IDENTIFICATION OF SOME ROOTSTOCKS FOR WATERMELON CULTURES FROM ROMANIA

Among the grafting aims are (1) to enhance plant growth, fruit yield and quality; (2) to control wilt caused by pathogens; (3) to reduce viral, fungal and bacterial infection; (4) to strengthen tolerance to thermal or saline stress; (5) to increase nutrient and mineral uptake to the shoot. The cultivars used to obtain of grafted seedlings were from the Baronesa F1 (Citrullus lanatus) hybrid scion and the Pelops F1 (Lagenaria siceraria), Kiwano (Cucumis metuliferus) and Zefir (Benicasa hispida) rootstocks. The rootstock has influenced the number of fruits per plant, weight/fruit and production/plant; the Pelops rootstock has had a positive influence and the Kiwano and Zefir rootstocks have had a negative influence compared to the non-grafted variant. The Pelops rootstock (105.84 t/ha) has had a positive influence and the Kiwano rootstock (53.45 t/ha) and Zefir rootstock (51.38 t/ha) have had have a negative influence compared to the non-grafted variant (95.5 t/ha). The biometric measurements on watermelon fruit yield were made in 2020 year. The experience aimed the identification of some rootstocks for the watermelon cultures from Romania. The research shows that the rootstocks has influenced fruit yield and some grafting combinations researched may be recommended for cropping in Romania.