorbic Acid ◽  
Cucumis Melo ◽  
Total Phenolics ◽  
Antioxidant Properties ◽  
Radical Scavenging ◽  
Quality Attributes ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Certified Organic ◽  
Solids Content

Antioxidant properties and quality attributes were evaluated for 10 melon (Cucumis melo L.) cultivars grown under conventional and certified organic conditions in a 2-year field study. Differences among cultivars, produced either by conventional or organic methods, contributed the largest sources of variation in antioxidant properties. A 2.1- to 2.2-fold difference was seen between groups of cultivars with the highest and lowest levels of ascorbic acid when produced by organic and conventional methods, respectively. Choice of cultivar using conventional and organic production, respectively, enabled a 1.7- and 1.6-fold gain in total phenolics, a 2.6- and 4.2-fold gain in radical scavenging capacity determined by 2, 2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), and a 1.8- and 2.4-fold gain determined by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay. Based on an antioxidant index, cultivars with the highest antioxidant properties were Savor, Sweetie #6, Early Queen, Edonis, and Rayan. Organic melons had significantly higher ascorbic acid over both years, whereas total phenolics content was higher only in the first year. Percent dry matter and soluble solids content also varied widely among cultivars but were unaffected by production system. Choice of cultivar provides a viable option for growers interested in producing melons with high antioxidant properties. Cultivars with high antioxidant levels may provide a competitive marketing and supply niche for producers, but the full extent of diversity for antioxidant attributes requires further evaluation of cultivars and germplasm.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Tomato Varieties under Organic Production Practices in Georgia

2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 252-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
George E. Boyhan ◽  
Suzzanne Tate ◽  
Ryan McNeill ◽  
Jeffrey McConnaughey
Keyword(s):  
Southeastern United States ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Organic Production ◽  
Plastic Mulch ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Production Practices ◽  
High Yields ◽  
National Organic Program

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a popular crop among organic growers, particularly open-pollinated varieties; however, there is a lack of information evaluating these varieties in comparison with commercial F1 hybrids. This study was undertaken to compare conventionally produced commercial F1 tomato varieties available in the southeastern United States with open-pollinated varieties popular among organic growers. Nineteen tomato varieties were evaluated in 2011 and 2012 using the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Organic Program guidelines; however, the land used had not been in 3 years of organic production. Staked tomatoes were grown on plastic mulch. Data collected included early and total graded yield. In general, F1 hybrid, determinate or semideterminate varieties, had the best early and total yields compared with open-pollinated varieties. HSX 8115H and ‘Celebrity’ had the highest early total yield. ‘Costoluto Fiorentino’, an open-pollinated variety, also had good early total yield, but significantly less than HSX 8115H or ‘Celebrity’. ‘Costoluto Fiorentino’ was the only open-pollinated variety among the five highest yielding varieties for early total yield. In addition, ‘Celebrity’ had the greatest total yield of all the entries tested. All of the top five varieties for total yield were F1 hybrids and either determinate or semideterminate types. ‘Costoluto Fiorentino’ had total yield of 22,046 lb/acre, which was 14.3% lower than the lowest yielding variety in the top five yielding varieties. ‘Florida Pink’ had the largest average fruit weight, which also had the lowest total yield of all the entries. Although the open-pollinated varieties, popular among organic and local growers, yielded less than F1 hybrids, they may possess characteristics of color, flavor, or texture that are desired and were not evaluated in this study. This may be an opportunity for plant breeders to develop varieties desired by local organic growers that have unique characteristics, in addition to high yields and disease resistance.

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