Enhancing melon production and quality through the application of '<i>Lithothamnium</i>'

Negreiros, Andréia M. P.; Melo, Naama J. de A.; Barboza, Hailton da S.; Sales Júnior, Rui

doi:10.1590/1983-21252023v36n312rc

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Agronomy • Rev. Caatinga 36 (3) • Jul-Sep 2023 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-21252023v36n312rc copy

Enhancing melon production and quality through the application of 'Lithothamnium'

Melhorando a produção e a qualidade de melão através da aplicação de 'Lithothamnium'

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

In Brazil, melon production is distinguished by its superior quality. One of the major challenges in this sector lies in the use of fertilizers, particularly due to import dependencies. In this context, Lithothamnium, a seaweed derivative that supplies calcium and magnesium and enhances the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil, presents a viable solution. This study aimed to assess the impact of varying doses (whole [W] or fractional [F]), intervals, and application modes of Lithothamnium on melon yield and quality. The experimental investigation was carried out at Fazenda Dina - Dinamarca Industrial Agrícola, located in Mossoró, Brazil. An experimental design consisting of randomized blocks with 11 treatments and four replications was implemented. Melons were harvested 75 days post-sowing. Results revealed no significant differences for most variables as per the Scott Knott test (5% probability). However, noteworthy statistical differences were observed concerning productivity, peel thickness, pulp firmness, pH, and total sugar content. All treatments involving the use of Lithothamnium demonstrated an increase in productivity (25.6 to 29.8 t ha^-1) and peel thickness (0.80 to 1.02 cm). In terms of pulp firmness, treatments using Lithothamnium in nanoparticle form and as a concentrated suspension with application times of 10-20-30 and 30-50 exhibited higher values (25.66 to 27.81 N). Except for the micronized powder variant, all Lithothamnium treatments yielded the highest pH values (6.84 to 6.94). Total sugar content was found to be highest in treatments T3, T4, and T5 (11.58%, 12.50%, and 11.78%, respectively).

Keywords
Calcareous algae; Cucumis melo; Postharvest

Treatment	Formulation¹ 1 T1 = producer standard; T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, and T7 - product applied by fertigation; T8, T9, T10, and T11 - product applied by spraying.	Time of application² 2 days after sowing.	Dose (kg or L) ha^-1
T1	Producer standard	-	-
T2	Lit. micronized powder	10	50
T3	Lit. micronized powder	10 - 20	25 - 25
T4	Lit. concentrated suspension	10	10
T5	Lit. concentrated suspension	10 - 20	5 - 5
T6	Lit. nanoparticles	10	1
T7	Lit. nanoparticles	10 - 20	0.5 - 0.5
T8	Lit. nanoparticles	10	1
T9	Lit. nanoparticles	10 - 20	0.5 - 0.5
T10	Lit. concentrated suspension	10 - 20 - 30	1 - 1 - 1
T11	Lit. concentrated suspension	30 - 50	1.5 - 1.5

Type	Weight (kg)
4	3.250
5	2.600 - 3.249
6	2.167 - 2.599
7	1.857 - 2.166
8	1.625 - 1.856
9	1.444 - 1.624
10	1.300 - 1.443
11	1.180 - 1.299
12	1.083 - 1.179
13	1.000 - 1.082
14	< 0.999

Treatment/Formulation¹ 1 T1 = producer standard; mic powder = micronized powder; CS = concentrated suspension; nano = nanoparticles. /Application mode² 2 T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7 (application of the product by fertigation); T8, T9, T10, T11 (application of the product by spraying); /(AI³ 3 (days after sowing); )/(Dose)⁴ 4 dose of Lithothamnium (whole or fractionated).	FS
T1. Producer standard	1.25
T2. Lit. mic powder (10); (50 kg ha^-1)	1.17
T3. Lit. mic powder (10 - 20); (25+25 kg ha^-1)	1.23
T4. Lit. CS. (10); (10 L ha^-1)	1.19
T5. Lit. CS. (10 - 20); (5-5 L ha^-1)	1.14
T6. Lit. nano (10); (1.0 kg ha^-1)	1.15
T7. Lit. nano (10 - 20); (0.5 - 0.5 kg ha^-1)	1.20
T8. Lit. nano (10); (1.0 kg ha^-1)	1.17
T9. Lit. nano (10 - 20); (0.5 - 0.5 kg ha^-1)	1.18
T10. Lit CS. (10 - 20 - 30); (1 - 1 - 1 L ha^-1)	1.18
T11. Lit. CS. (30 - 50); (1.5 - 1.5 L ha^-1)	1.19
CV (%)	5.65

