2007 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416) To investigate three major concerns of organic producers -. 1)suitable organic varieties,. 2)weed management, and. 3) improvement of soil conditions. 1b.Approach (from AD-416) A mutually agreed upon small number (5 to. 7)of watermelon varieties will be selected for investigation. If possible, organic watermelon seed will be utilized. Organic procedures will be used to produce organic transplants. The weed management system will involve using cereal and legume cover crops, which will be flail mowed prior to transplanting into the mulch. Weed, disease, and insect data will be collected during the growing season. Along with yield data. Sampling and analysis of soil and plant matter will be done periodically and will be evaluated in relation to the type of soil amendment applied and type of cover crop. 3.Progress Report This report serves to document activities conducted under a non-funded cooperative agreement established under the supervision of ARS scientists in cooperation with organic producers Joe and Victoria Townsend. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the in-house associated project CRIS 6222-21220-002-00D, Yield and Quality of Vegetable Crops in Conventional and Organic Production Systems. The objective of this project was to investigate the two foremost concerns of organic producers, i.e., organic qualified cultivars of watermelon were established under an organic system that included weed management using rye and legume cover crops. Transplants of six cultivars, including diploids, triploids, and heirloom watermelons were produced using organic procedures and materials. The cereal and legume cover crops were flail mowed prior to transplanting watermelon seedlings into the mulch. No-till methods for production were used. Cultivars responded to treatment and differences in fruit size and yield were noted. ADODR is in regular contact with cooperator via e-mail, phone, face-to-face contacts, and site visits at the cooperator's facilities.