IMPROVING THE QUALITY ATTRIBUTES OF MELONS THROUGH MODIFIED MINERAL NUTRITION

The effects of six foliar K sources: potassium chloride (KCl), potassium nitrate (KNO₃), monopotassium phosphate (KH₂PO₄), potassium sulfate (K₂SO₄), potassium thiosulfate (K₂S₂O₃), and a glycine amino acid-complexed K (Potassium Metalosate, KM) were evaluated on field-grown muskmelon (Cucumis melo L. cv. ‘Cruiser’) fruit quality parameters.
Weekly foliar K treatments were established starting at fruit set and continuing to fruit maturity.
Tissue K concentrations, soluble solids concentrations (SSC), total sugars, and the human wellness compounds ascorbic acid and -carotene were generally higher in plants receiving supplemental foliar K than in the control plants.
Significant differences were observed among K sources, with KNO₃ consistently resulting in poor fruit quality compared to fruit treated with the other K sources.
Although there were no consistent trends among the other foliar K sources, the data is consistent with previous controlled environment research findings that supplementing soil K supply with foliar K applications during fruit development and maturation can improve the marketable and human health quality attributes of muskmelon fruit.

II International Symposium on Human Health Effects of Fruits and Vegetables: FAVHEALTH 2007

J. Jifon, G. Lester, K. Crosby, D. Leskovar

phytochemical, environment, pre-harvest, cantaloupe, foliar fertilization, potassium

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.841.77