This work was carried out in Mossoró, RN, Brazil, with the objective of identifying soil and fertirrigation variables influencing melon yield and quality. Variables determinated were: yield (export and marketable type); quality (total soluble solids content and pulp firmness); fertirrigation (emitter discharge rate, elevation, distance to water inlet and fertilizer amount); soil chemical properties (pH, organic matter, Ca, Mg, K, Na, potential acidity, P, Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn) and physical properties (contents of clay, sand and silt, soil density and soil moisture). Descriptive statistics, Spearman's correlation and multiple regressions were used for data analysis. Fertirrigation and variables related to a higher water availability improved melon yield and decreased quality. A higher availability of P increased melon yield, while higher soil pH improved fruit quality. Levels of micronutrients Fe and Mn were harmful to the crop, however higher contents of Cu increased export type yield and total soluble solids content.
Cucumis melo L.; soil properties; regression analysis
