Yield Of Muskmelon Research Articles

Influence of Organic Manure and Inorganic Fertilizers on Growth, Yield and Quality of Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.)

Influence of Organic Manure and Inorganic Fertilizers on Growth, Yield and Quality of Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.)

Effect of grow cover and sowing time on growth, yield and quality of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.)

The present investigation entitled Effect of grow cover and sowing time on growth, yield and quality of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) was carried out at Instructional farm, Jambuvadi, College of Horticulture, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh during 2022-23.The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with Factorial Concept (FRBD) with two factors. The treatments consisted of five date of sowing i.e., second fortnight of December, first fortnight of January, Second fortnight of January, First fortnight of February and second fortnight of February under open field as wellas biodegradable low tunnel, respectively. The result clearly indicated that effect of the grow cover (biodegradable grow cover) and sowing time (1st fortnight of February) (G2S4) recorded minimum days to germination (5.20), days to flowering (22.40) and maximum vine length (139.53 cm), length of secondary branches vine-1 (121.92), fruit weight (538.33 g), polar diameter (9.50 cm), fruit yield vine-1 (1.80 kg vine-1), total fruit yield (76.44 t ha-1), pulp thickness (3.00 cm), TSS(8.11oBrix) and minimum cavity index (3.68cm).

Yield response and economic evaluation of drip-fertigated muskmelon cultivated under mulched conditions

A study was carried out to standardize the moisture regime (irrigation) and fertigation (N:P:K levels) for improved crop establishment, plant growth, yield and fruit quality of muskmelon under drip irrigation cum fertigation and mulching during 2017-18 and 2018-19. The treatments included three levels of drip irrigation viz. 100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), 80% of ETc and 60% of ETc , with and without silver black polythene plastic mulching in main plots and three levels of fertigation viz. 100% of recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), 80% of RDF and 60% of RDF in subplots. Drip irrigation at 100% of ETc and fertigation at 100% of RDF with mulching helped to improve the vine length, number of primary branches, average fruit weight, diameter and yield when compared with conventional (control) as well as other treatments. These results were statistically at par with that obtained under drip irrigation at 80% of ETc and fertigation at 80% of RDF with mulching. The yield under drip fertigation varied from 168.8-202.8 q/ha, which is about 16.5% higher as compared to conventional treatment. Drip fertigation under mulched conditions resulted in 17.2% higher net returns as compared to conventional treatment. Thus, it may be concluded that drip fertigation at 80% of ETc and fertigation at 80% of RDF with plastic mulching is beneficial for improving productivity of muskmelon with about 80.9% and 20.0% saving of water and fertilizers as compared to conventional method in the present study region

Effects of Water and Nitrogen Coupling on Yield, Quality, Water and Nitrogen Use Efficiencies of Greenhouse Muskmelon

The proficient supply of water and nitrogen is a key factor in facility agriculture. In order to pursue high yields, most farmers blindly irrigate and fertilize, leading to yield reduction, quality decline, soil salinization, and fertility destruction. A successive two-year greenhouse experiment was carried out on fruit quality, yield, irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of greenhouse muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) under drip fertigation, which can provide a scientific basis for local muskmelon intensive production in Southeast China. The experiments were conducted in 2020 and 2021, with three irrigation levels 80% (W1), 100% (W2), and 120% (W3) of ETc and three N levels 60 (N1), 95 (N2), and 130 (N3) kg N ha−1. The amount of drip irrigation water was determined every 5 days based on crop evapotranspiration (ETc). The seasonal irrigation amount ranged from 209.77 mm to 298.86 mm in 2020 and from 201.22 mm to 286.04 mm in 2021. The highest muskmelon yield was obtained in the treatment of W3N3 with an average of 27.38 t ha−1 in 2020 and 27.10 t ha−1 in 2021. Although the yield was improved by increasing nitrogen supply, there was no significant difference between N2 and N3 treatment in two years under the irrigation level of W2 and W3. The highest irrigation water use efficiency was observed in the W1N3 treatment in 2020 and 2021. The NUE increased with decreasing N rates at the same irrigation level. Under the same nitrogen application level, TSS and Vc under low water (W1) were higher than that under medium water (W2) and high water (W3) treatment. The highest content of nitrate in low water and high nitrogen (W1N3) treatment was 55.41 µg/g in 2020 and 52.50 µg/g in 2021, respectively. The yield and quality of muskmelon are often incompatible, for instance, W2N2 treatment can obtain a higher yield, but W1N2 treatment maximizes Vc, TSS of muskmelon quality. Our findings suggest that the irrigation level of 1.0 ETc, nitrogen level of 95 N ha−1, and 3500 kg·ha−1 of decomposed organic fertilizer was recommended as the best combination, which can improve the yield, quality, IWUE, NUE of muskmelon under drip fertigation with soil mulching in the experimental site.

