Freqüências de irrigação na produtividade e qualidade do melão cantaloupe, em Mossoró-RN

Abstract

The irrigation management, with frequent applications, conditions the soil to maintain with optimum moisture, favoring the development of the crop and consequently high yield. The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of the irrigation frequency in the yield and quality of the melon crop of the type Cantaloupe, in the area of Mossoró-RN. The experiment was carried out in Experimental Farm "Rafael Fernandes" of the Rural Federal University of the Semi-arid (UFERSA), in the place of Alagoinha, in the municipal district of Mossoró-RN. The used experimental design was randomized blocks, with five treatments and four replications. The treatments are different irrigation frequencies (F): T1 = irrigation every other day (F = 0.5 day-1); T2 = daily irrigation (F = 1.0 day-1); T3 = irrigation twice a day (F = 2.0 day-1); T4 = irrigation three times a day (F = 3.0 day-1); T5 = irrigation four times a day (F = 4.0 day-1). The harvest fruits were weighed individually and the yield was classified in agreement with the weight of the fruit. For the postharvest analysis of crop three representative fruits of each experimental unit were selected in three blocks and taken to the laboratory. The total soluble solids content, firmness and thickness of the pulp were analyzed. The collected data, of yield, postharvest and water use efficiency, were submitted to statistical analyses. For the conditions of the experiment, the frequency of 2.0 day-1 was presented the higher yields and water use efficiencies and the frequency of 0.5 day-1 was presented higher values of soluble solids content and firmness of the pulp