Yield and quality of the melon fruit grown with plastic films in response to irrigation depth

Abstract

The need for techniques that increase the yield of melon with fruit in obtaining desirable traits by consumers, with high content of soluble solids and pulp firmness, good flavor and good external appearance, is a reality. The soil cover with polyethylene films is a technique that was introduced in the agro-pole Assu-Mossoró-Baraúna to meet this demand. The objective of this study was to evaluate the yield and fruit quality of yellow melon grown with four irrigation depths (L1 - 100%, L2 - 91%, L3 - 82%, L4 - 72% of the standard depth of 452 mm which was determined by the methodology of the FAO Kc dual) and tree types of polyethylene film (white-black, silver-black, black-black) used for the soil cover, compared with cultivation without coverage. Was used the randomized block design with split plot into 4 x 4, and four replications. The use of polyethylene films provided a significant increase in yield, and the increase of fruit weight by 20% on average, compared to treatment without coverage; the polyethylene film of white-black and black-black were better in relation to the silver-black color; the standard depth of 452 mm can be reduced by 28% without yield reduction even with the average fruit weight decrease by 11%; the concentration of soluble solids  decreased as the irrigation was reduced due to heavy pest attack.