Effect of Variety And Planting Distances on Yield and Fruit Characteristics of Muskmelon ( Cucumis melo L. ( Under Unheated Plastic House Condition

Abstract

The experiment had been done in plastic house complex - college of agriculture - Tikrit University (2014 - 2015). It includes two factors, the first is three American hybrids melon (Halawa, Muna, Sukkara) and the second is four cultivation distances (20, 30, 40, 50) cm. the experiment has been designed according to (split plot design) by random sectors (R.C.B.D) and three replicates in order to study the impact of variety and cultivation distances on yield & fruit characteristics of melon plants in unheated plastic houses. More important results can be summarized as follows: Halawa variety is significantly by a number of fruit plant, fruit diameter and pulp thickness for comparing it with others. Muna variety is significantly by total sugar. While distance factor of cultivation, the distance 50 cm is significantly of fruit number /plant, production of one plant and fruit hardness. The productivity of plastic house the distance 20 cm is significantly for other distance. The Product Halawa in distance 50cm is significantly in fruit number/plant, fruit weight rate and rigidity ratio while variety with distance of 30cm in fruit length and plup thickness. And overlap between Sukkara in distance 30cm is significantly by one plant crop (8230.9 gm/plant) and rigidity ratio of fruit for other else. By overlap between product Muna and distance 50cm is significantly by T.S.S. The plastic house crop the product Halawa is significantly by distance 20cm for other else (11.92 ton/plastic house).