Effects of grafting and plant density on plant growth, yield and fruit characteristics in mini watermelons

Mading aim of the thesis program made; watermelon cultivation in the intensive exports, as well as a new market to the Mediterranean region to create a mini watermelons at two different times (early and late spring) to find suitable plant density for the grafted and non grafted planting practices and to research the effects of plant density on the plant growth, yield and quality.To find suitable plant density for the plants; first and 50 % flowering periods, main shooting lenght, main stem diameter, number of nods in main stem, total yield, average fruit weight, average fruit height, average fruit diameter, fruit rind thickness and total soluble solids measured.In early spring cultivation; grafting and plant density were effected to plant growth, yield and pomological properties of fruit; in late spring grafting did not has a significant value but plant density had a significant value on these parameters. In Çukurova Region for grafted mini watermelon cultivation suitable plant density values were approximately 7000-8000 plants per hectar, for non gafted cultivation it was be 16000-1700 plants per hectar. In late spring cultivation, it is not necessary to use grafted plants and suitable value of row distance with in will be 30-40 cm (from 12500 to 17000 plants/ha) for the non grafted plants.