Vol. 33 No. 4 (2019)
Articles

Effect of palm leaf biochar on melon plants (Cucumis melo L.) under drought stress conditions

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  • S. Bagheri,
  • M.R. Hassandokht,
  • A. Mirsoleimani,
  • A. Mousavi
S. Bagheri
Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Tehran Science and Research Branch University, Tehran
M.R. Hassandokht
Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Karaj
A. Mirsoleimani
Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Darab, Shiraz University, Shiraz
A. Mousavi
National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13128/ahsc-8228

Published 2020-02-27

Keywords

  • macro-elements,
  • melon,
  • micro-elements,
  • morphological traits,
  • proline

How to Cite

Bagheri, S., Hassandokht, M. R., Mirsoleimani, A., & Mousavi, A. (2020). Effect of palm leaf biochar on melon plants (Cucumis melo L.) under drought stress conditions. Advances in Horticultural Science, 33(4), 593–603. https://doi.org/10.13128/ahsc-8228
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Abstract

In order to investigate the effect of palm leaf biochar on some characteristics of Cucumis melo L. under drought stress, a split plot experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design with three replications for two consecutive years. The main plot was irrigation level (60, 85, and 100% water requirement) and subplot was biochar in four levels (0, 0.18, 0.24, and 0.36 kg/m2). Results showed that treatment of 0.24 kg/m2 biochar and 100% water requirement increased the characteristics of water use efficiency as 88%, shoot fresh weight as 77%, shoot dry weight as 32%, root fresh weight as 100%, root dry weight as 84%, root length as 54%, and average fruit weight 84% compared to treatment without biochar and 60% water requirement. The highest level of leaf N, Mn and K, shoot length, leaf area, leaf number, fruit diameter and fruit flesh thickness in the treatment of 0.36 kg/m2 biochar and 100% water requirement were higher 58%, 48%, 65%, 18%, 50%, 95%, 43% and 55%, than to of treatment without biochar and 60% water requirement respectively and had no significant difference with the treatment of 0.24 kg/m2 biochar and 85% water requirement. The highest rates of Fe, Zn and Cu were related to 0.36 kg/m2 biochar and 60% water requirement as 60, 44 and 66% respectively compared to treatment without biochar and 100% water requirement. The biochar-free treatment with 60% water requirement accounted for the highest amount of proline due to high stress, and the proline content reduced with increasing biochar and decreasing stress in treatments. Generally, the treatments of 0.24 and 0.36 kg/m2 of biochar increased most of the characteristics, however no significant difference was observed between these treatments. Moreover, in 85% water requirement the drought stress conditions could compensate with the application of biochar. Thus, using 0.24 kg/m2 of biochar and 85% of water requirement, recommended for the best result.

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