Effect of Charcoal and Seedling Depth on Soil Properties and Melon Yield Components (Cucumis melo) in Poro, Côte d'Ivoire
Métangbo Diomandé *
Department of Geosciences, UFR Biological Sciences of Peleforo Gon Coulibaly University, BP-1328, Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire and Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques in Côte d'Ivoire, 01 BP-1303, Abidjan 01, Côte d’Ivoire.
Marie-Paule Hien
UFR Earth Sciences and Mining Resources of Félix Houphouet-Boigny University, Laboratory of Soil, Water and Geomaterials Sciences, 01 BPV-582, Abidjan 01, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Amidou Ouattara
UFR Agriculture, Fishery Resources and Agro-Industry of San Pedro University, BP V-1800, San Pedro, Côte d’Ivoire.
Antoine Koffi
UFR Agroforestry, Department of Pedology and GIS, Jean Lorougnon Guédé University of Daloa, BP-89, Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire.
Bénédict Adjoa Ehouman
Department of Geosciences, UFR Biological Sciences of Peleforo Gon Coulibaly University, BP-1328, Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire.
Dognimeton Soro
UFR Agroforestry, Department of Pedology and GIS, Jean Lorougnon Guédé University of Daloa, BP-89, Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The combined effect of charcoal amendment and seeding depth was tested on soil properties and yield components of melon (Cucumis melo) at the botanical garden of the Peleforo Gon Coulibaly University of Korhogo. With the exception of the control plot, 6 kg of charcoal were applied by hand on ridges of 2.25 m2 in the first 10 cm of soil one month before sowing. The seeds were sown manually at 0.5 cm (control depth); 3 cm; 7 cm and 9 cm deep. The results showed that the application of charcoal significantly increased germination rate ((P˂ 0.002), growth (P ˂ 0.0001) and fruit yield (p = 0.0001). The combined effect of charcoal input and sowing depth was noticeable from the 47th day after sowing (P = 0.0001), the greatest values having been observed at a depth of 9 cm Correlated to the growth of the plants, the best fruit yields were obtained from the depths 9 cm with an average of 4 fruits per plant.
Keywords: Charcoal, seedling depth, growth, yield, Cucumis melo, Korhogo