Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T16:51:51.306Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Weed Management in Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) and Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo) Transplanted on Polyethylene-Covered Seedbeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

W. Carroll Johnson III  and
Benjamin G. Mullinix Jr.
W. Carroll Johnson III*
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, GA 31793
Benjamin G. Mullinix Jr.
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Coastal Plain Experiment Station, Tifton, GA 31793
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Studies were conducted from 1998 to 2001 in Tifton, GA, on weed management systems in transplanted cantaloupe and watermelon grown on polyethylene-covered seedbeds. Soil fumigants were metham (748 L/ha) and a nonfumigated control. All metham applications were sprayed in a 61-cm band and incorporated with a modified power tiller. Herbicide treatments were ethalfluralin (0.8 kg ai/ha) premergence (PRE), ethalfluralin plus halosulfuron (36 g ai/ha) PRE, ethalfluralin PRE followed by glyphosate (1.1 kg ai/ha) postemergence POST-SHIELDED, ethalfluralin plus halosulfuron PRE followed by glyphosate POST-SHIELDED, and a nontreated control. Premergence herbicides were directed to row middles not covered in polyethylene, without contacting the transplants. Glyphosate was applied to row middles using a hooded sprayer, just before vine running. Overall weed control was not improved with soil fumigation in either cantaloupe or watermelon, and there was no yield response in either crop. There may be minimal benefit in transplanted cantaloupe and watermelon on polyethylene-covered seedbeds from preplant soil fumigation for weed control, in the absence of other pests. Herbicide systems that included halosulfuron PRE or glyphosate applied POST-SHIELDED improved control of yellow nutsedge compared with ethalfluralin alone. Control of Texas panicum, southern crabgrass, Florida pusley, and smooth pigweed was not improved by halosulfuron or glyphosate. Polyethylene-covered seedbeds provide a mechanical barrier to weed infestation for many species. Integration of these weed control practices gives cantaloupe and watermelon growers effective options for weed management, particularly for a troublesome species such as yellow nutsedge.

Keywords

Ethalfluralinhalosulfuronmethamcrowfootgrass, Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd. #3 DTTAEFlorida pusley, Richardia scabra L. # RCHSCsmooth pigweed, Amaranthus hybridus L. # AMACHsouthern crabgrass, Digitaria ciliaris (Retz.) Koel. # DIGSPTexas panicum, Panicum texanum Buckl. # PANTEyellow nutsedge, Cyperus esculentus L. # CYPEScantaloupe, Cucumis melo L.watermelon, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) MansfAlternatives to methyl bromidefumigationhalosulfuronmethamplasticulturePOST, postemergencePRE, premergencePTO, power take off
Type
Commentary
Information
Weed Technology , Volume 16 , Issue 4 , December 2002 , pp. 860 - 866
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

Anonymous. 1998. Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 1998—Executive Summary. World Meteorological Organization Global Ozone Research and Monitoring Project. Rep. 44.Google Scholar
Cline, W. O. and Beute, M. K. 1986. Effect of metam sodium, peanut genotype and inoculum density on incidence of Cylindrocladium black rot. Peanut Sci. 13: 41–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Csinos, A. S., Johnson, W. C. III, Johnson, A. W., Sumner, D. R., McPherson, R. M., and Gitaitis, R. D. 1997. Alternative fumigants for methyl bromide in tobacco and pepper transplant production. Crop Prot. 16: 585–594.Google Scholar
Csinos, A. S., Sumner, D. R., Johnson, W. C. III, Johnson, A. W., McPherson, R. M., and Dowler, C. C. 2000. Methyl bromide alternatives in tobacco, tomato and pepper transplant production. Crop Prot. 19: 39–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Doherty, B. A. and Mizelle, W. O. Jr. 2001. 2000 Vegetable Survey. Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers News. Summer 2001.Google Scholar
Grey, T. L., Bridges, D. C., and NeSmith, D. S. 2000. Tolerance of cucurbits to the herbicides clomazone, ethalfluralin, and pendimethalin. II. watermelon. Hortscience 35: 637–641.Google Scholar
Johnson, W. C. III and Webster, T. M. 2001. A modified power-tiller for metham application on cucurbit crops transplanted to polyethylene covered seedbeds. Weed Technol. 15: 387–395.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitchem, W. E., Monks, D. W., and Mills, R. J. 1997. Response of transplanted watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) to ethalfluralin applied PPI, PRE, and POST. Weed Technol. 11: 88–91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Monks, D. W. and Schultheis, J. R. 1998. Critical weed-free period for large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) in transplanted watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). Weed Sci. 46: 530–532.Google Scholar
Nerson, H. 1989. Weed competition in muskmelon and its effects on yield and fruit quality. Crop Prot. 8: 439–443.Google Scholar
Noling, J. W. and Becker, J. O. 1994. The challenge of research and extension to define and implement alternatives to methyl bromide. Suppl. J. Nematol. 26: 573–586.Google ScholarPubMed
Teasdale, J. R. and Taylorson, R. B. 1986. Weed seed response to methyl isothiocyanate and metham. Weed Sci. 34: 520–524.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[USDA] United States Department of Agriculture. 1999. Administration extends deadline on methyl bromide ban to 2005. Methyl Bromide Altern. 5: 1.Google Scholar
Webster, T. M., Csinos, A. S., Johnson, A. W., Dowler, C. C., Sumner, D. R., and Fery, R. L. 2001. Methyl bromide alternatives in a bell pepper-squash rotation. Crop Prot. 20: 605–614.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wells, J. J. 1999. Yellow Nutsedge Control in Summer Vegetables and Development of Glyphosate-Tolerant Spinach. Ph.D. dissertation. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR. 127 p.Google Scholar