Watermelon Transplant Age: Influence on Fruit Yield

Abstract

Total fruit yield of watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai] in Florida field tests was unaffected by transplant age (3, 4, or 5 weeks from seeding) or modular cell size (18.8, 30.7, or 60.5 cm 3 ), but was affected by trial year. A further study revealed that early and total fruit yields at two field sites were unaffected by transplant age, ranging from 3 to 13 weeks, when grown in the same modular cell size (34 cm 3 ), but were affected by field trial site. We conclude that transplant age or modular cell size is of little importance relative to post-transplanting conditions (site or year) in influencing watermelon fruit yield.