African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6853

Full Length Research Paper

Quality of seedless watermelon cultivated under different doses and phosphorus application forms

Nícolas Oliveira de Araújo
  • Nícolas Oliveira de Araújo
  • Federal Rural University of Semi-Arid, 572 Francisco Mota Avenue, Zip code: 59625-900, Mossoró, RN, Brazil.
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Edna Maria Mendes Aroucha
  • Edna Maria Mendes Aroucha
  • Federal Rural University of Semi-Arid, 572 Francisco Mota Avenue, Zip code: 59625-900, Mossoró, RN, Brazil.
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Sérgio Weine Paulino Chaves
  • Sérgio Weine Paulino Chaves
  • Federal Rural University of Semi-Arid, 572 Francisco Mota Avenue, Zip code: 59625-900, Mossoró, RN, Brazil.
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José Francismar de Medeiros
  • José Francismar de Medeiros
  • Federal Rural University of Semi-Arid, 572 Francisco Mota Avenue, Zip code: 59625-900, Mossoró, RN, Brazil.
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Cristiane Alves de Paiva
  • Cristiane Alves de Paiva
  • Federal Rural University of Semi-Arid, 572 Francisco Mota Avenue, Zip code: 59625-900, Mossoró, RN, Brazil.
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Ana Cláudia da Sílva
  • Ana Cláudia da Sílva
  • Federal Rural University of Semi-Arid, 572 Francisco Mota Avenue, Zip code: 59625-900, Mossoró, RN, Brazil.
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Antônio Roberto Alves Junior
  • Antônio Roberto Alves Junior
  • Federal Rural University of Semi-Arid, 572 Francisco Mota Avenue, Zip code: 59625-900, Mossoró, RN, Brazil.
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Natanael Santiago Pereira
  • Natanael Santiago Pereira
  • Federal Rural University of Semi-Arid, 572 Francisco Mota Avenue, Zip code: 59625-900, Mossoró, RN, Brazil.
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Luan Vitor Nascimento
  • Luan Vitor Nascimento
  • Federal Rural University of Semi-Arid, 572 Francisco Mota Avenue, Zip code: 59625-900, Mossoró, RN, Brazil.
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José Carlos Aroucha Filho
  • José Carlos Aroucha Filho
  • Federal Rural University of Amazônia, 2501 President Tancredo Neves Avenue, Zip Code: 66077 830, Belém, PA, Brazil.
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  •  Received: 31 August 2016
  •  Accepted: 31 October 2016
  •  Published: 22 December 2016

Abstract

Effects of doses and phosphorus application forms were studied on the postharvest quality in seedless watermelon hybrid 'Style'. For this, an experiment was conducted in Upanema/RN, Brazil, during the period of September to December 2013, in a randomized block at factorial scheme 5×2 constituting of five phosphorus doses applied in foundation (0, 76, 168, 275 and 397 kg ha-1 of P2O5) and foundation + fertigation (0+50, 26+50, 118+50, 225+50, 347+50 kg ha-1 of P2O5) with four replications. Fruit harvested at commercial maturity (78 days after sowing) were evaluated by average fruit weight (AFW),  pulp firmness (PF), chroma index, hue angle, soluble solids content (SS), titratable acidity (TA), maturation index (MI), total phenols content (TP), vitamin C (VC), total sugars content (TS), reducing sugars content (RS) and pH. Among the quality parameters evaluated phosphorus application forms did not affect physical characteristics of fruit, but combination of application via foundation + fertigation increased VC, TS and MI. There was interactive effect of dose and phosphorus application form for the SS, TA, pH and TP. The dose of 50 kg P2O5 ha-1 applied only in fertigation significantly increased values of SS, TA and TP. It is concluded that low doses of P in cultivation and its application via foundation and fertigation improved the main quality characteristics of ‘Style’ watermelon.

Key words: Citrullus lanatus, fertigation, foundation fertilization, soluble solids.

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This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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