title: Fruit quality of seedless watermelon grafted onto squash rootstocks under different production systems.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The market demand for seedless watermelon has been continuously increasing because of consumer preference. Grafting is a useful tool to manage soilborne diseases in watermelon production, but the use of squash rootstocks may negatively affect watermelon fruit quality. Currently, most research has focused on seeded cultivars, while grafting effects on seedless watermelons remain largely unknown. This multi-season study was conducted to assess the effects of squash rootstocks, including both Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata and C. moschata cultivars, with intact or excised and regenerated roots, on fruit quality of seedless watermelon 'Melody' using both instrumental and sensory measurements under different production scenarios. The grafted watermelon plants were also challenged by field inoculation with Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A combination of instrumental measurements and consumer sensory analyses suggested that fruit quality of the seedless watermelon 'Melody' was not impacted by the use of the squash rootstocks used in this study, which included soluble solids content, titratable acidity, pH and most fruit sensory properties. Watermelon flesh firmness was increased by grafting but the grafting effect on lycopene content was inconclusive. Root excision and regeneration did not influence the grafting effect, whereas the grafting effect on flesh firmness varied among the rootstocks under Fusarium inoculation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, grafting with squash rootstocks did not reduce fruit quality attributes of 'Melody' but improved texture. Our results support incorporating grafting into integrated management programs for seedless watermelon production. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
authors.affiliation: Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Qianru
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5760-4495
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Brecht
authors.affiliation: Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sims
authors.affiliation: Alachua County Extension, University of Florida, IFAS, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Tatiana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.affiliation: Plant Pathology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Dufault
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D029773:Citrullus / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D028464:Cucurbita; D063427:Food Quality; D005670:Fusarium; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D012639:Seeds; D012677:Sensation
keywords: Citrullus lanatus; consumer sensory analysis; flesh firmness; grafting; lycopene; soluble solids content