All Current Publications
Document Type
Factsheet
Publisher
Utah State University Extension
Publication Date
1-20-2026
First Page
1
Last Page
8
Abstract
Watermelon is a water-intensive vegetable crop that is sensitive to drought and requires adequate nutrient supply for good yield and fruit quality. It is an important vegetable crop grown on 142,000 acres in the United States and 586 acres throughout Utah. Utah experienced its driest year on record in 2020 during a five-year drought (2019 to 2023). This affected local ecosystems, including the Great Salt Lake, which experienced record-low water levels. The drought also negatively affected the agricultural sector, including watermelon growers. Higher-than-average fertilizer prices in recent years have also threatened watermelon production. Growing awareness of agriculture's water use and its contribution to nutrient pollution in waterways has prompted investigations into reducing water and fertilizer applications to achieve more sustainable watermelon production in Utah. Plant biostimulants have been shown to increase drought tolerance and enhance nutrient efficiency and may be a novel method to combat these challenges
Recommended Citation
Christensen, Evan A.; Oliveira, Milena; Sun, Youping; Cardon, Grant; and Drost, Dan, "Biostimulant Applications in Watermelon Production" (2026). All Current Publications. Paper 2582.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/extension_curall/2582