Growth and photosynthates partition in muskmelon plants as a function of phosphorus concentration in the nutrient solution.

Abstract

Making use of the NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) hydroponic system, an experiment was carried out from March to June of 2003, at Jaboticabal, state of São Paulo, Brazil, viewing to evaluate the effects of phosphorus concentration in the nutrient solution on the growth of muskmelon (hybrid Bônus nO 2) plants. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design in a split-plot arrangement with two replicates. The factors under evaluation were the concentration of phosphorus (5.6, 27.3, 39.0, and 58.5 mg L-) and harvesting time [5, 30, 45, 60, and 75 days after transplanting (DAT)]. Neither the interaction of P concentration and time of harvest nor the isolated effect of P determined significant differences in the evaluated variables. The maximum values shown by these variables were as follows : 90.08 cm of plant height, 2,945.99 cm2 of leaf area, leaves dry matter of 38.64 g, stem dry matter of 20.62 g, fruit dry matter of 8 g and total dry mass of 78.2 g, leaf area index of 4.36, specific leaf area of 3.232 dm2 g-; relative growth rate of 0.2028 g g- day-, and absolute growth rate of 8.628 g day-.Additional keywords: Cucumis melo L.; soilless cultivation; hydroponic system; growth analysis.