Production and quality of watermelon grown under seaweed extract

Abstract

The use of biofertilizers with macroalgae base has become a viable alternative to conventionally used synthetic fertilizers. Among the advantages of using these extracts is the increase in productivity and improvements in the agronomic performance of the crop. Its use is allowed in organic agriculture as it is a natural product. The objective of this research was to evaluate the influence of the seaweed extract, Ascophyllum nodosum (L.) to the productive development and quality of watermelon plants. A randomized block design with 6 treatments and 4 replications was applied. The treatments comprised of full or divided doses (total of 3.0 ml L-1) of seaweed extract (T1: producer standard; T2: (1.0 – 1.0 – 1.0 mL L-1) applied 2 - 16 - 30 days after transplanting (d.a.t.); T3: (1.5 - 1.5 ml L-1) 2 - 30 (d.a.t.); T4: (1.0 – 1.0 – 1.0 mL L-1) 16 - 30 - 44 (d.a.t.); T5: (1.5 - 1.5 mL L-1) 16 - 30 (d.a.t.) T6: (3.0 mL L-1) 2 (d.a.t.). 100 mL of the prepared solution was used for each experiment. The application of Acadian® improved the yield of water melon in the order of 12.69 to 27.76% and at different periods of the crop cycle.