Abstract
ABSTRACT The muskmelon plants allow several ways to manipulate sources/drains ratio. The objective of this work was to evaluate characteristics of the productivity and quality of Cantaloupe melon fruits due to the temporary use of row cover and the number of fruits per plant. The experiment was carried out from August to December 2014, at Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Paraiba State, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks with treatments allocated in split plots 5x3, with four replicates. The authors reported permanence time of the row cover at different times in the plot {20, 24, 28, 32, and 36 days after transplanting (DAT)} and, in the subplots, the number of fruits per plant (plants with one fruit, plants with two fruits and fruit-free setting plants). The authors evaluated traits of production and quality of fruits. The permanence time of row cover and number of fruits per plant promoted changes in the productivity and quality of the muskmelon fruits. The permanence of the row cover from 20 to 36 DAT provided reduction in the total soluble solids. The average fruit mass and fruit yield reached the maximum value with the permanence of the row cover up to 26.6 and 25.1 DAT, respectively. Plants with one and two fruits presented higher average fruit mass, but with lower productivity compared to the plant with fruit-free setting.
Highlights
Características de frutos de melão em função da cobertura temporária com agrotêxtil e do número de frutos
The authors observed a quadratic response with maximum values of 1.948 kg/plant at 26.6 days after row cover removal, from this time on, the authors observed a reduction of fruit mass of 0.470 kg/ fruit, which corresponds to 26.3% of the mass after row cover removal at 36.0 days after transplanting (DAT) (Figure 1A)
The plants which had the row cover removed earlier resulted in a longer period of time of radiation exposure, which could have contributed to increase the photosynthetic activity of plants and, higher production and photo-assimilate transport for the fruit growth
Summary
Características de frutos de melão em função da cobertura temporária com agrotêxtil e do número de frutos. As épocas de permanência do agrotêxtil e o número de frutos por planta promoveram alterações na produtividade e qualidade dos frutos do meloeiro. In 2013, 575,386 t of melons were produced in Brazil, in 22,810 ha, highlighting the Northeast region with 95.0% of the total production of the country, highlighting the State of Rio Grande do Norte and Ceará. The necessary condition for success in growing this plant is directly related to high luminosity, temperature, low rainfall and low relative humidity (Medeiros et al, 2007) These weather conditions are found in Sertão Region of the State of Paraíba, due to low level of technology and inappropriate plant management adopted by small producers, the production has been low. Hortic. bras., Brasília, v.35, n.4, October-December 2017 other States has been common aiming to meet the internal demand
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