: Watermelon and Grape Investigations Laboratory Mimeo Report 59-2
Leesburg, Florida
June 3, 1959
WATERMELON FIELD DAY
WATERMELON AND GRAPE INVESTIGATIONS LABORATORY
OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATIONS
June 3, 1959, 1:30 P.M.
PROGRAM
Welcome to Lake County and the Watermelon Field Day. J. R.
Connell, Assistant County Agent, Lake County.
Introduction of Visitors.
Grape Studies at the Watermelon and Grape Investigations
Laboratory. Loren H. Stover, Assistant in Horticulture.
Tour of watermelon plots. W. C. Adlerz, Assistant Entomologist;
N. C. Schenck, Assistant Plant Pathologist; J. M. Crall, Plant
Pathologist in Charge.
OPTIONAL P)DGRAM
Soil Fumigation Study.
Schenck.
(Whitney Farm, 10:30 A.M.). N. C.
ibSb5%4%iSSbSb4%4%4%S5isisiCa.-C. C:l.i 4. is s i is31',U d 5C7CiCr,'C)LI. i
-2-
WATERMELON PLOTS (SUMMARIES OF EXPERIMENTAL WORK)
1. Replicated Variety Trial (Crall)
Purposes to compare maturity, quality, and yield of 7
watermelon lines on thoroughly wilt-infested soil.
Date of planting February 9
Entries:
Blackstone
Cannonball
Summit
ES20-1
Charleston Gray
Garrisonian
51-23B selection
Results: Summit, 51-23B selection, and Charleston Gray are
only entries sufficiently wilt resistant for use on wilt-
infested soil. No data on yield or quality.
2. Fungicide Trial (Schenck)
Purpose: to determine effectiveness of various fungicidal
spray materials in control of foliage diseases.
Date of planting: February 12
Variety: Blackstone
Treatments: 7 applications made at 7-11 day intervals begin-
ning March 25. Sticker-spreader used with all treatments.
Material
Unsprayed check
Actidione S
Phaltan 50-W
Dithane M-22
Manzate alt. Tribasic Copper Sulfate
Glyodin
Dithane Z-78
Manzate / Dithane Z-78
Manzate alt, Dithane Z-78
Dithane Z-78 / Dupont Sticker 51-05
Manzate / Dithane Z-78 / Parathion /
Na-Churs 10-5-10
Captan 80-W
Niacide A / COCS
Dithane Z-78 / Nabac
Dyrene
Manzate
Rate (100 gals.)
l0ppm
2 lbs.
1. lbs.
l~; 3 lbs.
2 qts.
2 Ibs.
314 /l1b.
12; 2 lbs.
2 Ibs. / 4 lbs.
3/4/ 1 / 2 lbs.
S3/4 gal.
2 lbs.
1 / li lbs.
1 f 1 Ibs.
2 ibs.
l~ lbs.
il
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9o
10.
11i
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Results:
Diseases present: gummy stem blight, predominant; anthracnose
and Cercospora leaf spot, slight.
Spray injury:
Cyprex severe
Copper materials slight
Phaltan leaf and fruit burning after last application.
Disease control:
Gummy stem blight crown infection: Maneb, maneb alt. zineb,
maneb plus zineb.
Control of foliage diseases: (evaluation incomplete)
Present recommendations:
Maneb alt. zineb l1 lbs., 2 lbs./100 gal.
Maneb plus zineb 3 / 1 lb./100 gal.
Maneb l1 lbs./100 gal.
Effect of early gummy stem blight crown infection on survival:
Fifty percent of plants with crown infection and 75 percent
of plants with total crown infection at bunching stage, failed
to survive.
3. Pollination Study (Alderz)
Purpose: to evaluate the effect of honeybee pollination on
set and quality.
Date of planting: February 16 Variety: Charleston Gray
Treatments:
1. No bee visits
2. 1 bee visit
3. bee visits
4. bee visits
5. 12 bee visits
6. Open pollination
*. Hand pollination
Results: Incomplete at this time.
4. Breeding plots (Crall)
Purpose: to select wilt resistance and high quality factors
in black-seeded Garrison-type watermelon lines.
Date of planting: February 13, March 11
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5. Insect Control Studies (Adlerz)
Insecticidal Spray Materials
Purpose: to evaluate various materials for control of insects
and their phytotoxic effects,
Date of planting: February 16 Variety: Charleston Gray
Treatments: Applications made March 24 and weekly since April 16.
