Azospirillum brasilense and Nitrogen Fertilizer Affect the Development and Quality of Cantaloupe Melons

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of nitrogen fertilization and inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense on the quality of Cantaloupe melon fruit. Two experiments were carried out, one with direct sowing and the other with transplanted seedlings, in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme with five replications. For the constitution of the treatments were used: presence and absence of inoculation with A. brasilense and the presence and absence of nitrogen application. The fresh weight, longitudinal and transverse diameters, skin and pulp thickness, soluble solids content and titratable acidity of the fruits were evaluated. The application of nitrogen fertilizer and A. brasilense increased the biometric variables of the fruits when they were grown from the transplant of seedlings. However, when direct sowing was carried out, the effect of nitrogen sources was positively significant in terms of the organoleptic characteristics of melon fruits. The use of nitrogen fertilizer and A. brasilense for transplanted seedlings and A. brasilense for plants sown directly, is necessary to improve the development, productivity and quality of Cantaloupe melon fruit.