Use of organic substrates on the quality of watermelon seedlings

Resumo

Precedents. Watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] is a succulent fruit and vine-like plant that is cultivated in Mexico and which generates employment and currency for the country. However, there is the need to research which local organic substrates can substitute peat moss as a culture medium to produce watermelon seedlings of good quality and at a low cost.

Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional quality of five local organic substrates as substitutes of the commercial substrate “Peat Moss”, for the production of seedlings of two watermelon cultivars: Sun Sweet and Jubilee. Methodology. Five local organic substrates were studied: cacao husk, compost, vermicompost, bovine manure, coconut fiber and the commercial substrate “Peat Moss” as control. The response variables were: percentage of germination, indicators of morphological quality and morphological quality indexes, stability of the clod, and relative efficiency of the local substrates. Results. The best morphological indicators and morphological quality index of the seedlings were found with the substrates cacao husk and vermicompost, with a seedling quality similar to those obtained with the commercial substrate. Compost presented the lowest stability of the clod and relative efficiency. Implications. It is necessary to evaluate the biological properties of the organic substrates, as well as different proportions of mixtures of substrates, in order to improve the quality of seedlings and the stability of the clod. Conclusion. It was concluded that the substrates of cacao husk and vermicompost can substitute the commercial substrate “Peat Moss”, in addition to being easy to obtain and of low cost, so they are a viable alternative for rural farmers in the production of watermelon seedlings.