CRESCIMENTO DO MELOEIRO SOB DIFERENTES LÂMINAS DE ÁGUA E NÍVEIS DE NITROGÊNIO E POTÁSSIO

Abstract

The growth of the melon "pele de sapo" was studied under different irrigation depths and doses of nitrogen (N) and potassium (K), in Mossoró-RN, Brazil, in the year 2004. Three experiments were accomplished simultaneously. In each experiment was used a different depth (L) and eleven treatments. The experimental design was a completely randomized block in a factorial scheme 3 x 3 + 2, with 3 replications. Factors studied were three levels of N (N1, N2 and N3), three of K (K1, K2 e K3) plus two additional treatments (N0 with K2 e N2 with K0). The doses of K did not influence significantly in the appraised characteristics. During the cycle of the culture it was verified for L that leaf area index (IAF) and dry mater of the aerial part (FSPA) presented cubic response. Mean maximum values were 1,73 cm2 cm-2 at 64 DAS for IAF and 336,92 g at 70 DAS for FSPA. For factor N the response was linear with dose N0 and cubic with doses N1, N2 and N3 for IAF and for FSPA, which presented mean maximum values of 1,77 cm2 cm-2 and 344,27 g, at 64 and 70 DAS, respectively.