Effect of aerated drip irrigation and nitrogen doses on N2O emissions, microbial activity, and yield of tomato and muskmelon under greenhouse conditions

Effect of aerated drip irrigation and nitrogen doses on N2O emissions, microbial activity, and yield of tomato and muskmelon under greenhouse conditions

Assessing Yield and Quality of Melon (Cucumis melo L.) Improved by Biodegradable Mulching Film.

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic mulching films have an important function, but at the end of their lifetime pose an economic and environmental problem in terms of their removal and disposal. Biodegradable mulching films represent an alternative to LDPE with the potential to avoid these environmental issues. In this preliminary study, we employed a biodegradable film based on Mater-Bi® (MB) in comparison with low-density polyethylene to assess their effect on the yield and particular quality traits (organoleptic and nutraceutical composition of the fruits) of muskmelon (cv Pregiato) grown on soils with different textures (clay-loam-CL and sandy loam-SL) in two private farms in South Italy. Soil temperature under the mulch was also measured. During the monitored periods, mean soil temperature under LDPE was higher (about 1.3 °C) than that under the biodegradable film and was higher in SL soil than in CL soil, at 25.5° and 24.2 °C, respectively. However, the biodegradable film was able to limit the daily temperature fluctuation, which was 1.7 °C in both soils compared with 2.3 °C recorded for LDPE. Fruit yields were higher with MB film than LDPE (+9.5%), irrespective of soil texture. MaterBi® also elicited increases in total soluble solids, polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity compared with LDPE films: 13.3%, 22.4%, 27.2%, and 24.6%, respectively. Color parameters of flesh, namely brightness, chroma, and hue angle were better in fruits grown on LDPE. Our findings suggest that Mater-Bi® based biodegradable mulching film is a potentially valid alternative to traditional LDPE, particularly for obtaining the agronomical benefits outlined above and for promoting environmental sustainability due to its favourable biodegradable properties.

Nitrogen Effect on Fruit Quality and Yield of Muskmelon and Sweet Pepper Cultivars

Yield and fruit quality are two of the most important parameters for the profitability of vegetable crops. In commercial vegetable production, nitrogen (N) is commonly applied in excess, which is associated with nitrate (NO3−) leaching loss. In addition, excess N application may affect yield and fruit quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of N applications of very deficient N (N1, 2 mmol L−1), deficient N (N2, 8 mmol L−1), and conventional N (N3, 14 mmol L−1), according to local fertigation practices, in soil-grown muskmelon and sweet pepper crops in Almeria, South-Eastern Spain. The evaluation was conducted in three cultivars of each species. The yield and the fruit quality parameters of firmness, colour, total soluble solids (TSS) and morphometric variables were evaluated in two years for each species. For most parameters in both species, the effects of N, when significant, occurred regardless of cultivar. In muskmelon and sweet pepper, application of 8.2 mmol N L−1 (i.e., N2) was sufficient to achieve a maximum yield of 6.7 and 7.4 kg m−2, respectively. In muskmelon, very deficient N application led to an increase of 58% in the percentage of fruit discarded, mostly due to malformed and undersized fruits. Fruit firmness and red–green axis coordinate (a*) were not consistently affected by N in any of the crops. However, the fruit lightness (L*) increased with N addition in both species, likely because of increased chlorophyll pigments. With N addition, fruit TSS slightly decreased in muskmelon and slightly increased in sweet pepper. However, fruit TSS of both species were within reference values for commercialisation in the three N treatments. There were differences in yield between cultivars in muskmelon but not in sweet pepper, likely due to differences in fruit number in muskmelon. There were differences between cultivars in TSS and colour a* coordinate in both muskmelon and sweet pepper. Cultivars with higher TSS and a* coordinate will likely be more desirable for consumers because of the sweeter taste and more intense orange colour in muskmelon and reddish colour in sweet pepper. Overall, our manuscript showed that N application can be reduced, relative to the conventional N application, without reducing yield or fruit quality in muskmelon, yet additional studies should be conducted in sweet pepper to complement the results of the 2020 crop.

