Utilization of grafting technique for sustaining cantaloupe productivity and quality under low quantity of irrigation water. Part I vegetative growth and chemical composition

Mohamed, A. S.1; M. El-S Zaki2; Nadia S. Shashak2; F.A. Abo Sedera2; A. A. Glala 1 and, M. I. Ezzo 1.

Abstract

Shortage water is the biggest challenge facing horizontal expansion of vegetable cultivation especially in the new reclaimed soil. So that, this experiment was carried out to investigate the possibility of utilizing grafting technique for ameliorating the negative effects of deficit irrigation water on vegetative growth and chemical composition of foliage which will be positively return on the cantaloupe yield as well as water use efficiency (WUE). This investigation was carried out under greenhouse conditions during 2015 and 2016 autumn seasons in a private farm, Kalyobiya Governorate, Egypt. In this experiment, two commercial cultivars "Ideal and Veleta" were used on its own roots or grafted on two rootstocks (Cobalt and Strong-Tosa). A modified tongue approach grafting method was used, then seedlings were cultivated under three irrigation levels [100 %, 75% and 50% of Class A pan evapo-transpiration] compared to non-grafted plants. The results showed that moderate level (75% ETc) of deficit irrigation water showed higher significant positive effects on some measured vegetative growth parameters i.e. stem length, branches number, and dry weight while increasing deficit levels up to 50 % ETc reduced all vegetative growth parameters such as stem length, branches number, total leaves area, fresh and dry weight as well as nutrient status i.e N, P and K. Meanwhile grafting treatments reversed these results as they increased values of all recoded items over non-grafted plants under all irrigation levels. Finally, the combination of Ideal /Strong-Tosa as well as combination of Veleta/ Cobalt resulted in best results of vegetative growth and nutrient status. Where, Ideal /Strong-Tosa combination increased vegetative fresh weight by 48.1 and 35.7 % when irrigated by levels 100, and 75 % ETc, respectively compared to non-grafted plants (control treatment) under the same irrigation level but this increase was 52.4 and 34.7 % with regard to Veleta/ Cobalt combination. Moreover, these combinations (Ideal /Strong-Tosa and Veleta/ Cobalt) recorded the lower reduction (28.8 and 17.5 %, respectively) at 50 % ETc as compared with non-grafted plants of either Ideal or Veleta cv. which recorded the higher reduction (43.2 and 47.7 %, respectively).

Key words

Cucumis melo, Cantaloupe; Grafting; Rootstock-scion; Deficit irrigation water; Water use efficiency.