Effect of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers on melon plant productivity

Abstract

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of different doses of nitrogen and potassium fertilizers on some production parameters of melon plants. The experiment was carried out in San Roque, which is 24 km from the city of Concepción, Paraguay, at the coordinates 57°14´10.29´´ South and 23°19´12.05´´ West. The study design was the completely randomized block with three replications in a split plot scheme 4 x 4. The dose used in the main plot was of N (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha^-1) and in the sub-plot, K (0, 95, 190 and 285 kg ha^-1). A light harrow was carried out to prepare the soil, seedlings were produced in 1500 cm3 pots of 60-micron thickness and the transplant was carried out when the seedlings had between 4 and 6 true leaves at 30 days after planting. Urea with 45% N was used as the source of nitrogen and potassium chloride 60% was used as the source of potassium. Fertilisation was carried out in September 2017 on two occasions: at 15 and 30 days after transplanting. The spacing used was of 1.5 m between rows and 1.5 m between plants, giving a total of 4356 plants ha^-1. Harvesting began 90 days after planting and was carried out three times as the fruits reached commercial ripeness. The variables that were measured were average fruit weight (AFW), total soluble solids (TSS), polar diameter (PD), equatorial diameter (ED), fruit weight per plant (FWP). The data of the evaluated variables were subjected to the analysis of variance using the Fisher test where significant differences were found in: AFW, TSS, PD, ED and FWP. Subsequently, the regression analysis was performed (AFW, TSS and PD) and response surface (ED and FWP). The dose combination that produced the best values for equatorial diameter and fruit weight per plant was 71.9495 kg ha^-1 of N and 160.554 kg ha^-1 of K, 77.5921 kg ha^-1 of N and 147.369 kg ha^-1 of K, respectively.