Treatment/Formulation¹ 1 T1 = producer standard; mic powder = micronized powder; CS = concentrated suspension; nano = nanoparticles. /Application mode² 2 T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7 (application of the product by fertigation); T8, T9, T10, T11 (application of the product by spraying). /(AI³ 3 (days after sowing); )/(Dose)⁴ 4 dose of Lithothamnium (whole or fractionated). *Averages followed by the same lowercase letters in the column do not differ statistically from each other by the Scott-Knott test (1974) at 5% probability.	NF (ha)	FM (g)	P (t ha^-1)
T1. Producer standard	12812 a	1931.88 a	24.8 f
T2. Lit. mic powder. (10); (50 kg ha^-1)	14687 a	2030.75 a	29.8 a
T3. Lit. mic powder (10 - 20); (25+25 kg ha^-1)	13750 a	1936.75 a	26.6 d
T4. Lit. CS. (10); (10 L ha^-1)	13750 a	2101.38 a	28.9 b
T5. Lit. CS. (10 - 20); (5-5 L ha^-1)	12812 a	2001.00 a	25.6 e
T6. Lit. nano (10); (1.0 kg ha^-1)	13437 a	1915.63 a	25.7 e
T7. Lit. nano (10 - 20); (0.5 - 0.5 kg ha^-1)	14375 a	1827.88 a	26.3 d
T8. Lit. nano (10); (1.0 kg ha^-1)	12500 a	1929.75 a	24.1 f
T9. Lit. nano (10 - 20); (0.5 - 0.5 kg ha^-1)	14687 a	1877.75 a	27.6 c
T10. Lit CS. (10 - 20 - 30); (1 - 1 - 1 L ha^-1)	15625 a	1829.88 a	28.6 b
T11. Lit. CS. (30 - 50); (1.5 - 1.5 L ha^-1)	14062 a	2121.00 a	29.8 a
CV (%)	6.87	14.35	29.9

Treatment/Formulation¹ 1 T1 = producer standard; mic powder = micronized powder; CS = concentrated suspension; nano = nanoparticles. /Application mode² 2 T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7 (application of the product by fertigation); T8, T9, T10, T11 (application of the product by spraying). /(AI³ 3 (days after sowing); )/(Dose)⁴ 4 dose of Lithothamnium (whole or fractionated). *Averages followed by the same lowercase letters in the column do not differ statistically from each other by the Scott-Knott test (1974) at 5% probability.	TIC (cm)	LIC (cm)	PT (cm)	PuT (cm)
T1. Producer standard	11.24 a	5.54 a	0.50 c	4.04 a
T2. Lit. mic powder (10); (50 kg ha^-1)	12.18 a	5.18 a	0.80 b	3.88 a
T3. Lit. mic powder (10 - 20); (25+25 kg ha^-1)	12.11 a	5.75 a	1.02 a	3.74 a
T4. Lit. CS. (10); (10 L ha^-1)	12.49 a	5.64 a	0.98 a	3.73 a
T5. Lit. CS. (10 - 20); (5-5 L ha^-1)	11.49 a	6.39 a	0.96 a	3.59 a
T6. Lit. nano (10); (1.0 kg ha^-1)	11.61 a	5.53 a	0.93 a	3.93 a
T7. Lit. nano (10 - 20); (0.5 - 0.5 kg ha^-1)	12.01 a	5.30 a	0.80 b	3.83 a
T8. Lit. nano (10); (1.0 kg ha^-1)	12.08 a	5.71 a	0.85 b	3.74 a
T9. Lit. nano (10 - 20); (0.5 - 0.5 kg ha^-1)	12.28 a	5.35 a	0.83 b	4.04 a
T10. Lit CS. (10 - 20 - 30); (1 - 1 - 1 L ha^-1)	11.93 a	5.84 a	0.91 a	4.00 a
T11. Lit. CS. (30 - 50); (1.5 - 1.5 L ha^-1)	12.80 a	5.75 a	0.95 a	4.25 a
CV (%)	9.26	16.59	22.27	14.32

