Physicochemical characterization of cantaloupe fertilized with various potassium sources

The northeastern region of Brazil is responsible for 95% of the country’s total melon production and 97% of total exported melons. This is mainly due to the edaphoclimatic conditions and the technological packages employed in the country for fertilization strategies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of topdressing potassium fertilizers associated or not with sowing fertilization with Ekosil™ on the physicochemical traits of cantaloupes. The study was conducted in a randomized complete block design, with a 4×2 factorial arrangement (topdressing potassium nitrate [PN], potassium chloride [PC], potassium sulfate [PS] and Ekosil™ [EK], with or without sowing fertilization with Ekosil™). The evaluated traits in the fruits were: fresh mass (FM), soluble solids content (SS), titratable acidity (TA), SS/TA ratio (RA) and pigment contents (chlorophyll [CL] and carotenoids [CA]). No effect of treatments was observed on pH, CL, and CA (P>0.05). Interaction of sowing and topdressing fertilization was observed for the other variables (P<0.005). The FM was greater for PC and EK with sowing fertilization with Ekosil™. Without Ekosil™, PS, PN and EK resulted in heavier fruits. The SS was greater for PS when using Ekosil™ and for PS and PC without sowing fertilization with Ekosil™. The PC and PN resulted in greater TA, and the RA was greater for PS. Under the edaphoclimatic conditions of the Pontal do Triângulo Mineiro region, topdressing fertilization with potassium sulfate, without sowing fertilization with Ekosil™, resulted in heavier and sweeter cantaloupes.