EMERGÊNCIA DE PLÂNTULAS DE MELÃO EM DIFERENTES NÍVEIS DE SALINIDADE DA ÁGUA DE IRRIGAÇÃO

Abstract

The quality of irrigation water is one of the environmental factors that can affect the initial growth of the culture of melon. This study aimed to evaluate the emergence of seedlings of melon, hybrids Goldex and Vereda in different levels of salinity of irrigation water. The study was carried out at the Seed Analysis Laboratory of the Department of Crop Science of the UFERSA, Mossoró, RN, between February and April 2007. The treatments were organized in a completely randomized design in factorial scheme 2 x 6 (two hybrids of melon plant Goldex and Vereda, and six levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water: 0,45; 1,30; 2,15; 3,00; 3,85; 4,70 dS m-1), with four replications. Evaluation of speed of emergence-index, height of the aerial part of the seedling, dry mass of the aerial part of the seedling and seedling emergence. The salinity interfered in all parameters measured, and that as of 2.5 dS m-1 were more harmful to the hybrid Goldex that Vereda.