EFFECT OF INCREASING PLANT-DENSITY AND SALINITY ON YIELD AND FRUIT-QUALITY IN MUSKMELON

The melon cultivar 'Galia' was grown at three plant densities (2, 4 an d 8 plants m-2) and four irrigation salinity levels (EC(w) 1.2-8.0 dS m-1). Increasing plant density significantly increased the number of f ruits per area but decreased mean fruit weight, whereas increasing sal inity only decreased mean fruit weight. Total yield was not affected b y increasing density but decreased with increasing salinity. No signif icant interaction was found between density and salinity in yield para meters. The reduction in mean fruit weight with increasing density and salinity was constant for all fruits within each treatment. Total sol uble solids increased with increasing salinity but decreased with incr easing density. Density and salinity appear to act independently on mo st yield and quality parameters.