Paper · 2025 · Journal of Agricultural Sciences – Sri Lanka

Varietal and Spatiotemporal Bearings on Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Mansf.) Production in Calabar, Nigeria

F. M. Nkasi; E. E. Obok; D. F. Uwah

11
claims
21
verbatim quotes
0
citations
1
research areas
✓
Open access · cc-by-nc-sa

Abstract

Purpose: An empirical study was conducted in Calabar, Nigeria, from August to November 2019 to determine how planting dates and varieties affect rainfed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus ((Thunb.) Mansf.) growth and yield. Calabar holds the potential to support watermelon cultivation, but detailed information on its agronomic requirements is lacking in this area.Research Method: The experimental conditions included three planting dates (7 August, 27 August, and 16 September 2019) and four watermelon varieties (Koloss, Sugar Baby, Kaolack, and Heracles). The treatment combinations were organised in split-plots and placed into a randomised complete block design, with three replications.Findings and Values: All the watermelons planted on August 27 performed better than those planted on August 7 and September 16. The main vine length, number of leaves, number of branches, leaf area index, relative growth rate, and net assimilation rate showed that watermelon planted on August 27 performed best. A significant increase (P < 0.05) in fruit yield, weight, girth, length, sugar content, and number of fruits was observed on August 27 planting date compared to August 7 and September 16 planting dates. The August 27 planting date yielded 77.29 and 129.39 more fruit than August 7 and September 16, respectively. Heracles and Koloss yielded more fruit per hectare than the others. Fruit yield was ranked as follows: Heracles > Koloss > Kaolack > Sugar Baby. Heracles and the planting date of August 27 had a significant effect on fruit production. The production cost and economic returns analysis showed that August 27 was the best time to plant Heracles watermelon in Calabar.

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Claims 11

Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Watermelon planted on August 27 performed better than when planted on August 7 or September 16.

Taxon
watermelonCitrullus lanatuse0
Treatment
planted on August 27e1
Outcome
performed bettere1
Direction
bettere1
Comparator
August 7 and September 16e1

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“rainfed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus ((Thunb.) Mansf.) growth and yield”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 145–217 · show in text ↑
e1

“All the watermelons planted on August 27 performed better than those planted on August 7 and September 16”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 710–815 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Main vine length, number of leaves and number of branches were highest in watermelon planted on August 27.

Taxon
watermelonCitrullus lanatuse0
Treatment
planted on August 27e2
Outcome
main vine length, number of leaves, number of branchese2
Direction
performed beste2

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“rainfed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus ((Thunb.) Mansf.) growth and yield”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 145–217 · show in text ↑
e2

“The main vine length, number of leaves, number of branches, leaf area index, relative growth rate, and net assimilation rate showed that watermelon planted on August 27 performed best”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 817–1000 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Leaf area index, relative growth rate and net assimilation rate were highest in watermelon planted on August 27.

Taxon
watermelonCitrullus lanatuse0
Treatment
planted on August 27e2
Outcome
leaf area index, relative growth rate, and net assimilation ratee2
Direction
performed beste2

Not reportedComparator

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“rainfed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus ((Thunb.) Mansf.) growth and yield”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 145–217 · show in text ↑
e2

“The main vine length, number of leaves, number of branches, leaf area index, relative growth rate, and net assimilation rate showed that watermelon planted on August 27 performed best”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 817–1000 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivesignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Fruit yield, weight and girth increased significantly with planting on August 27 compared with August 7 and September 16.

Taxon
watermelonCitrullus lanatuse0
Treatment
August 27 planting datee3
Outcome
fruit yield, weight, girthe3
Direction
increasee3
Qualifier
P < 0.05e3
Comparator
August 7 and September 16 planting datese3

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“rainfed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus ((Thunb.) Mansf.) growth and yield”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 145–217 · show in text ↑
e3

“A significant increase (P < 0.05) in fruit yield, weight, girth, length, sugar content, and number of fruits was observed on August 27 planting date compared to August 7 and September 16 planting dates”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1002–1203 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivesignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Fruit length, sugar content and number of fruits increased significantly with planting on August 27 compared with August 7 and September 16.

