MELON PRODUCTION UNDER EFFECT OF IRRIGATION BLADES AND POTASSIUM FERTILIZATION

The main goal of this work was to evaluate the effect of the application of the four water depths and four levels of potassium fertilization applied thought drip irrigation on the yield and quality of Yellow melon (Cucumis melo L.), group Gold Mine AF 10.00. The study was carried at the Pici Campus of Ceara Federal University from Brazil. A randomized block design with two factors and four repetitions was used. The first factor represented the water depths (50; 75; 100 and 150% of the Class A pan evaporation) and the second factor represented the levels of potassium fertilization (150; 225; 300 and 450 kg ha(-1)). The results showed that water depths linearly affected crop productivity, while Potassium fertilization and the iteration between both factors were not significant. Maximum fruit yield (35 Mg ha(-1)) was obtained applying 795 mm of water (150% of the Class A pan evaporation). Fruit mass increased about 82% with the amount of water applied, while the yield increased more than 16 Mg ha(-1).