Application of silicon-containing fertilizers in the adaptive technology of growing melon of the Didona variety

Abstract

Goal. To study the influence of silicon-containing fertilizers on the growth, development, and formation of the productivity and quality of the fruits of the melon of the Didona variety with adaptive cultivation technology. Methods. Field — observation of plant growth and development, agrometeorological conditions of the environment, and other biological and phenological factors; laboratory — determination of crop quality indicators; mathematical and statistical — analysis of variance and statistical processing of data to determine the reliability of the obtained research results. Results. A comparative assessment of adaptive and basic technologies for growing the melon of the Didona variety was carried out based on data obtained in experiments conducted in 2021–2024 on the experimental field of the Institute of Climate-Oriented Agriculture of NAAS. The soil of the experimental field was represented by the southern middle clay on fawn-brown loess chornozem. The influence of silicon-containing fertilizers for their root application on the growth and development of melon plants, harvest, and product quality was studied. Conclusions. It was determined that the use of silicon-containing fertilizers simultaneously with sowing melon against the background of the recommended nutrition system increased the content of mobile phosphorus in the arable soil layer to 50.2 mg/kg. The largest area of the leaf surface was formed by melon plants in the version with the recommended nutrition system and the complex use of silicon-containing fertilizers — 12,636 m2/ha. The highest yield (13.6 t/ha) and the best in quality (dry soluble substances — 14%, the sum of sugars — 11.2%, vitamin C — 19.82 mg/100 g) fruits of the Didona variety were obtained with the complex use of silicon-containing fertilizers.