Journals Information
Universal Journal of Agricultural Research Vol. 12(1), pp. 180 - 187
DOI: 10.13189/ujar.2024.120117
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Effect of Terminal Drought and Biochar Plus N and P on Growth and Fruit Yield of Watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris Schard)
Marcal Gusmao 1,2,*, Donata O. de Araujo 1, Lamdor T. Sitorus 1, Ramalho S. Lopes 1
1 Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Timor-Lorosa'e, Timor-Leste
2 Centre for Climate Change and Biodiversity, Faculty of Agriculture, National University of Timor Lorosa'e, Timor-Leste
ABSTRACT
The current study aimed at investigating the effect of terminal drought and biochar plus nitrogen and phosphorus (NP) on growth and yield of watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris schard). The research was delivered in a rice field at Laleia on the northeast coast of Timor-Leste during dry season from July to November 2019. The experiment used a split-plot design with two factors (terminal drought and biochar plus NP) repeated in three blocks. The terminal drought treatments were well-watered control (WW), water withheld from flower initiation to maturity (TD1) and water withheld from fruit set to maturity (TD2). The biochar plus NP treatments were 0 t/ha biochar plus 0 kg/ha N and 0 kg/ha P as control (B0), biochar 3 t/ha plus N 60 kg/ha and P 30 kg/ha (B1), and biochar 5 t/ha plus N 100 kg/ha and P 50 kg/ha (B2). The measured parameters included soil water content, plant growth and development, yield and yield components. The experiment revealed a terminal drought x biochar plus NP interaction for volume/fruit (p = 0.009) and fruit yield (p < 0.001). The highest fruit yield of 38.82 t/ha obtained from treatment combination of well-watered control and biochar 5 t/ha plus N 100 kg/ha and P 50 kg/ha (WW–B2) and the lowest fruit yield of 9.19 t/ha obtained from treatment combination of terminal drought started from flower initiation and treatment without biochar plus NP (TD1–B0). The application of biochar plus NP to plots exposed to terminal drought at flower initiation increased fruit yields by 52.65% (TD1–B1) and 57.94% (TD1–B2) relative to TD1–B0. This study revealed that the application of biochar in combination with NP fertilizers at a rate of 3 t/ha of biochar along with 60 kg/ha of N and 30 kg/ha of P, exhibited a promising enhancement in both growth and fruit yield of watermelon plants exposed to terminal drought stress during the reproductive stage.
KEYWORDS
Terminal Drought, Biochar Plus N and P, Growth, Fruit Yield and Yield Components
Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Marcal Gusmao , Donata O. de Araujo , Lamdor T. Sitorus , Ramalho S. Lopes , "Effect of Terminal Drought and Biochar Plus N and P on Growth and Fruit Yield of Watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris Schard)," Universal Journal of Agricultural Research, Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 180 - 187, 2024. DOI: 10.13189/ujar.2024.120117.
(b). APA Format:
Marcal Gusmao , Donata O. de Araujo , Lamdor T. Sitorus , Ramalho S. Lopes (2024). Effect of Terminal Drought and Biochar Plus N and P on Growth and Fruit Yield of Watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris Schard). Universal Journal of Agricultural Research, 12(1), 180 - 187. DOI: 10.13189/ujar.2024.120117.