MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES OF SALINE WATER ON MORPHOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS OF MELON CULTIVARS

It was to aimed it to investigate effects of various saline water use strategies on melon production and quality of two cultivars (Cucumis melo L., Sancho - C-1 and Medellin - C-2. The plants were irrigated with water of low (S-1 = 0.61 dS m(-1)) and high (S-2 = 4.78 dS m(-1)) salinity levels, during each crop stage: S1S1S2S2 - T-1; S2S1S2S2 - T-2; S2S2S1S2 - T-3. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th terms of these sequences correspond to initial growth, flowering, fruit ripening and harvest phenological stages, respectively. Additionally, there was irrigation rotation during all cycle, with water S-1 during two days followed by S-2 for one day (S-1 2 dias + S-2 1 dia - T-4) and irrigation with non-salt water S-2 during all cycle - T-5. Moreover, we used as control, the irrigation water at 3.2 dS m(-1) resulting from water mixture of S-1 and S-2 - T-6 (farm used irrigation management). The experiment was carried out in Pedra Preta Farm, in Mossoro, RN, using an entire randomized block statistical design in a 6x2 subdivided plot scheme with four replications. Saline water irrigation at initial growth stage reduces leaf area and shoot dry phytomass of Sancho and Medellin melon cultivars. The irrigation by T-4 provided the highest phytomass production of fruits at 48 DAS, reducing in 33% of good quality water in irrigation.