Participação de fotoassimilados, produtividade e qualidade de melão em função da relação fonte: dreno.

Abstract

Melon is a much-consumed fruit vegetable in the world; In Brazil has a high economic and social expression, especially in the Northeast region, because soil and climate conditions are adequate for the growth and development of plants and fruits. The objective of this work was to evaluate the mass partition, production and quality of melon fruits as a function of changes in source: drain. The experiment was installed at the Federal University of Campina Grande, in the Agro - Food Science and Technology Center, Campus Pombal - PB, in a 3 x 4 factorial design in a randomized complete block design with five replications. The first factor consisted of the number of fruits per plant (1, 2 and free fixation of fruits) and the second factor was constituted by pruning of the main stem in four seasons (35, 40, 45 and 50 days after transplanting - DAT). The Hopey King hybrid plants of the Cantaloupe group were grown at 2.0 x 0.4 m spacing. It was evaluated the characteristics of dry mass accumulation and productivity and fruit quality. In view of the results, it was found higher leaf dry matter, stem and leaf area in plants with only one fruit; however, these presented lower value of dry fruit mass and area. Plant management with free fixation provided lower mass fruit however, due to its higher number per hectare; it increased productivity in relation to plants with one and two fruits. The number of fruits per plant and fruit mass were higher when the plants were pruned at 50 and 35 DAT. The soluble solids content did not change with the fixation of fruits in the plant, but in relation to the pruning of the main stem, a reduction of its value from 9.5 to 8.0% was verified, that is, 15.7% a As the pruning of the dominant stem was delayed from 35.0 to 50.0 DAT, evidencing that fruits from pruned plants probably received a greater quantity of photoassimilates that were directed to the growth and maturation of the fruits. The productivity of the melon increased when the plant was pruned earlier, at 35 DAT.