Hydrogel polymer in yellow melon plants cultivated under different irrigation depths

Water is an essential resource in agriculture, and its efficient use is fundamental to ensuring the sustainability of the sector. The use of more rational and sustainable technologies is an important strategy for optimizing the use of water in agriculture. In view of the above, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different irrigation depths on both chemical and physical variables of melon fruits, and yield, in plants grown with or without hydrogel application. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with ten treatments and four blocks. The treatments were arranged in a 5 x 2 factorial scheme, referring to five irrigation depths (50, 75, 100, 125, and 150% of crop evapotranspiration- ETc), and with or without hydrogel application (4 g L-1 ). The irrigation system used was drip irrigation. Irrigation depths positively influenced the variables evaluated, with the highest yield (39,075.69 kg ha-1 ) obtained with the highest water depth of 394 mm (150% ETc), while the use of hydrogel reduced the internal cavity of the fruit. The fruit physical characteristics (pulp thickness and internal cavity) showed positive linear increments within the interval of irrigation depth evaluated. Fruit electrical conductivity showed a linear decrease as the irrigation depths increased, while the pH was described by a quadratic polynomial equation. The use of hydrogel was not enough to mitigate the negative effects of deficit irrigation. However, the increase in irrigation depths improved the quality and yield of melon fruit.