Water requirements for improved cantaloupe cultivation

Abstract

The current study was carried out in order to study the water requirements of cantaloupe, Cucumis melo cv. cantalopensis. The first experiment was conducted during the 1996/97 greenhouse season with six treatments. Unheated soil-grown cantaloupe; nutrient film technique (NFT) with no heating; air heated soil-grown cantaloupe; NFT + heating the solution; NFT + air heating; NFT + air heating + solution heating. The second experiment was conducted in two successive seasons of 1995/96 and 1996/97 with four treatments. greenhouse autumn and spring cultivations; winter low tunnels; and summer open field cultivations. Estimated water requirements, using Penman-Monteith equations, and the actual water requirements were compared in terms of quantity as well as in cash income. The crop coefficient for cantaloupe in relation to plant growth and development in different cultivations was calculated and validated. The results indicated that yield and income could be improved by selecting the right cultivation with the appropriate amount of water. Results are discussed in accordance with the prevailing agroclimatic conditions.