Effect of Naphthalene Acetic Acid & Indole Acetic Acid on Growth, Yield and Quality of Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.)

The present experiment was carried out during Zaid 2021. In order to study the “Effect of Naphthalene Acetic Acid and Indole Acetic Acid on Growth, Yield and Quality of Muskmelon (Cucumis melo. L). The trail was conducted at Biotechnology polyhouse, Department of Horticulture, Naini Agriculture Institute and Prayagraj. The foliar spray two growth regulators like Naphthalene Acetic Acid and Indole Acetic Acid were spray separately at different concentration (NAA @10ppm, 20ppm, 30 ppm, 40 ppm, 50 ppm, 60 ppm, 70 ppm, 80 ppm. IAA @ 100 ppm, 200 ppm, 300 ppm, 400 ppm, 500 ppm, 600 ppm, 700 ppm, 800 ppm. The result revealed among all the treatments foliar application of NAA (80 ppm) is significantly gave positive impact on growth, yield and quality parameters.
 i.e. Vine length (153.96 cm), number of days for 1st male flower (33.6 Days), No. of days for 1st female flower (38.83 Days), No. of Node at which 1st Male flower appears ( 4 . 1 ), No. of Node at which 1st Female flower appears ( 5 . 83) No. of Male flowers (207.33), No. of Female flowers(5.3) fruits per plant (3), diameter of the fruit (22.53 cm), length of the fruit(13.4cm), fruit yield per plant (1.4 kg), fruit yield per hectare (12.46 t), total soluble solids (11.30 Brix°), gross returns (3,73,800 Rs/ha), net returns (2,39,844 Rs/ha) and Benefit: cost ratio (2.79) were obtained among all other treatments with foliar application of NAA @80 ppm compared to other treatments.

Formalin fumigation and steaming of various composts differentially influence the nutrient release, growth and yield of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.)

Nutrient disorder and presence of disease-causing agents in soilless media negatively influence the growth of muskmelon. To combat these issues, use of environmentally-friendly sanitation techniques is crucial for increased crop productivity. The study was conducted under greenhouse and field conditions to investigate the effect of two different sanitation techniques: steaming and formalin fumigation on various media’s characteristics and their impact on muskmelon yield. Media: jantar, guar, wheat straw and rice hull and peat moss of 10% air-filled porosity and sanitized with formalin and steaming. Steaming of guar, jantar, and wheat straw increased the phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) concentrations by 13.80–14.86% and 6.22–8.45% over formalin fumigation. Likewise, P and K concentrations in muskmelon were higher under steaming. Steaming significantly inhibited the survival of Fusarium wilt sp. melonis, root knot nematode sp. meloidogyne and nitrifying bacteria in media than formalin fumigation. In conclusion, steaming decreased the prevalence of nitrifying bacteria and pathogens which thus improved the NO3−–N:NH4+–N ratios, P and K nutritional balance both in the media and muskmelon transplants. Hence, steaming as an environment-friendly approach is recommended for soilless media. Further, optimization of steaming for various composts with different crops needs to be investigated with steaming teachnique.

Polymer and deficit irrigation influence on water use efficiency and yield of muskmelon under surface and subsurface drip irrigation

Water scarcity is a major constraint facing vegetable production sustainability in open field farming of arid regions like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This study was carried out in an open field of the Research and Training Station of King Faisal University in the eastern region of the Kingdom. The objective was to assess the influences of the polymer addition (PA), deficit irrigation regime (DIR), and their combination on the production and water use efficiency (WUE) of muskmelons. PA treatments of 0.0, 0.2 and 0.4% and the irrigation treatments of 100, 75 and 50% of reference evapotranspiration (ET<sub>o</sub>), were imposed throughout the growth stages of muskmelons under surface drip irrigation (DI) and subsurface drip irrigation (SDI). The polymer addition of 0.4% enhanced the field water holding capacity of the medium sandy soil within the locality of the emitters by 43.6%. The soil water content of the surface layer within the vicinity of the polymer amended soil layer increased in a range of 72.4 to 99.4% to the combined influences of the 0.4% PA with the DI and SDI, but were marked more under the SDI. The combination of the 100% ET<sub>o</sub> DIR with polymer additions significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced the muskmelon fruit yield (MFY) under the SDI compared to DI. The PA of 0.4% improved WUE and MFY by 67.7, 70.4% under the SDI, and 58.6, 24.2% under the DI, respectively. Without the polymer addition (0.0% PA), the MFY significantly (P < 0.05) decreased with the increase of the DIRs under both DI and SDI.

