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. 2021 Feb 12;10(2):353.
doi: 10.3390/plants10020353.

Influence of Light Spectra from LEDs and Scion × Rootstock Genotype Combinations on the Quality of Grafted Watermelon Seedlings

Filippos Bantis  1 , Christodoulos Dangitsis  2 , Athanasios Koukounaras  1
Affiliations

Influence of Light Spectra from LEDs and Scion × Rootstock Genotype Combinations on the Quality of Grafted Watermelon Seedlings

Filippos Bantis et al. Plants (Basel). .

Abstract

Grafting is the main means of propagation for watermelon crops. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether light quality during graft healing variably affects different scion × rootstock genotype combinations. Two watermelon hybrid scions (Sunny Florida F1 and Celine F1) and two interspecific squash rootstocks (Radik and TZ-148) were used, and four scion × rootstock genotype combinations derived. After grafting, we tested seven light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which provided narrow-band red (R) and blue (B); R-B with 36% (36B), 24% (24B), and 12% (12B) blue; 12B with additional far-red (12B+FR); and white (W), in a healing chamber. In three genotype combinations, shoot length, leaf area, and shoot biomass were mainly enhanced under red-blue LEDs, while stem diameter was greater under R. In contrast, dry weight of roots, Dickson's quality index, and ratio of shoot dry weight/length were variably affected in each genotype combination. From the results, it is concluded that light treatments differentially affected each genotype combination, but some parameters involving biomass production show genotypic dependency.

Keywords: Citrullus lanatus; Cucurbita maxima × Cucurbita moschata; genotypic dependency; graft healing; light-emitting diodes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The founding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Stem diameter of grafted watermelon seedlings derived from four watermelon × interspecific squash genotype combinations, and after illumination by seven light treatments during healing. Bars (±SE) followed by different letters are significantly different (p ≤ 0.05)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Leaf area of grafted watermelon seedlings derived from four watermelon × interspecific squash genotype combinations, and after illumination by seven light treatments during healing. Bars (±SE) followed by different letters are significantly different (p ≤ 0.05).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Shoot dry weight of grafted watermelon seedlings derived from four watermelon × interspecific squash genotype combinations, and after illumination by seven light treatments during healing. Bars (±SE) followed by different letters are significantly different (p ≤ 0.05).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Root dry weight of grafted watermelon seedlings derived from four watermelon × interspecific squash genotype combinations, and after illumination by seven light treatments during healing. Bars (±SE) followed by different letters are significantly different (p ≤ 0.05).
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