Effect of drip irrigation, fertigation and mulch on quality of muskmelon

This investigation was carried out to study the quality aspects of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) cv. MH-27 under different regimes of irrigation and fertilizers along with mulch conditions during 2017–18 and 2018–19. Experiment was laid out in split plot design with three levels of irrigation (I₁: 100% ET _c(crop evapotranspiration); I₂: 80% ET_c; I₃: 60% ET_c) and mulch treatments (M₁: silver black plastic mulch; M₀: bare soil) under main plot treatments with three levels of fertilizers (F₁: 100% RDF (recommended dose of fertilizers); F₂: 80% RDF; F₃: 60% RDF) under sub plot treatments and were compared with traditional method of muskmelon cultivation (control). Quality parameters viz. ascorbic acid and dry matter content were found to increase with increase in depth of the irrigation and fertilizer dose but maximum total soluble solids (TSS) resulted from irrigation at 80% ET_c and 100% RDF. Application of silver black plastic mulch also significantly improved the quality of melon crop. Improvement in fruit quality parameters was observed under drip fertigation and mulch application on comparison with the control. Thus, the present study concluded that increase in irrigation level and fertilizer dose along with mulch application under drip technology improves the quality of fruits with saving of water and fertilizers over the conventional method.