Effects of different application methods of Bacillus subtilis agent on soil microbial diversity and growth of muskmelon

Continuous planting of muskmelon and excessive application of chemical fertilizers have caused a series of problems, such as imbalance of the soil micro-ecological environment, serious soil-borne diseases and yield loss. Application of Bacillus subtilis agent is an important way to improve soil micro-ecological environment, prevent soil-borne diseases, and promote plant growth. In this study, B. subtilis was used as experimental agent to analyze the effects of different application methods on the soil microbial diversity and growth of muskmelon in greenhouse. The number of culturable microorganisms in soil was measured by dilution-plate method. The diversity of soil uncultivated microorganisms was determined by Illumina Miseq sequencing technology. The yield of muskmelon was measured by weighing method. The number of culturable bacteria in the root irrigation, hole application and dipping root application groups was higher than that of the control in different muskmelon growth stages, but there was no significant difference among the three different application methods. The number of soil fungi from B. subtilis agent treatment groups in flowering stage was significantly lower in comparison to the control group. However, B. subtilis agent treatment did not cause significant difference on soil fungi number at the fruiting and pulling stage. Diversity analysis of uncultured microorganisms showed that the Shannon index values of bacteria were higher and Simpson index values were lower respectively in the three B. subtilis treatment groups than that in the control. Moreover, the dipping root treatment produced the lowest Shannon index value and the highest Simpson index value of fungi. NMDS and cluster analysis showed that B. subtilis agents dipping root treatment significantly affected the bacterial and fungal flora, both of which were clustered into one independent branch. The application of B. subtilis agents, especially dipping root treatment, significantly decreased the abundance of Bacteroidetes, increased the abundance of Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria. The B. subtilis agent treatment didn't produce significant effect on the diversity of fungal flora except Chytridiomycota. The height, stem diameter and leaf area of muskmelon increased by applying B. subtilis agents, and dipping root treatment produced the most significant effect. As a new type of environmental protection fertilizer, B. subtilis agent can increase the number of soil culturable microorganisms, improve soil microbial diversity, and promote growth and yield. This study would provide a scientific basis for the rational application of B. subtilis.

Growth response of greenhouse-produced muskmelon and tomato to sub-surface drip irrigation and soil aeration management factors

BackgroundHypoxia causes injury and yield loss. Soil aeration has been reported to accelerate the growth of plants and increase crop yield. The aim of this study was to examine growth response of greenhouse-produced muskmelon to 3 levels of sub-surface drip irrigation (I), 3 different installation depths of drip laterals in the soil (D), and 4 levels of supplemental soil aeration frequency (A). A fractional factorial experiment was designed to examine these treatment effects on marketable fresh fruit yield, leaf area index during 3 growth stages, and dry matter partitioning at harvest. In addition, we studied the response of fruit yield and dry matter of tomato to 2 levels of burial depths of subsurface tubing in combination with 3 frequency levels of soil aeration.ResultsResults showed that soil aeration can positively influence the yield, leaf area index, dry matter and irrigation use efficiency of the muskmelon (p < 0.05). The fruit yield of muskmelon and tomato were increased by 21.5 and 30.8% respectively with 1-d and 2-d aeration intervals compared with the no aeration treatment.ConclusionsThe results suggest that soil aeration can positively impact the plant root zone environment and more benefits can be obtained with aeration for both muskmelon and tomato plants.

