Plastic film mulch color and Root zone temperature effects on yield of Seedless Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus)

摘要

Plastic film mulches and drip irrigation are widely used for vegetable production in the southeast U.S. The utilization of plastic mulches has resulted in significant increases in fruit yield and quality in watermelon, cucumber, tomato, pepper, among other vegetables (Lamont, 1993). Plastic mulches alter the crop microclimate by changing the soil energy balance (Tarara, 2000), resulting in changes of root zone temperature (RZT) that may affect plant growth and yield (Cooper, 1973; Diaz-Perez and Batal, 2002). Watermelon is warm season crop that has been found to have improved fruit yields with increased air and soil temperatures (Farias-Larios and Orozco-Santos, 1997; Ibarra-Jimenez et al., 2006; Romjc et al., 2003). The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of colored plastic mulches and their concomitant changes in RZT on yield of seedless watermelon plants.