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Short-internode (SI) muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) genotypes Ky-P7 (si-1 gene for SI) and Main Dwarf (si-3 gene for SI) were compared with the normal-internode (NI) cultivar Mainstream at various plant spacings or planting densities over 3 years. SI ‘Honey Bush’ (si-1 gene for SI) and ‘Bush Star’ (si-1 gene for SI) were included in 2 years. At double the population, SI plants (si gene type) produced ≈35% fewer fruit than ‘Mainstream’ plants grown at one-half the population density. Spacing generally had no effect on average fruit weight, but increasing plant density of SI genotypes decreased the number of fruit per plant. Generally, doubling the density reduced leaf area and total plant dry weight, but had minimal effect on the amount of shaded leaf area. Ky-P7, ‘Honey Bush’, and ‘Bush Star’ plants had more leaf shading than ‘Mainstream’ and Main Dwarf plants. Muskmelon yields might be increased through the development of SI or bush cultivars grown at higher planting densities than commonly used for NI-length cultivars (Davis et al., 1976; Kalb and Davis, 1984; Mohr and Knavel, 1966). Several SI (si1 gene) cultivars are commercially available, but their yielding potential has not been explored. Knavel (1988) previously reported that SI (si-1 gene) Ky-P7 plants grown at double the plant population of NI ‘Mainstream’ plants produced only one-half the number and total weight of fruit. Since fruit size was similar for both plant types when grown at the same spacing, it was concluded that the lower yields for Ky-P7 plants were mainly due to fewer fruiting sites and less leaf area per plant exposed to solar radiation than for ‘Mainstream’ plants. Nutritional and irrigation studies (unpublished data) indicated that lower yields by SI plants were not associated with reduced nutrient and/or water uptake. The objective of this study was to further evaluate the-effect of spacing or planting densities on growth and yield of SI genotypes and to compare these variables with the response of the NI ‘Mainstream’. Materials and Methods Fruit yield and plant growth data were recorded in 1987 through 1989 for SI genotypes Ky-P7 and Main Dwarf and the NI ‘Mainstream’. SI cultivars Honey Bush and Bush Star were included in 1988 and 1989, respectively. In this study, the SI gene si-3 controls shortened internodes in Main Dwarf, while the si-1 gene controls them in Ky-P7, ‘Honey Bush’, and ‘Bush Star’. Each year, plants were started in the greenhouse and grown in a peat-perlite medium in 2.5 × 3.8 × 3.8-cm plastic cell pots until transplanted ≈4 weeks later onto 1.2-m-wide, black polyethylene mulch-covered beds in the field. Nitrogen was applied from ammonium nitrate at the rate of 112 kg·ha and rototilled into the soil before the mulch was laid. Phosphorus and K were applied similarly from superphosphate and potassium sulfate, respectively, when needed according to soil tests ed for publication 10 Dec. 1990. This Kentucky Agricultural Experiment paper (90-10-168) is published by permission of the Director. The cost lishing this paper was defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. postal regulations, this paper therefore must be hereby marked advernt solely to indicate this fact. and Kentucky Experimental Station recommendations. Weekly sprays for pest control followed recommendations for growing muskmelons in Kentucky (Roberts et al., 1988). The soil type at the Univ. of Kentucky farm was a Maury silt-loam (fine, mixed, mesic, Typic Paleudalfs). Spacing treatments for SI plants in 1987 and 1988 were single rows of one per hill 0.6 m apart (12 plants/replicate), two per hill 0.6 m apart (24 plants/replicate), one per hill 0.3 m apart (24 plants/replicate), and plants offset in double rows of one per hill 0.6 m apart, with double rows 0.3 m apart (24 plants/ replicate). The spacing for ‘Mainstream’ plants in 1987 and 1988 was one per hill 0.6 m apart in a single row (12 plants/ replicate). In 1989, spacing treatments for all genotypes were single rows of one per hill, either 