Sowing Dates and Fertilizer Application on Growth and Yield of Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) at Ado-Ekiti

Information on some agronomic practices are required for muskmelon production as there is no record of its production in Ado-Ekiti. A field study of 3 x 2 factorial experiment of sowing dates (January, May and September) and NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer application (0 and 333 kg ha-1) was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design in three replicates at the Teaching and Research Farm of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. Data collected on the number of leaves and branches, leaf area, vine length, day to flowering, 50% flowering, number of fruit, fruit size and yield were subjected to analysis of variance and treatment means separated by Duncan's Multiple Range Test at 5% probability. Dates of sowing did not significantly influence growth but muskmelon planted in May gave a higher number of leaves plant-1, leaf area and vine length. Fertilized plants produced better growth and earlier flowering than unfertilized plants. The number of fruits ha-1, average fruit weight and fruit yield ha-1 of 11606, 0.78 kg and 9.09 t ha-1 respectively were produced by fertilized plants which were significantly higher than 10036.70, 0.28 kg and 2.44 t ha-1 from unfertilized plants. Muskmelon planted in September produced a higher number of fruits and fruit yield of 12418 and 11.29 t ha-1 while muskmelon planted in May produced higher fruit weight (0.94 kg) but these did not differ significantly from other sowing dates. Planting muskmelon under the rain-fed condition with adequate fertilizer application gave better performance and is thereby recommended for muskmelon production in Ado-Ekiti.

Effects of Biochar and Chromolaena odorata Liquid Fertilizer Enriched with Sodium Bicarbonate on Soil and Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.)

Biochar is an organic material instantly made by burning wood into charcoal by pyrolysis, which can meet the high demand for an organic material that cannot be available in a short time. The study aimed to determine the effect of biochar and Chromolaena odorata liquid fertilizer (CLF) enriched with Sodium bicarbonate on soil pH and Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) productivity. The research was conducted from December to February 2019 at the field station of Tamansiswa University, Padang. The study was carried out in a factorial experiment with 2 treatment factors arranged in a Completely Randomized Design, consisting of three replications within treatments. The data obtained were analyzed using the F test at 5%, followed by the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at 5%. The results showed that there was an interaction effect of Biochar and CLF application on reducing the soil pH. Among all treatments, the application of 2 t.Ha -1 biochar combined with 50 ml.L -1 CLF + 0 g.L -1 sodium bicarbonate resulted in the highest growth rate and yield of muskmelon in Ultisols soil.

Integrating Rowcovers and Strip Tillage for Pest Management in Summer Squash and Muskmelon Production

Pest management in cucurbit (Cucurbitaceae) cropping systems is challenging. As a result, pesticides are heavily used for managing insect pests and diseases. This work focused on the application of integrated pest management (IPM) techniques to control pests and reduce reliance on insecticide sprays while maintaining the quality and quantity of marketable yields in two commonly grown cucurbit crops: muskmelon (Cucumis melo) and summer squash (Cucurbita pepo). Plasticulture (raised beds covered in black plastic mulch) and strip tillage, two soil management systems commonly used for cucurbit IPM production, were compared to determine their impact on yield and pest numbers during the 2013–14 growing seasons. Additionally, the use of early season rowcovers and their impact on yield and pest pressure were investigated. Plasticulture use increased marketable yields compared with strip tillage for both summer squash and muskmelon, but strip tillage resulted in fewer total pests for both crops. Rowcover use did not have a consistent effect on insect pest numbers and showed a negative impact on the yield of both summer squash and muskmelon. No significant impacts on yield were observed when the interaction between rowcovers and the tillage system was investigated. The use of rowcovers impacted pest numbers, but these impacts were not consistent between insect pest species. Insecticide use was reduced in covered treatments, but only by one application. We concluded that these management techniques have the potential to be used in an IPM system, but the reduced marketable yield of strip tillage systems may reduce the adoption of this IPM technique for these crops.

Effects of Leaf Potassium Content on Growth Dynamics of Muskmelon and Developing a Coupling Model of Nitrogen and Potassium

