Physiology and yield of piel de sapo melon (Cucumis melo L.) under water deficit in semi-arid region, Brazil

Authors

  • Alberto Soares de Melo Universidade Estadual da Paraíba
  • Vandeir Gouveia Dias Universidade Estadual da Paraíba
  • Wellison Filgueiras Dutra Universidade Federal da Paraíba
  • Alexson Filgueiras Dutra Universidade Estadual Paulista
  • Francisco Vanies da Silva Sá Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido
  • Marcos Eric Barbosa Brito Universidade Federal de Sergipe
  • Pedro Roberto Almeida Viégas Universidade Federal de Sergipe

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14393/BJ-v36n4a2020-48168

Keywords:

Fruits yield, Gas exchange, Photochemical efficiency

Abstract

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is a crop of great socioeconomic importance in regions with semiarid climate, as found in Northeast Brazil. In this region water deficit is a usual condition as well as the main reduction factor of plant productivity. Due to this phenomenon, irrigation techniques are used to make available the amount of water needed for plant production. Therefore, this research evaluated the physiology and fruit production changes of ‘Juazeiro’ Piel de sapo melon plants under different water replacement rates. ‘Juazeiro’ melon was grown under four reference evapotranspiration replacement rates (40, 60, 80 and 100% of ETo) distributed randomly in blocks with 5 replicates. The plants were cultivated in the field, in an experimental area located in the Brazilian Northeast region, under hot and dry semiarid climatic conditions, and during the growing cycle the ‘Juazeiro’ hybrid melon plants were evaluated for leaf area, biomass accumulation, gas exchange, photochemical efficiency of photosystem PSII and production of fruits per plant. Application of water replacement rates of 100% ETo leads to highest growth, net photosynthesis, and fruit yield of 'Juazeiro' melon. Water replacement at 80% ETo can be used for ‘Juazeiro” melon under semiarid climatic conditions, but with small losses in fruit yield. Water replacement below 80% ETo leads to drastic reductions in growth, gas exchanges, quantum efficiency of photosystem II and fruit yield, which impairs melon production in semi-arid climate environments.

 

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Published

2020-05-25

How to Cite

MELO, A.S. de, DIAS, V.G., DUTRA, W.F., DUTRA, A.F., SÁ, F.V. da S., BRITO, M.E.B. and VIÉGAS, P.R.A., 2020. Physiology and yield of piel de sapo melon (Cucumis melo L.) under water deficit in semi-arid region, Brazil. Bioscience Journal [online], vol. 36, no. 4, pp. 1251–1260. [Accessed21 November 2024]. DOI 10.14393/BJ-v36n4a2020-48168. Available from: https://seer.ufu.br/index.php/biosciencejournal/article/view/48168.

Issue

Section

Agricultural Sciences