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Bethlehem CT

My best plant went down today it was a 144 Cantrell on a 'Shintosa Camelforce.' Large sections of the plant just collapsed. This is the second year this happened to me with the Shintosa rootstock. I was very impressed with the root system as I found roots way out beyond where I would expect. Although the roots don't do much good when the plant has it's vascular system shut down. I cut the stump in half and it was rotten inside with a pinkish brown color. I will plant some sweet corn and sweet potatoes in the newly open spot.
So far so good with the bushel gourd rootstock graft.

7/2/2013 7:27:45 PM

Piqua, Ohio

I never had much luck using squash root stock, TI-191 and Rampart from American Taki are gourds and are commercial stock. If interested in trying some shoot me an E-mail. giantpumpkin@centurylink.net

7/2/2013 10:12:53 PM

sevierville, Tn

I wonder why it does that...doesn't do it in the comm fields or else no one would buy it.

7/3/2013 12:59:51 PM

Piqua, Ohio

not sure, I grafted 2 last year to tetskabuto which is the same cross as camelforce. last year the plant went down and the melon was 80 lbs. I have better luck with gourds on my lopes. I know some growers have good luck with squash. Sterilization at time of grafting seems to be a big factor.

7/4/2013 10:41:35 AM

formerly RGG

Shintosa Camelforce was a total bust for me last year. I will certainly never use it again.

7/4/2013 9:55:43 PM

The North Coast

It is more an issue of susceptibility and not compatability. Squash is the best performing and most used watermelon rootstock in the world for open field production. The problem lies with the pathogen(s) inside the seed shell of the Carolina Cross. It is overwhelmingly obvious to me that pathogen responsible for gummy stem blight is present in most seeds that are traded and grown. With that being the case it is an issue of susceptibility. It is said that a non grafted field with GSB issues will have an approximate reduction of production of about 20%. So, non grafts are susceptible but the disease is not a death sentence. However, introduce GSB to a squash grafted plant and you can expect a much higher loses, maybe around 50% or more. The jury is still out on how susceptible the lagenaria is to GSB. I have a few lagenaria/melon plants growing untended and they both have GSB. I am going to leave them out just to watch how the rootstock reacts over time.

7/5/2013 10:17:59 AM

The North Coast

The squash rootstock is the best rootstock that I have seen (with the giant pear gourd being second). It would be the holy grail to overcome the hurdle of non sanitized CC seeds just to get the squash rootstock to work. Anyone who grew the squash rootstock is amazed with the vigor of the plant and the squash is vastly better at pulling nutrition out of the soil.

Possibly a good winter project for someone would be to investigate the procedure of using peracetic acid to sanitize watermelon seeds. It seems like the best way for you all. The folks down at the University of Clemson are very helpful and extremely knowledgeable on watermelon growing. Possibly someone could pick their brain a little. I would enjoy taking this on but my life is moving in a different direction anymore and I need to tend to that. Good luck y'all.

7/5/2013 10:29:06 AM

sevierville, Tn

The squash rootstock was way more vigorest then non grafted or gourd rootstock. that said, doesn't do any good if you can't finish !
I'll look into that nathan this winter. Thanks.

Side note....so far the rabits don't like the gourd grafted plants....don't know if thats due to luck or taste, but they have not nibbled on them yet !

IZZZ HATE RABBITS !! ( Yosemite Sam)

7/5/2013 1:28:46 PM

Bethlehem CT

I used a 10 % bleach solution on all CC and shintosa seeds. I soaked them for 5-10 Minutes then planted. Some how I still got the problem. Maybe the gummy stem blight penetrated deeper than the bleach could reach.

7/8/2013 8:43:25 AM

The North Coast

Most definitely big moon. I did the same thing and felt pretty good about things. Anything on the seed coat was sanitized but GSB is one of the pathogens that resides in the seed. The details of most seed sanitation processes are proprietary but an driven person would be able to figure it out. There are also businesses in the world that sanitize seeds. It would be a good option for someone to befriend such a business and work towards getting a few hundred CC seeds sanitized also. Hell, it may turn into a good business opportunity for that person too.

7/8/2013 4:30:43 PM

Bethlehem CT

So far my bushel gourd rootstock and traditional still look good. I grew a bunch of shintosa camelforce last year on some of my eating melons and they did great. No sign of disease at all and clearly superior. I wonder if the faster growing shorter seasons for the eating ones made a difference. Also the eating ones never saw any cold weather. They went in late and took right off, The Carolina Cross always go in when the weather still has some cool spells. I think that can really mess them up too. BUT you don't see the problems until later on. I remember Jake Holloway speculating about potential problems and he mentioned that he got rid of any melon seedlings that looked a little off early on. I think that their are lasting effects to planting in cold wet soil. Get them in after it is nice and warm and stable. No problems.

7/8/2013 5:06:18 PM

Alabama

Thanks Big Moon, I think your last sentence has shed some light on the issues I had last year.

7/8/2013 8:52:51 PM

Bowdon, GA

My theory is that most CC seeds have been exposed to GSB. When conditions are right it shows up on nearly any CC seed you plant. The graft seems to make the plant weak in the early stages letting GSB get its foot in the door. Any young plants showing signs should be discarded. It can be surpressed but it comes back with a vengence when the plant gets older and conditions are right.

7/9/2013 11:35:09 PM

Bowdon, GA

Two things about the Bartoli plants I don't know about. Did they have any have any problems with some of their plants? And If I remember correctly they got their seeds from Mr. Bright many years ago. Lloyd is very careful in making sure his seeds are diesease free. So their seeds may have never been exposed to GSB.

7/9/2013 11:46:16 PM