Two Year Evaluation of Cucurbit Crops (Cantaloupe and Watermelon) and Cotton Intercropping to Determine Economic Feasibility and Growth Compatibility

Agriculture production in Tift County features a very large and diverse commodity base with over 50 different commodities produced annually.  Three of the top farm gate commodities that are produced in Tift County are cantaloupe, watermelon and cotton. Over the past three years Tift County producers have planted an average of 3,500-4,000 acres of cantaloupe and watermelon and 20,000 acres of cotton. For cantaloupe and watermelon producers standard farm procedure has been to transplant in a raised narrow plastic bed with overhead irrigation, manage and produce the cucurbit crop, harvest and market the produce and then plant a program crop such as grain sorghum or corn after the termination of the cucurbit crop in early July. The mid July planting time frame for grain sorghum and corn crops has caused the profitability of these program crops to be minimal. In comparing cotton and grain sorghum crop profitability, cotton projected approximately $300 per acre advantage in returns. In 2010, two of our Tift County cantaloupe farmers had an interest in pursuing the possibility of inter-planting cotton in their cantaloupe crop. In 2010 the evaluation study focused on the feasibility of these crops being intercropped. In 2011, we have had 5 additional producers to evaluate the intercropping process and research data is being collected and evaluated for feasibility analysis. In 2011, watermelons have also been evaluated in the intercropping system.

Results and Discussion: The preliminary findings from this 2 year evaluation indicate that cucurbit crops (cantaloupe and watermelons) and cotton can be grown in an intercropping management approach. Yields on melons and management of melon crop in the intercropping scenario are comparable to planting melons alone. Economic returns and profitability of cotton compared to late planted (after July 10) grain sorghum is very positive toward the cotton inter cropping.