Watermelon yield in both mulched and unmulched fields: The impact of drip irrigation on watermelon production

Abstract

Four irrigation regimes were established, varying the amount of irrigation water applied: 60%, 65%, 70%, and 75% of the soil moisture. The fields were left without mulch or covered with white and black polyethylene films. Prior to irrigation, the soil moisture in this case ranged from 60% to 75% in the 0-20 cm soil layer during the “sowing -shatrik” phase and in the 0-40 cm soil layer during the “shatrik -bloom” period, according to the experimental alternatives. During the time of “bloom fruit formation,” the soil layer from 0 to 50 cm was maintained at levels of 70%, 75%, 80%, and 85%. Similarly, during the “fruit formation ripening” period, the soil layer from 0 to 50 cm was maintained at levels of 60%, 65%, 70%, and 75%. One of the study options was the use of drip irrigation, which maintained soil moisture levels at 70%, 80%, or 70% depending on the phenophases of the watermelon plant. This approach led to a significant increase in both the production and quality of the watermelon crop.