Water and nitrogen relationships in fertigated greenhouse grown melon (Cucumis melo, L.)

During 1995/96 winter-spring cultivation season, the melon cv. Makdimon F-1 was grown under two different soil water tensions (35 kPa and 55 kPa) and four different nitrogen concentrations (0, 100, 150 and 200 mg N L-1) in plastic greenhouse. Melon yield response to different N concentrations of irrigation water could be described with 2(nd) degree polynomial which showed that N concentration giving maximum yield varied depending on soil water tension used for irrigation scheduling. The maximum yield was obtained at 98 mg N L-1 concentration under 35 kPa soil water tension; whereas under 55 kPa soil water tension, the maximum yield was recorded at 68 mg N L-1, Fruit quality characteristics were not significantly affected with soil tensions and nitrogen concentrations.