NEW MELON CULTIVARS (Cucumis melo L.) FOR GREENHOUSE IN PUERTO LA BOCA, MANAB͍

NUEVOS CULTIVARES DE MELÓN (Cucumis melo L.)

Abstract

The present investigation of new cultivars of melon (Cucumis melo L.) for greenhouse cultivation for Puerto La Boca, ManabÍ­, had as objectives: i) Evaluate and select cultivars of melon (Cucumis melo L.) in greenhouse conditions, ii) perform a partial cost/benefit analysis of the treatments under study. A plot in an experimental design of plots divided into strips with four replications was implemented in a greenhouse, where the treatments were the cultivars [A1: karametza, A2: kazta, A3: kapaz, A4: kazik and A5: primo (control)] and the subtreatments the types of management (B1: Tutored and B2: Creeping). The response variables evaluated were: Weight of fruits (g), number of commercial fruits per plant, total volume of fruits (cm3) and an economic estimate of treatments. The results allowed to conclude that the melon with the best average number of fruits was where the creeping system was used with 1,95 on average, and the highest weight of fruits (g) corresponded to the tutored system with 1,06 on average. The best cultivars were Kapaz and kazik, and the best system was the tutored one. The economic estimation showed that the cultivars were profitable when sold to the supermarket with a B / C ratio between $ 2,17 and $ 2,03 respectively.