Treatment/Formulation¹ 1 T1 = producer standard; mic powder = micronized powder; CS = concentrated suspension; nano = nanoparticles. /Application mode² 2 T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7 (application of the product by fertigation); T8, T9, T10, T11 (application of the product by spraying). /(AI³ 3 (days after sowing); )/(Dose)⁴ 4 dose of Lithothamnium (whole or fractionated). *Averages followed by the same lowercase letters in the column do not differ statistically from each other by the Scott- Knott test (1974) at 5% probability.	PuF (N)	pH	TS (%)
T1. Producer standard	24.34 b	6.72 b	10.58 b
T2. Lit. mic powder (10); (50 kg ha^-1)	24.06 b	6.75 b	10.94 b
T3. Lit. mic powder (10 - 20); (25+25 kg ha^-1)	21.76 b	6.75 b	11.58 a
T4. Lit. CS. (10); (10 L ha^-1)	21.69 b	6.87 a	12.50 a
T5. Lit. CS. (10 - 20); (5-5 L ha^-1)	23.78 b	6.94 a	11.78 a
T6. Lit. nano (10); (1.0 kg ha^-1)	26.35 a	6.87 a	10.76 b
T7. Lit. nano (10 - 20); (0.5 - 0.5 kg ha^-1)	25.66 a	6.88 a	10.95 b
T8. Lit. nano (10); (1.0 kg ha^-1)	27.60 a	6.84 a	9.78 b
T9. Lit. nano (10 - 20); (0.5 - 0.5 kg ha^-1)	26.78 a	6.90 a	11.06 b
T10. Lit CS. (10 - 20 - 30); (1 - 1 - 1 L ha^-1)	25.80 a	6.94 a	10.63 b
T11. Lit. CS. (30 - 50); (1.5 - 1.5 L ha^-1)	27.81 a	6.87 a	10.01 b
CV (%)	12.53	1.54	9.40

Treatment/Formulation¹ 1 T1 = producer standard; mic powder = micronized powder; CS = concentrated suspension; nano = nanoparticles. /Application mode² 2 T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7 (application of the product by fertigation); T8, T9, T10, T11 (application of the product by spraying). /(AI³ 3 (days after sowing); )/(Dose)⁴ 4 dose of Lithothamnium (whole or fractionated). *Averages followed by the same lowercase letters in the column do not differ statistically from each other by the Scott-Knott test (1974) at 5% probability.	SS	TA	SS/TA
T1. Producer standard	14.45 a	0.177 a	84.33 a
T2. Lit. mic powder (10); (50 kg ha^-1)	14.58 a	0.163 a	90.36 a
T3. Lit. mic powder (10 - 20); (25+25 kg ha^-1)	13.93 a	0.141 a	100.88 a
T4. Lit. CS. (10); (10 L ha^-1)	14.74 a	0.130 a	115.02 a
T5. Lit. CS. (10 - 20); (5-5 L ha^-1)	15.21 a	0.134 a	116.98 a
T6. Lit. nano (10); (1.0 kg ha^-1)	14.76 a	0.131 a	114.65 a
T7. Lit. nano (10 - 20); (0.5 - 0.5 kg ha^-1)	14.33 a	0.128 a	117.96 a
T8. Lit. nano (10); (1.0 kg ha^-1)	14.24 a	0.124 a	116.98 a
T9. Lit. nano (10 - 20); (0.5 - 0.5 kg ha^-1)	14.46 a	0.133 a	111.12 a
T10. Lit CS. (10 - 20 - 30); (1 - 1 - 1 L ha^-1)	14.30 a	0.141 a	104.57 a
T11. Lit. CS. (30 - 50); (1.5 - 1.5 L ha^-1)	14.38 a	0.137 a	111.13 a
CV (%)	3.19	19.40	8.88

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[1] Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest related to the publication of this manuscript.