Pollination Methods and Integrated Fertilizer Influenced the Pollination Rate, Fruit Development, and Quality of Cucumis melo L. under Greenhouse Conditions

Nik Zuraila Nik Hassan, Siti Zaharah Sakimin, Noraini Md Jaafar and Illani Zuraihah Ibrahim
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Nik Zuraila Nik Hassan: Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Siti Zaharah Sakimin: Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Noraini Md Jaafar: Department of Land Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
Illani Zuraihah Ibrahim: Soil Science Research Centre, Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), Persiaran MARDI-UPM, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 23, 1-16

Abstract: This study was conducted to determine the effect of pollination methods (PMs) and integrated fertilizer (IF) application on the pollination rate, yield, and fruit quality of rockmelon ( Cucumis melo L. var. Reticulatus cv. Glamour). This factorial experiment was arranged in a split plot design with four replications. Two rates of IF between chemical (CF) and organic (OF) fertilizer were investigated, namely, T1 (100% CF), which served as a control, and T2 (75% CF + 25% OF). The three PMs used in this study were natural (NP), bee (BP), and human (HP) pollination. Data collection included the pollination rate, yield, postharvest quality (soluble solids content, color, firmness, sugar, and organic acid), and macronutrient content in leaf tissue. The results of this study showed that there was an interaction of the pollination rate between PM and IF; however, the number of bees that survived decreased over time. The yield quality showed an interaction between PM and IF for both the fruit diameter and weight, while no interaction between PM and IF for the organic acid and sugar contents was observed. In conclusion, T2 application combined with BP reduced CF utilization, which benefits the development of a sustainable rockmelon production system.

Keywords: rockmelon; integrated fertilizer; pollination rate; yield and quality; sugar and organic acid (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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