0.6 or 0.3 m apart. The plastic mulch plots were spaced 1.8 m apart, center to center. Treatments were randomized in complete blocks in 1987 and 1988 and in a split-plot design in 1989, with three replications each year. Plots were not irrigated. Leaf area was recorded with a LI-COR (Model 3100; LICOR, Lincoln, Neb.) meter on 72-day-old plants in 1987 and 1989, and 86-day-old plants in 1988. The amount of leaf shading was determined by spraying diluted, white, latex paint over four plants of each genotype at each spacing in each replication. After the paint was dry, the two inner sprayed plants were taken for growth data, leaving eight plants per treatment for yield data. Leaves were cut from the vine at the junction of the petiole and lamina and separated into painted and unpainted. For leaves showing partially painted areas, painted portions were cut from the unpainted portions. The percentage of shading was based on the area of leaves without paint to total leaf area. For dry weight, leaves, stem, and petioles were oven-dried at 70C. Before the vines were dried in 1987, two plants per replication of each genotype grown at the 0.6-m spacing were measured for growth comparison. Data were tested by analysis of variance. For soil moisture data, soil samples were collected from the center of the row by taking six probes to a depth of 15 cm through the plastic mulch midway between plants within each replication of each treatment. Moisture was determined gravimetrically. Data collected for percentages of soil moisture and leaf shading were analyzed following arcsin transformation. Abbreviations: NI, normal internode; SI, short internode. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 116(6):926-929. 1991. Table 1. Effect of plant spacing on number and weight of muskmelon Table 3. fruit in 1987. Effect of plant spacing on number and weight of muskmelon fruit in 1989. Mean separation within rows and columns by Duncan's multiple range test, P = 0.05. Means for seven harvests from 22 July to 17 Aug. NA = treatment not applied. Table 2. Effect of plant spacing on number and weight of muskmelon fruit in 1988. Means for five harvests from 10 Aug. to 1 Sept. *,**Nonsignificant or significant F value at P = 0.05 and 0.001, respectively. Mean separation within rows and columns by Duncan’s multiple range test, P = 0.05. Means for 12 harvests from 16 July to 16 Sept. NA = treatment not applied. Table 4. Effect of plant spacing on leaf area and percentage of leaf area shaded for muskmelon plants 72 days after seeding in 1987. Mean separation within rows and columns by Duncan’s multiple range test, P = 0.05. NA = treatment not applied. Actual data (transformed to arcsin before analysis). Results NI ‘Mainstream’ produced more fruit per plant and per unit growing area than SI si-1 genotype (Ky-P7, ‘Honey Bush’, and ‘Bush Star’) plants, regardless of spacing or planting density (Tables 1-3). At double the population, SI si-3 (Main Dwarf) plants produced a similar number of fruit per plant but more fruit per area than ‘Mainstream’ plants. Plant spacing had a minimal effect on average fruit weight. In 2 of 3 years, average weights of ‘Mainstream’ and Ky-P7 fruit were similar (Tables 1 and 3), and planting density had no effect on average weight of Ky-P7 (Tables 2 and 3) and ‘Bush Star’ (Table 3) fruit. In 1988 (Table 2), average fruit weights of ‘Mainstream’ and ‘Honey Bush’ were similar but higher than J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 116(6):926-929. 1991. for Ky-P7 fruit from plants grown in single rows at one per hill spaced 0.6 m apart; doubling the plant population reduced the average weight of ‘Honey Bush’ fruit (Table 2). Main Dwarf fruit weighed considerably less than fruit of ‘Mainstream’ and other SI genotypes and was not affected by spacing. Generally, doubling the plant populations reduced total leaf area and total dry weight of SI plants. Ky-P7 plants had 45% less leaf area than ‘Mainstream’ in 1987 (Table 4), but total leaf

Productivity and Growth of Short-internode Muskmelon Plants at Various Spacings or Densities