Abstract:

In this study, different substrates made of worm casts were used for both plug and pot cultivation of watermelon seedlings. The growth index of seedlings after transplanting were determined, in order to study the effects of worm cast substrates on relieving the growth obstacles caused by successive cropping of watermelon. The melon variety used was ‘Zao chun hong yu’. The results showed that the height and thickness of the seedlings, as well as the numbers of leaves and healthy of the melon seedling treated with complex worm cast substrate were higher than those of non-treated ones. In the later stage of transplanting, when cultivated in two types of worm cast substrates, the seedling had death rates of 27.5% and 22.5% respectively. The longest melon vines were 162.1 and 171.8 m, and the thicknesses of melon skin were 4.63 and 4.83 meters. Higher sugar content was detected for the melons. The sugar contents of the melons cultivated using 70% and 90% worm cast substrates were 13.5% and 12.9% respectively. The above index was significantly better than those cultivated in other substrates.