An experiment was perfomed to evaluate yield and quality of net melon considering plants spacing and cultivation systems. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse with cultivar Bonus nº 2, from August/98 to January/99 in Marilia, Brazil. Three plant spacing (30, 50 and 70 cm) and cultivation systems as one stem and two fruits (S1), two stems and one fruit/stem (S2), two stems with two fruits/stems (S3) and three stems with one fruit/stem (S4) were studied. A split plot design with spacing on plots was employed, and randomized blocks with three replicates. At S1 and S2 cultivation systems, fruits showed higher longitudinal diameter (11.46 and 11.32 cm, respectively) and transverse (10.97 and 11.08cm, respectively), and higher mean fruits weight (0.87 and 0.89 kg, respectively). Considering yield per area, S3 (7.44 Kg/m²) presented the best performance, but with lesser mean fruit weight. The highest soluble solids content was obtained with 13.86ºBrix, at S2 cultivation. Mean fruit weight was positive linearly correlated to culture space increasing and total fruits yield was reduced from higher to smaller spacing, with inverted quadratic inclination. Plant cultivation with two stems and one fruit/stem at 50 cm spacing promoted better balance between mean fruit weight and marketing and higher yield by area.
Cucumis melo; greenhouse; fruits per stem
