Effects of different levels of irrigation and nitrogen interactions on yield and water productivity in watermelon irrigated by drip method

Authors : Hind Arar, Hayrettin Kuşçu
Pages : 55-70
Doi:10.20479/bursauludagziraat.1574975
View : 35 | Download : 4
Publication Date : 2025-06-18
Article Type : Research Paper
Abstract :Water and nitrogen (N) are the main determinants affecting watermelon plants\\\' vegetative and generative growth. This study aimed to determine the yield response and water-yield relationships of watermelon plants grown in Bursa ecological conditions and clay soils under different irrigation and N levels. Four irrigation levels (IR-100, IR-75, IR-50, and IR-25) and five N ratios (kg ha-1) (N0, N75, N150, N225 and N300) were considered as experimental treatments. In the study, a split-plot experimental design was used. While irrigation water was applied to thetreatments between 214 and 603 mm, actual crop evapotranspiration varied between 288 and 687 mm. Among the irrigation treatments, the IR-100 yielded the highest fruit yield. With the decrease in irrigation levels, the yield also decreased. Fruit yield, weight, and size increased to a N level of 225 kg ha-1 and decreased at higher levels. Irrigation and N interaction showed a statistically significant effect (p<0.01) on fruit yield and some yield components. While the highest yield and yield components were obtained at N225 and N150 N rates under IR-100 treatment, the second highest yield was obtained from the IR75×N225 interaction. Second-degree polynomial equations were obtained between the irrigation amount and yield, in addition to the N ratio and yield. Relatively higher water productivity was found at low irrigation levels (IR-25 and IR-50) and increasing N rates up to 225 kg ha-1. Yield response factor varied between 0.67 and 1.08 for different N doses. As a result, to obtain high watermelon yield and increase water productivity, IR-75 irrigation treatment and a N rate of 225 kg ha-1. As a result of these conditions, the amount of applied irrigation water, actual evapotranspiration, fruit yield, and water productivity values were determined as 476 mm, 582 mm, 100.2 3t ha-1, and 17.22 kg m-3, respectively.
Keywords : damla sulama, Azot, verim bileşenleri, sulama programlama

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