The aim of this work was to evaluate the quality of five cultivars muskmelon, conducted with two or three fruits per plant, using coconut fiber and fertirrigation. This research was carried in green house conditions in UNESP-FCAV, Campus of Jaboticabal, with experimental design of randomized blocks in factorial scheme 5 x 2, with four replications. The studied factors were five cultivars muskmelon (Maxim, Bônus 2, Shinju 200, Fantasy e Louis) and number of fruits per plant (2 or 3 fruits). Fruits were harvested after they have achieved the maximum growth. The following parameters were studied: soluble solids; total tritritable acidity; vitamine C and average mass of the fruit. There wasn't interaction between cultivars and the number fruits per plant for all the evaluated characteristics. Based on the final results, it was concluded that the cultivar Bônus 2 presented higher number of qualifying desirable characteristics when cultivated in protected environment, using coconut fiber and fertirrigation. The number of fruits per plant did not affect the qualifying characteristics that were evaluated, except the soluble solids content and average fruit mass, being higher when two fruits per plant were left.
Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus; quality; coconut fiber; fertirrigation
