Vegetable InitiativeTomato and Watermelon trials Spring 2018

Thiago Marconi

Research Scientist

➢ Trials Spring 2018

○ Tomato■ 7 varieties/advanced breeding lines

■ 3 planting dates

■ 2 plant density

○ Watermelon■ 16 commercial varieties

○ Crop monitoring using UAV■ use of aerial images to monitor crop growth

Tomato Spring 2018

03/05

03/20

04/05

1.5 ft

2 ft

80”

Tomato Spring 2018

2 plants

Irrigation:

Drip Tape 0.23 GPH

12” spacing

6-8” deep

Fertigation: Liquid Fertilizer

150-80-100 lbs./A

Main disease – TYLCV

Control whiteflies

Verimark

Exirel

Admire Pro

Tomato Spring 2018

ID# Source Fruit Type Fruit Size

A&M Hybrid 1 A&M Weslaco Round Medium-Small

A&M Hybrid 2 A&M Weslaco Round Medium-Small

A&M Adv. Br. Line 1 A&M Weslaco Campari Small

HT 1 A&M College Station Heirloom Extra Large-Large

TAM Hot Ty A&M College Station Round Large-Medium

Mykonos Seminis Round Large-Medium

DRD 8551 Seminis Roma Large-Medium

Tomato Spring 2018

Tomato Spring 2018

➢ What’s next… Fall 2018 Moveable Tunnel

Watermelon Spring 2018

3 ft

80”

P P

Irrigation:

Drip Tape 0.23 GPH

12” spacing

6-8” deep

Fertigation: Liquid Fertilizer

80-80-80 lbs./A

Watermelon Spring 2018

Main diseases:

Fungi:

Downy mildew and Powdery mildew

Fontelis

Dithane

Pristine

Watermelon Spring 2018

Variety Origin Total Yield lbs/A Brix (%) Color

ORS6042b OriGene A 126,502.31 12.19 Red

ACX 617755 Nunhems A 125,947.72 11.55 Red

ORS6151 OriGene A 122,105.58 12.44 Red

Turnpike H.M. Clause A B 112,807.34 11.57 Red

Embassy Nunhems A B 111,359.08 12.01 Red

NUN 09003 Nunhems A B 110,341.38 10.61 Yellow

7197 HQ Nunhems A B 104,982.97 12.30 Red

Joy Ride Seminis A B 102,566.82 11.72 Red

Warrior Nunhems A B 100,769.67 11.90 Red

Tailgate Seminis A B 94,865.78 11.53 Red

Bottle Rocket Seminis A B 90,813.39 11.90 Red

Summer Breeze Seminis A B 90,264.55 11.55 Red

Crunchy Red H.M. Clause A B 82,326.44 11.32 Red

Road Trip Seminis A B 82,239.04 11.20 Red

Wayfarer H.M. Clause A B 81,324.30 12.04 Red

Troubadour H.M. Clause B 70,487.53 11.77 Red

Crop monitoring UAV

Crop monitoring UAV

Acknowledgements• Alfredo Rodriguez

• Cristina Marconi

• Sheren Farag PhD

• Gerleene Acuna

C. Avila

• Henry Awika PhD

• Samantha Serna

K. Crosby

I. Badillo

• Adrian Silva

• Miguel Arias

• Enrique Huerta

O. Alabi

J. Enciso

• Uriel Cholula

J. Jifon

S. Zapata

• Felipe Peguero PhD

• Julia Walker

• Summer internship

• Crisantos Casares

• Elsa Wiley

Funding: