Macronutrients in watermelon plants fertilized with potassium and cattle manure

Macronutrientes em plantas de melancia adubadas com potássio e esterco bovino

ABSTRACT

Potassium is the nutrient required in greatest quantity by watermelon, especially during the production phase. Therefore, the aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of potassium and cattle manure doses on the nutritional composition of ‘Crimson Sweet’ watermelon plants. The treatments were arranged in a randomized block design with three replicates and 21 plants per plot using a 3 × 5 + 1 factorial scheme, referring to three manure doses (0; 1,100 and 2,520 g hole^-1), in order to increment the level of soil organic matter from 0.67 present in the soil to 3.0 and 6.0%, five potassium doses (0, 7.5, 15, 22.5 and 30 kg ha^-1) in the form of potassium chloride and one additional treatment (without organic and mineral fertilization). At the beginning of fruiting, leaves were collected to evaluate the nutritional status of the plants in macronutrients. According to the results, cattle manure stimulates the absorption of macronutrients by watermelon; in soil with 3.0% of organic matter, the best results corresponded to the K₂O dose of 15 kg ha^-1 and, for 6.0%, between 11 and 13 kg ha^-1.

Key words:
Citrullus lanatus; organic matter; mineral nutrition