Effects of Grafting on Nutrient Element Content and Yield in Watermelon

This study was conducted to determine the effects of grafting and rootstock-scion combinations on the yield and nutrient content for both the leaves and fruit of watermelons. Two watermelon (Citrillus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum and Nakai) varieties Crisby and Crimstar were grafted on to Ferro and RS 841, and the commercial hybrids of Cucurbita maxima x Cucurbita moschata. Non-grafted plants were used as controls. In the grafted plants the content of K, Mg, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn in the leaves and N in fruits significantly increased when compared to the control. A significant effect was observed in the rootstocks for the Fe, Cu, Zn content in the leaves and the N, P, Ca, Cu and Zn content in the fruit. The K and Fe content in the leaf and the Fe, Cu, Zn and dry matter content in the fruit were also found to be significant between the varieties. Grafting and rootstock-scion combinations affect fruit yield. The Crimstar/Ferro combination had the highest yield. Also, in the grafted plants, the dry matter content of the fruits had a significant positive correlation with the Ca and Mg content of the leaves.