Nitrogen and potassium are two crucial nutrient elements that affect the yield and quality of crops. The aim of this study was to quantify the impacts of potassium on growth dynamics and quality of muskmelon, so as to optimize potassium management for muskmelon in a plastic greenhouse, and develop a coupling model of nitrogen and potassium. For this purpose, four experiments (two experiments with different levels of potassium treatment and planting dates, and the other two experiments with different ratios of nitrogen and potassium, and planting dates) on muskmelon (Cucumis melo L. ‘Nanhaimi’ and ‘Xizhoumi 25’) were conducted in a plastic greenhouse located at Sanya from Jan. 2014 to Sept. 2015. The quantitative relationship between leaf potassium content and growth dynamics and yield of muskmelon was determined and incorporated into a photosynthesis-driven crop growth model (SUCROS). Independent experimental data were used to validate the model. The critical leaf potassium content at the flowering stage for muskmelon ‘Nanhaimi’ and ‘Xizhoumi 25’ were 55.0 and 46.0 mg·g−1. The result showed that the coefficient of determination (r2) between the predicted and measured values of leaf area index (LAI), direct weight of shoot (DWSH), direct weight of stem (DWST), dry weight of leaf (DWL), dry weight of fruit (DWF), fresh weight of fruit (FWF), soluble sugar content (SU), soluble protein content (PR), vitamin C (Vc), and soluble solids content (SO) of potassium model were 0.93, 0.98, 0.83, 0.96, 0.98, 0.99, 0.94, 0.94, 0.89, 0.85, and 0.90, respectively; and the relative root-mean-squared error (rRMSE) were 10.8%, 19.6%, 30.3%, 21.1%, 11.9%, 17.2%, 13.9%, 27.8%, 20.6%, and 10.1%, respectively. The two ways of nitrogen and potassium coupling (multiplicative coupling and minimum coupling) were compared, and the multiplicative coupling was used in model development finally. The r2 between the predicted and measured values of LAI, DWSH, DWST, DWL, DWF, FWF, SU, PR, Vc, and SO of nitrogen and potassium coupling model were 0.78, 0.91, 0.93, 0.94, 0.83, 0.89, 0.92, 0.95, 0.91, and 0.93, respectively; and their rRMSE were 9.2%, 12.4%, 11.8%, 43.2%, 6.6%, 7.2%, 6.85%, 4.98%, 6.61%, and 4.35%, respectively. The models could be used for the optimization of potassium, nitrogen, and potassium coupling management for muskmelon production in a plastic greenhouse.

Performance and Quality of Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) as Influenced by Crop Spacing and Rates of Swine Manure Application

Field and laboratory studies were conducted to determine the effect of plant spacing and rate of swine manure application on the growth, yield, nutrient concentration, uptake and proximate composition of muskmelon (Cucumis melo). The experiments were laid out as a 3×4 factorial fitted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications. The treatments consisted of four rates of swine manure (0 t ha-1, 5 t ha-1, 10 t ha-1 and 15 t ha-1) and three crop spacing (50 × 50 cm, 75 × 75 cm, 100 × 100 cm). The results showed that spacing had no significant effect on the number of leaves, leaf area, stem diameter and number of branches, but substantially increased the vine length at 100 × 100 cm. Number of flowers and fruit weight per plant increased with raw spacing, while the number of fruits per plot and fruit yield (t ha-1) increased with a decrease in plant spacing, whereas the narrowest spacing of 50 × 50 cm produced the significantly highest fruit yield (25.47 t ha-1). The concentrations of P, Ca, Mg and Fe (4.28, 6.81, 4.55 and 0.80 mg kg-1) were the highest at 100 × 100 cm spacing compared to other treatments. However, N concentration (1.18) and uptake of N, P, Ca, Mg, Fe and Na was highest at spacing of 75 × 75 cm and at 10 t ha-1 swine manure rate. The effect of spacing on proximate composition of muskmelon did not follow a particular pattern; however, wider spacing of 75 × 75 cm and 100 × 100 cm at 10 t ha-1 favoured most of the proximate composition compared to the narrowest spacing of 50 × 50 cm and other manure rates. Although there was no significant difference in fruit yields of 10 and 15 t ha-1, application of 15 t ha-1, swine manure out-yielded 10 t ha-1, by 8.55%.

