Initial Growth of Melon Plant in Different Substrates and Salt Waters
Jolinda Mércia de Sá
Postgraduate Program in Tropical Horticulture, Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), Pombal, PB, Brazil
Marilia Hortência Batista Silva Rodrigues *
Postgraduate Program in Tropical Horticulture, Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), Pombal, PB, Brazil
Camile Dutra Lourenço Gomes
Postgraduate Program in Tropical Horticulture, Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), Pombal, PB, Brazil
Valéria Fernandes de Oliveira Sousa
Postgraduate Program in Tropical Horticulture, Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), Pombal, PB, Brazil
Barbara Genilze Figueiredo Lima Santos
Academic Unit of Agricultural Sciences, Pombal, PB, Brazil
Marinês Pereira Bomfim
Postgraduate Program in Tropical Horticulture, Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), Pombal, PB, Brazil
Francisco Edu de Andrade
Federal Institute of Science and Technology Education, Paraiba (IFPB), Campus Sousa, Brazil
Danielle Maria do Nascimento
Federal Institute of Science and Technology Education, Paraiba (IFPB), Campus Sousa, Brazil
Ednaldo Barbosa Pereira Junior
Federal Institute of Science and Technology Education, Paraiba (IFPB), Campus Sousa, Brazil
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: Was aimed at to evaluate the initial growth of the melon plant under saline conditions in different types of substrates.
Place of Study: The work was accomplished in the Federal University of Campina Grande in Pombal, Paraíba in Brazil.
Methodology: Four proportions of substrates were used: S1 (100% Commercial Substrate Carolina Soil ® — SCC); S2 (50% of SCC and 50% of Sand); S3 (50% of SCC and 50% of Soil) and S4 (33,33% of SCC + 33,33% of Sand + 33,33% of Soil), and five levels of electric conductivity: T1 (0,3 dS m-¹); T2 (1,2 dS m-¹); T3 (2,2 dS m-¹); T4 (3,2 dS m-¹) and T5 (4,2 dS m-¹). The length of plantules was evaluated (aerial and root), stem diameter, number of leaves, mass dries (aerial, root and total), biomass production and index of tolerance.
Results: All the variables presented significant effect demonstrating that the appraised factors interfere simultaneously in the appraised characteristics.
Conclusion: In the conditions of the referred study, the salinity in the irrigation water interferes negatively in the initial growth of melon plant plantules. The formulation of composed substrate for the mixture of the commercial substrate Carolina Soil® with soil (50% of both) it was shown efficient in the initial growth of the melon plant to cultivate 'Amarelo Ouro' under conditions of saline stress.
Keywords: Cucumis melo L., saline stress, cultivation, substrate Carolina Soil®, proportions