Production and fruit quality of watermelon hybrids under different plant spacing1

Plant spacing management in watermelon alters plant competition for water, light, and nutrients, influencing fruit yield, morphology, and quality. The study aimed to evaluate the spacing management between plants of two watermelon hybrids in terms of morphology and fruit yield and quality. Two watermelon hybrids (NUN 21613 and NUN 21901) and three plant spacings (0.60, 0.80 and 1.0 m with 2,5 m between rows) were studied in a randomized block design arranged in a 2 x 3 factorial scheme with five replications. Fruit firmness, the content of total soluble solids, visual, and sensorial notes at 0, 7 and 14 days after harvest, length of the main branch of the plant, fresh fruit mass, number of fruits per plant and per hectare, and fruit yield were evaluated from August to December 2018. The greater planting spacing provided better vegetative development, higher yield, and increased resistance of the watermelon fruit to deterioration after harvest. The physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the fruits were not affected by the spacing and hybrids of watermelon in this study.