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT CROP ROTATIONS ON WEED INFESTATION AND YIELD OF SILAGE MAIZE (Zea mays L.) AND MUSKMELON (Cucumis melo L.) IN ORGANIC CULTIVATION

In our study, we investigated how crop rotation of a spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica), vetch (Vicia sativa L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) mixture and faba bean (Vicia faba L.) with maize (Zea mays L.) and muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) products affected the weed density and coverage area in organic crop production. The weed coverage areas and densities (weeds m–2) of summer crops produced in rotation with winter crops were compared with those of control plots in the experimental area. As a result of this comparison, the most effective winter crops for reducing weed density in silage maize were found to be broccoli (50.4%), barley + vetch (48.3%) and faba bean (45.3%). When the effect of winter crops on weeds in terms of muskmelon production was examined, barley + vetch (53.2%), broccoli (36.1%) and faba bean (33.4%) were found to reduce the density of weeds. In contrast, the application of barley + vetch (67.0%), faba bean (65.3) and broccoli (62.0%) was the most effective applications for the muskmelon product in terms of weed coverage area; spinach (24.7%) and constantly weedless (16.8%) applications were less effective. When the silage maize and muskmelon yield results were examined, it was determined that yield differences were statistically significant. It was also determined that the highest yield was obtained from the barley + vetch rotations. This application effectiveness was followed by that of the faba bean, constantly weedless, broccoli and spinach applications.&#x0D; Novelty statement. Recently, non-chemical applications have been considered for weed control due to growing concerns about herbicide resistance and chemical residues in the environment. Moreover, organic crop systems are gradually developing. One of the options for weed control in organic farming is crop rotation. In this study, we found that crop rotations controlled weeds effectively in organic farming.

Effect of grafting on resistance to vine decline disease, yield and fruit quality in muskmelon cv. Sawadi

A study was conducted to evaluate graft success, resistance to vine decline disease and effect of grafting on quality and yield of muskmelon. Two field experiments, conducted in Oman, showed that muskmelon cv. Sawadi grafted on six cucurbit rootstocks gave high grafting success: 97.6-99.1% (avg. 98.6%) and 92.4-96.9% (avg. 95.3%) under field conditions in fall 2012 and spring 2013 respectively. No significant differences were observed between seasons among the six treatments and a non-grafted control in consumer preference for odor and firmness, fruit shape, flesh vitamin C, micronutrient content and TSS (sucrose %) or pH in spring 2013 (P &gt; 0.05). The concentration of phosphorus and sodium significantly decreased in both seasons in all treatments in comparison to the control (P &gt; 0.05). In both seasons potassium content significantly increased when Rsscih7458 and Mubyeongjangsoo rootstocks were used (P &lt; 0.05). Strong Tosa rootstocks showed zero graft failure, high resistance to vine decline disease, high yield production and higher TSS (sucrose %) as compared to other rootstocks. Strong Tosa and Tetsukabuto rootstocks showed significantly higher consumer acceptance for rind color, flesh color and overall consumer acceptance in spring 2013 and was also less affected by seasonal changes. Results suggested that by grafting muskmelon cv. Sawadi some quality attributes may be improved in addition to the increased level of resistance to disease. However, additional trials are required to make final recommendations for the farming community.

Effect of grafting on resistance to vine decline disease, yield and fruit quality in muskmelon cv. Sawadi

A study was conducted to evaluate graft success, resistance to vine decline disease and effect of grafting on quality and yield of muskmelon. Two field experiments, conducted in Oman, showed that muskmelon cv. Sawadi grafted on six cucurbit rootstocks gave high grafting success: 97.6-99.1% (avg. 98.6%) and 92.4-96.9% (avg. 95.3%) under field conditions in fall 2012 and spring 2013 respectively. No significant differences were observed between seasons among the six treatments and a non-grafted control in consumer preference for odor and firmness, fruit shape, flesh vitamin C, micronutrient content and TSS (sucrose %) or pH in spring 2013 (P &gt; 0.05). The concentration of phosphorus and sodium significantly decreased in both seasons in all treatments in comparison to the control (P &gt; 0.05). In both seasons potassium content significantly increased when Rsscih7458 and Mubyeongjangsoo rootstocks were used (P &lt; 0.05). Strong Tosa rootstocks showed zero graft failure, high resistance to vine decline disease, high yield production and higher TSS (sucrose %) as compared to other rootstocks. Strong Tosa and Tetsukabuto rootstocks showed significantly higher consumer acceptance for rind color, flesh color and overall consumer acceptance in spring 2013 and was also less affected by seasonal changes. Results suggested that by grafting muskmelon cv. Sawadi some quality attributes may be improved in addition to the increased level of resistance to disease. However, additional trials are required to make final recommendations for the farming community.