The quality of yellow passion fruits is affected by genetic and exogenous factors like climate, soil and agricultural practices such as fertilizing and irrigation. Thus, an experiment was developed from February to December 2013 to evaluate the effect of nitrogen fertigation and humic substances on physical and chemical quality of yellow passion fruits. The experimental design used was in complete blocks design with subdivided plots with N rates (180, 200, 260, 330 and 350 kg ha-1 year-1) in parcels and application of humic substances (with and without) in sub-parcels, with five repetitions of six plants. At 210 days after transplanting all fruits were harvested and conducted to the laboratory for evaluation of fruit mass, longitudinal and transversal fruit diameter, skin thickness, pulp percentage, pulp pH, vitamin C, soluble solids, titratable acidity, and soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio. Fruits produced, independently of the treatment, are adequate for consumption as in natura or processed fruit. It is possible to recommend a dose of 260 kg ha-1 of N without humic substances for production of good quality yellow passion fruits.

R E S U M OA melancia apresenta pouca tolerância à deficiência de boro e seu fornecimento via tratamento de sementes pode atender a necessidade da planta e melhorar seu desenvolvimento especialmente na fase de mudas. Objetivou-se com esse trabalho avaliar o desenvolvimento inicial de mudas de melancia em função da aplicação de boro nas sementes. O experimento foi realizado em abrigo telado (50% de luminosidade), em Bom Jesus-PI no período de abril a maio de 2011. Adotou-se o delineamento em blocos casualizados, com os tratamentos: 0,0; 4,24; 8,50; 17,00; 34,00 g de B kg -1 de sementes, com cinco repetições e cinco plântulas por parcela experimental. Foram utilizados como recipientes tubetes com capacidade para 50 cm 3 , preenchidos com substrato constituído de solo (Latossolo Vermelho), areia lavada e esterco bovino na proporção (1:1:2), respectivamente. No final do experimento, avaliou-se: i) a altura da planta; ii) diâmetro do caule; iii) matéria seca de raiz e da parte aérea (g planta -1 ); iv) clorofila; v) comprimento da raiz e vi) volume radicular. A aplicação de boro nas sementes influenciou positivamente as variáveis altura da planta, clorofila, matéria seca da parte aérea, comprimento radicular e volume radicular. A dose de 25,5 g de B kg -1 de sementes é recomendada para maior produção de matéria seca das mudas. Palavras-chave: ácido bórico, adubação via semente, olerícola. A B S T R A C TWatermelon has little tolerance to boron deficiency and supply via seed treatment can meet the need of the plant and improve its development especially in the seedling stage. The objective of this study was to evaluate the initial development of watermelon seedlings due to boron application in seeds. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions (50% brightness) in Bom Jesus-PI from April to May 2011. A randomized complete block design was adopted with treatments: 0.0; 4.24; 8.50; 17.00; 34.00 g of B kg -1 of seeds, with five replications and five seedlings per experimental plot. There were used containers with a capacity of 50 cm 3 , filled with a substrate composed of soil (Oxisol), washed sand and manure in the ratio (1:1:2), respectively. At the end of the experiment, it was evaluated: i) the height of the plant; ii) stem diameter; iii) dry matter of root and shoot (g plant -1 ); iv) chlorophyll; v) root length and vi) root volume. The application of boron in the seeds positively influenced the variables plant height, chlorophyll, dry matter of shoot, root length and root volume. The dose of 25.5 g of B kg -1 of seeds is recommended for higher dry matter production of seedlings.

The melon has little boron deficiency tolerance and supply as seed treatment can meet the need of the plant and improve its development especially in the seedling stage. The objective of this study was to evaluate the initial development of muskmelon seedlings 'Imperial' on the basis of boron application in seeds. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions (50% brightness) in Bom Jesus-PI in the period April-May 2011. It was adopted a randomized block design, with treatments: 0.0; 4.24; 8.50; 17.00; 34.00 g kg -1 B seeds, with five replications, and experimental unit consisting of five seedlings. Tubes were used as containers for up to 50 cm -3 , filled with a substrate composed of soil (Oxisol), washed sand and manure in the ratio (1: 1: 2) respectively. At the end of the experiment were evaluated: i) plant height; ii) stem diameter and iii) dry matter of root and shoot. There was an effect of boron rates applied to melon seed, with increased production of dry matter of shoots and roots, recommending the dose 11 g B per kg of seed for increased production of dry tissue.Additional keywords: boric acid; Cucumis melo L.; seed fertilization. ResumoO meloeiro apresenta pouca tolerância à deficiência de boro, e seu fornecimento via tratamento de sementes pode atender à necessidade da planta e melhorar seu desenvolvimento, especialmente na fase de mudas. Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o desenvolvimento inicial de mudas de meloeiro 'Imperial' em função da aplicação de boro nas sementes. O experimento foi realizado em abrigo telado (50% de luminosidade), em Bom Jesus-PI, no período de abril a maio de 2011. Adotou-se delineamento em blocos casualizados, com os tratamentos: 0,0; 4,24; 8,50; 17,00 e 34,00 gramas de B por quilograma de sementes, com cinco repetições, e parcela experimental constituída por cinco plântulas. Foram utilizados como recipientes tubetes com capacidade para 50 cm -3 , preenchidos com substrato constituído de solo (Latossolo Vermelho), areia lavada e esterco bovino, na proporção (1:1:2), respectivamente. No final do experimento, avaliaram-se: i) altura da planta; ii) diâmetro do caule, e iii) matéria seca de raiz e da parte aérea. Houve efeito das doses de boro aplicadas via semente de melão, com aumento na produção de matéria seca da parte aérea e radicular, recomendando-se a dose de 11 g de B por kg de semente para maior produção de matéria seca das mudas.Palavras-chave adicionais: ácido bórico; adubação via semente; Cucumis melo L.

Fruit production of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims. f. flavicarpa Deg.) is affected by several factors, such as climate, soil and agricultural practices, including fertilization and irrigation, which are essential for high crop yield. Thus, an experiment was carried on to evaluate the effect of humic substances and different nitrogen doses supplied through fertigation on fruit production of yellow passion fruit in Brazilian semiarid. The experiment was carried on from December 2012 to December 2013 on Curaçá irrigation area, Juazeiro County, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized complete block in a split plot arrangement, considering humic substances (absence and presence) as main plots and N doses (180, 200, 260, 330 and 350 kg ha-1 yr-1 of N) as subplots with five replications and six plants in each parcel. The interaction of nitrogen doses and humic substances affected foliar nitrogen concentrations, stem diameter, production per plant and yield. No isolated effect of humic substances on any variable studied was significant. The higher yellow passion fruit yields are recorded at 290 and 350 kg ha-1 N doses without and with humic substances, respectively.