Colored plastic mulches influence cucumber beetle populations, vine growth, and yield of watermelon

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2004

Abstract

Colored plastic mulches were evaluated for their effect on the production of a triploid ('Honeyheart') and a diploid ('Sangria') watermelon cultivar during the spring growing season. Colored mulches affected cucumber beetle populations; the SRM-Red (Selective Reflective Mulch) and yellow plastic mulch plots had among the highest cucumber beetle populations recorded in both cultivars while the silver-reflective and the silver-on-black plastic mulches had among the lowest. In general, most mulched plots had longer vines than the bare-ground treatment, with few differences in vine length among treatments by 4 weeks. There were no differences among mulch treatments in first and total 'Honeyheart' harvest while the IRT-100 (infrared transmitting; green), PST (photosynthetic reduced transmitting), and silver-on-black plastic mulches had the highest first 'Sangria' harvest and among the highest total 'Sangria' harvest. Plants in plastic mulch treatments had higher yields as a result of higher fruit number per area. Fruit weight, length, and diameter and total soluble solids for both cultivars were not affected by colored plastic mulch treatments.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

HortScience

First Page

1246

Last Page

1249

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