Investigation of different nutrient levels applied during irrigation in the self-rooted and grafted watermelon production

Abstract

My work in the form of water-soluble fertilizers for self-rooted and grafted watermelon cultivation, applied simultaneously with irrigation, it concentrates on examining different nutrient levels during the growing season. Within that, I focused on the application of macronutrients - nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium. Therefore, I set up 4 different nutrient levels for both types of seedlings, in two replicates, of which I developed a phosphorus, a nitrogen, and a potassium overweight nutrient level, and a nutrient level in which all three nutrients were in equal proportions. The latter formed the control. For both self-rooted and grafted seedlings, I wondered whether changes in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium would affect, and if so, the positive or negative direction of plant development, or the quality or the weight of the crops. My research pointed out that at the beginning of the growing season, before or during the first flowering period, higher amounts of phosphorus applied simultaneously with irrigation have a positive effect on the development and yield and quality of grafted plants throughout the growing season. Higher phosphorus content applied by irrigation before and during the first flowering period also promotes flowering of self-rooted plants and improves their crop quality. But in their case, the higher potassium active substance applied during the ripening period has the most positive effect on their yield results. Respectively, the experiment showed that the nutrients applied during nutrient solution are of great importance.