We studied the effects of three kalium doses applied via fertigation on the yield of melon plants (Cucumis melo L.). The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse installed in Limoeiro do Norte County, Ceará State, Brazil. Plants were irrigated from April to August, 2002 by a regular or a subsurface drip irrigation system. Seeds of the hybrid Bonus 2 were sown at 0.5 x 1.0 m. Streaks were installed to induce the vertical growth of the plants, up to 2.0 m height. The experimental design followed a 2 x 3 factorial random blocks design. The treatments consisted of the combination of three kalium doses (40; 120 and 200 kg ha-1) and tof two depths of application (0.0 m - surface and 0.20 m - subsurface) with four replications per treatment. The total dry matter, leaf dry matter, average fruit weight, soluble solid content of fruits and yield of fruits were evaluated. The subsurface drip irrigated plants produced higher total dry matter and leaf dry matter. The applied kalium levels, however, resulted in no statistic difference for all evaluated variables.
Cucumis melo L.; drip irrigation; greenhouse melon
