Melon is one of Brazil's most exported fresh fruit and area under this crop is increasingly acreage in the state of Mato Grosso. Due to its association with quantitative and qualitative aspects of the fruit, nitrogen and potassium fertilization is a prominent factor in the production of melon plant. The objective of this study is to evaluate qualitative and productive characteristics of the net melon fruits, cultivated in a greenhouse, based on doses of nitrogen and potassium. The study was conducted from April to August 2012 in randomized block design, in a 5 x 5 factorial design with four replications. Nitrogen doses were 0, 40, 80, 120 and 160 mg dm-3 while potassium doses corresponded to: 0; 80; 160; 240 and 320 mg dm-3. The cultivated melon was cantaloupe type, hybrid Rafael. The evaluated characteristics were overall productivity, pulp thickness, total soluble solids content and titratable acidity. The nitrogen promoted an increase in productivity and fruit quality in a linear way and the potassium doses that promoted the best results was situated in the range of 240 to 263.4 mg dm-3, responding quadratically to the studied variables.
fertilization of melon; Cucumis melo; cantaloupe; protected cultivation
