Melon development associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and grown in coconut dust substrate

Abstract

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) culture has a great economic importance in the State of Ceará, Brazil, especially for fruit exportation. The use of dry or green coconut powder as a substrate composition associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation is a recommended procedure, because it has a low cost and is a natural biodegradable substrate. Arbuscular mycorrhizal soil inoculation makes seedlings more resistant to transplanting and increase nutrients absorption capacity, especially phosphorus.The objective of this work was to evaluate different substrate concentrations (dry and green coconut powder and soil) on melon growth arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization under greenhouse conditions. A randomized statistical design was adopted, with ten treatments and four replications. Thirty days after germination plants were harvested and analyzed for their growth and microbiological variables and shoot nutrients content. Substrates compositions with 30% of dry or green coconut powder plus 70% soil inoculated and with AMF increased melon growth.