EFFECTS OF DRIP IRRIGATION SCHEDULING ON MUSKMELON YIELD AND QUALITY

The use of drip (trickle) irrigation for muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) p roduction has become commonplace but the impact of preharvest drip irr igation management on fruit yield and quality has not been well docume nted. The effects of drip irrigation regimes on the yield and quality of cv. Challenger, Mission and Vera Cruz were investigated at Davis, C alifornia in 1993 and 1994. All plots were irrigated uniformly until 1 0 days (1993) or 20 days (1991) before harvest; differential treatment s were then imposed, ranging from a complete cutoff of irrigation to f ull irrigation (applied daily) through the harvest period. Fruit quali ty (firmness, seed cavity and mesocarp condition and soluble solids co ntent) was evaluated at harvest, and after 7 or 14 days of refrigerate d storage at 4 degrees C or 2 degrees C in 1993 and 1993, respectively . Drip irrigation management did not affect marketable yield, fruit si ze or % cull fruit. Ail irrigation treatments produced high quality fr uit of equal soluble solids content. There were significant cultivar e ffects on both yield and quality, but no cultivar X irrigation interac tions were noted. In this environment late-season irrigation was not d etrimental to muskmelon quality but was not required for maximum produ ctivity. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.