Taxon
watermelonCitrullus lanatuse0
Treatment
August 27 planting datee3
Outcome
length, sugar content, and number of fruitse3
Direction
increasee3
Qualifier
P < 0.05e3
Comparator
August 7 and September 16 planting datese3

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“rainfed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus ((Thunb.) Mansf.) growth and yield”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 145–217 · show in text ↑
e3

“A significant increase (P < 0.05) in fruit yield, weight, girth, length, sugar content, and number of fruits was observed on August 27 planting date compared to August 7 and September 16 planting dates”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1002–1203 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Planting on August 27 yielded 77.29 more fruit than planting on August 7.

Taxon
watermelonCitrullus lanatuse0
Treatment
August 27 planting datee4
Outcome
more fruite4
Direction
moree4
Value
77.29e4
Comparator
August 7e4

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“rainfed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus ((Thunb.) Mansf.) growth and yield”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 145–217 · show in text ↑
e4

“The August 27 planting date yielded 77.29 and 129.39 more fruit than August 7 and September 16, respectively”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1205–1313 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Planting on August 27 yielded 129.39 more fruit than planting on September 16.

Taxon
watermelonCitrullus lanatuse0
Treatment
August 27 planting datee4
Outcome
more fruite4
Direction
moree4
Value
129.39e4
Comparator
September 16e4

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“rainfed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus ((Thunb.) Mansf.) growth and yield”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 145–217 · show in text ↑
e4

“The August 27 planting date yielded 77.29 and 129.39 more fruit than August 7 and September 16, respectively”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1205–1313 · show in text ↑
Associationobservedoriginal resultpositivemeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Heracles and Koloss yielded more fruit per hectare than the other varieties.

Taxon
watermelonCitrullus lanatuse0
Material
Heracles and Kolosse5
Outcome
fruit per hectaree5
Direction
moree5
Comparator
the otherse5

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“rainfed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus ((Thunb.) Mansf.) growth and yield”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 145–217 · show in text ↑
e5

“Heracles and Koloss yielded more fruit per hectare than the others”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1315–1381 · show in text ↑
Observationobservedoriginal resultmeasured

Claim · model-written summary

Fruit yield ranked Heracles, then Koloss, Kaolack and Sugar Baby.

Taxon
watermelonCitrullus lanatuse0
Material
Heraclese6
Outcome
Fruit yielde6
Qualifier
Heracles > Koloss > Kaolack > Sugar Babye6

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“rainfed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus ((Thunb.) Mansf.) growth and yield”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 145–217 · show in text ↑
e6

“Fruit yield was ranked as follows: Heracles > Koloss > Kaolack > Sugar Baby”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1383–1458 · show in text ↑
Intervention effectobservedoriginal resultpositivesignificant (as stated)measured

Claim · model-written summary

Heracles and the planting date of August 27 had a significant effect on fruit production.

Taxon
watermelonCitrullus lanatuse0
Material
Heraclese7
Treatment
planting date of August 27e7
Outcome
fruit productione7

Not reportedComparatorDirection

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e0

“rainfed watermelon (Citrullus lanatus ((Thunb.) Mansf.) growth and yield”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 145–217 · show in text ↑
e7

“Heracles and the planting date of August 27 had a significant effect on fruit production”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1460–1548 · show in text ↑
Recommendationauthor interpretationoriginal resultpositivebasis n/a

Claim · model-written summary

August 27 is the best time to plant Heracles watermelon in Calabar.

Taxon
watermelonCitrullus lanatuse1
Outcome
the best time to plant Heracles watermelone1
Setting
Calabare1

Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Citrullus lanatus
Citrullus lanatus · TaxonKumon · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons ↗

Verbatim

e1

“August 27 was the best time to plant Heracles watermelon in Calabar”

✓ located verbatim in the source · abstract, characters 1612–1679 · show in text ↑

sowing time · growth · Citrullus lanatus (watermelon)Results agree

2 papers: 2 positive, 0 negative or no effect

1 paper in the same direction as this paper

  1. positive
See all 2 papers →

sowing time · yield · Citrullus lanatus (watermelon)Results agree

4 papers: 4 positive, 0 negative or no effect

3 papers in the same direction as this paper

  1. positive
  2. positive
  3. positive
See all 4 papers →

Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.