Production and Quality of Mini Watermelon Under Drip Irrigation With Brackish Water

Abstract

Watermelon plays an important role in Brazilian agribusiness. The objective of present study was to evaluate the effect of different irrigation managements and water salinity levels, on the main productive and postharvest characteristics of mini-watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) cv. ‘Sugar Baby’. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse in a completely randomized design, arranged in a 2 x 4 factorial scheme, with four replicates. The treatments consisted of two types of irrigation management (conventional and pulse) and four saline levels of nutrient solution of fertigation (2.5; 4.5; 5.5; 6.5 dS m-1). The control treatment corresponded to the electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution prepared with local supply water. The irrigation depth was calculated by the product of reference evapotranspiration and crop coefficient. The number of pulses were defined and fractionated according to the atmospheric demand. The salinity of the fertigation solution affects some variables of the production, but does not reduce the quality of the mini-fruit cv. ‘Sugar Baby’. The management of pulse irrigation shows better results in low salinity, while conventional drip management is more suitable for high salinity (6.5 dS m-1).

Production and post-harvest quality of mini-watermelon crop under irrigation management strategies and potassium fertilization

“…In addition, salt stress affects the fruit yield of crops because it causes changes in plant physiology in response to factors such as osmotic stress, ionic toxicity and nutritional imbalance (Negrão et al, 2017). Do Ó et al (2020), in a study evaluating the effect of pulse and drip irrigation management and water salinity levels (ECsol ranging from 2.5 to 6.5 dS m -1 ), on the productive and postharvest characteristics of Sugar Baby mini-watermelons, obtained fresh mass of 1,193 g of fruits in the plants cultivated under ECsol of 6.5, that is, a value higher than that used in the present study. It is worth mentioning that Do Ó et al (2020) used as substrate mixture of coconut fiber and bovine manure in the proportion of 3:1 (volume basis), which might have mitigated the action of the matric potential on the availability of water for the plants.…”

“…Several studies carried out with watermelons under conditions of salt stress highlighted the sensitive nature of the crop to the salinity of irrigation water (Sousa et al, 2016;Silva et al, 2020;Lima et al, 2020a). However, the effect of salt stress on plants may vary according to the stages of plant development, as well as fertilization management practices, irrigation and climatic conditions (Lemes et al, 2018).…”

“…However, the effect of salt stress on plants may vary according to the stages of plant development, as well as fertilization management practices, irrigation and climatic conditions (Lemes et al, 2018). Among the strategies that can minimize the deleterious effects of salt stress on plants, the use of saline water only in the tolerant phenological stages stands out (Silva et al, 2020;Lima et al, 2020b).…”

Irrigation with saline water in the cultivation of mini watermelon under phosphate fertilization

“…Several studies have been conducted to evaluate the potential of using saline water in the cultivation of mini watermelon and have found the harmful effects of water salinity on growth, gas exchange, photosynthetic pigments, quantum yield, biomass, production and postharvest quality 2020b;Gomes do Ó et al, 2020;Silva et al, , 2021, highlighting that the crop is sensitive to salt stress. Silva et al (2021) evaluating the effects of water salinity as a function of the phenological stages of mini watermelon found that the intensity of stress depends on irrigation management, species and/ or cultivar, irrigation and fertilization management, and climatic conditions in the region.…”

Yield and physical-chemical quality of okra fruits irrigated with brackish water and phosphorus fertilization

“…Excess dissolved salts in the soil solution inhibit plant growth by limiting water uptake through osmotic effects, altering metabolism, nutrient uptake, and ionic balance, ultimately affecting productivity and postharvest quality (Zhang et al, 2019;Gomes do Ó et al, 2020). In this context, the use of brackish water in agriculture has been adopted to mitigate salt stress on plants, optimize water resource use, an d m ax im i ze ag ri c u ltu ra l productivity.…”