Crescimento, produtividade e qualidade de frutos da melancieira em função de alterações na relação fonte: dreno.

Abstract

Fruit vegetables are grown in all regions of Brazil, and in the northeast, soil and climate conditions favor the growth and development of plants and fruits. In this context, the cultivation of plants of the Cucurbitaceae family, especially of the watermelon has stood out for providing plants with high productivity and quality of fruits. In addition, it is a species that allows various ways of manipulating the relationship between the source and the drain. The objective of this work was to evaluate the growth, productivity and fruit quality of the watermelon according to changes in the relationship between the source and the drain. The experiment was carried out in the experimental area of ​​the Center for Science and Agri-Food Technology at the Federal University of Campina Grande during the period from September 2012 to December 2012 on soil classified as Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo Câmbico. The treatments were allocated in 2 x 4 subdivided plots, with four replications. The plots consisted of the conduction of the plant with different number of fruits (1 and 2) and in the subplots of pruning of the dominant stem at different growing seasons (at 25, 30, 35 and 40 days after transplant - DAT). Watermelon growth, production and quality characteristics were evaluated. The changes induced in the melancholy plant through thinning of fruits and pruning of the dominant stem provided changes in the source: drain relationship affecting growth, productivity and fruit quality. Pruning the main stem at 35 DAT increased fruit mass and productivity regardless of the number of fruits in the plant. Plants conducted with two fruits provided a reduction in fruit mass and soluble solids and an increase in crop productivity.