Watermelon production in soil with cattle manure and potassium levels

Abstract

The variability and low Watermelon yields in northeastern Brazil are linked to the lack of research on the fertilization management of culture. This experiment aimed to evaluate the watermelon production at soil under the levels cattle manure and potassium. The treatments were distributed in randomized block design with three replications and 21 plants per plot in factorial scheme 3 × 5 + 1, referring to three cattle manure levels (0.0 1.10 and 2.52 kg hole-1), five K2O levels (0.0; 7.5; 15; 22.5 and 30 kg ha-1), and one additional treatment (without organic and mineral fertilizers). Except additional treatment, the other treatments received nitrogen, in the form of urea (120 kg ha-1 N). Were evaluated: number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, productivity and fruit size (longitudinal diameter fruit-LDF and equatorial diameter fruit-EDF). The K2O levels supplied were not sufficient to raise the average mass of watermelon fruits to satisfactory values. The 1.10 kg dose of bovine manure was the one that promoted higher values of productivity. The increase in the dose of manure reduced the need for potassic fertilizer to increase the productivity of watermelon plants.