Materials Lbs. toxicant/100 gal.
1. Systox EC 0.18
2. Phosphamidon EC 0.18
3. Phosdrin WP 0.25
4. Parathion WP 0.15
5. Sevin WP 1.0
6. Thiodan WP 1.0
7. Trithion WP 0.25
8. Diazinon WP 0.25
9. DDT 0.50
10. Untreated check --
Results: No insect control results because of failure of insect
infestations to develop. Sevin was severely phytotoxic on
watermelon. DDT caused no foliage burning at 0.5 lb. but effect
on yield has not been determined. DDT is not safe for repeated
applications at 1 lb or more.
Present Recommendations: (see Florida Agricultural Extension
Service Circular 193, March 1959)
Insect Control with Systemics
Purpose: to evaluate systemic insecticides as seed and soil
treatments for leafminer and aphid control.
Date of planting: February 16 Variety: Charleston Gray
Treatments: Seed treatments were applied with methyl cellulose
sticker. Granular treatments were made in the row and below
the seed.
Grams toxicant
Material Application per hill or 100 seeds
1. Thimet 8% soil 1.8
2. Thimet 44-D seed 1,4
3. DiSyston 5% soil 2.4
4. DiSyston 50% seed 1.2
5. Thimet 44-D / Spergon seed 1.4
6. DiSyston 50% / Spergon seed 1.2
7. Untreated check --
Results: No differences in leaf miner control were noted. All
seed treatments markedly reduced stands. Stands were slightly
reduced also by soil treatments, but emphasis in future work
will be on use of granular insecticides.
6. Fusarium Wilt Trial (Schenck)
Purpose: to evaluate relative susceptibility of various
varieties to Fusarium wilt.
Wilting to June 1
Entry
Cannonball
Garrisonian
Kleckley's Sweet #6
Blackstone
Congo
Stone Mountain #5
Charleston Gray
Blacklee
Leesburg
Dixie Queen WR
Fairfax
Fusarium wilt
69.2%
44.9
11.4
10.2
8.4
5.6
4.5
less than 3.0
3.0
3.0
3.0
7, Observational Watermelon Planting (Crall)
Date of planting: February 25, March 5, March 12
Entry
Blacklee
Congo
Fairfax
Garrisonian
Charleston Gray
Blackstone
Hope Diamond
Summit
ES20-1
ES18-2
Black Diamond
Indiana 133
Indiana 134
Row No.
N 26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
Entry
RC-1 (Texas)
Tri x 313
Tri x 317
Louisiana 5
Tri x 318
Tri x 337
ESll-6-5-1
Tri x 392
Shannon 101
F1Hybrid
3 x 229
8. Spacing-Fertilizer Rates (Crall)
Purpose: to determine effects of plant spacing and fertilizer
rate on yield and quality.
Row No.
M26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
CF8
CH1
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Planting data: February 9 Variety: Charleston Gray
Treatments:
Fertilizer rates 60 lbs. vs 120 lbs. N/per acre
Spacing 4' vs 8'
Results: Incomplete, but early yields indicate higher total
yields, with some reduction in size of melons, at closer spacing;
and some increase in yields, especially at wider spacing, with
higher fertilizer rate.
9. Early Maturity Factors (Crall
Purpose: to determine the effects of several factors on early
maturity.
Date of planting: February 10 Variety: Blackstone
Treatments:
1. South sloped bed vs flat bed
2. Top-dressed at emergence vs none
3. Watered at planting vs none
Results: All three treatments resulted in increased early
vegetative growth. Based on early yields, however, only #3
(watering at planting time) resulted in higher yields. This
effect was believed to be due to more even stands and less
necessity for re-planting.
10. Entries in Replicated Cantaloupe Trial
1. Florida 57-5-BK
2. Florida 1
3. Edisto
4. Rio Gold
5. PMR-45
6. Hales Best 36
11. Entries in Observational Cantaloupe Trial
1. Louisiana 15 9. Smith's Perfect
2. Louisiana 30 10. Edisto
3. Florida 2 11 Hales Best Jumbo
4. Florida 1 12. Ga. 47
5. VBL58-8 13. Florida 8
6. VBL W57-123D 14. Florida 9
7. Florida-57-5BK 15. Virginia 435
8. PMR-45 16. (Watermelon)
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