Effect of pruning methods and foliar spraying with seaweed extract on the growth and productivity of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus, L.)

Abstract

Abstract: The research was carried out during the agricultural season of 2024 in a private farm in Deir Ezzor Governorate on watermelon (Citrullus lanatus, L.) hybrid (Embla F1) plants. The aim of this study was to study the effect of foliar spraying with the seaweed extract Biozyme TF using four concentrations (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5) ml L^-1 and three sprays, the first at the appearance of the second true leaf, the second at the beginning of fruit set, and the third two weeks before maturity, and the pruning methods (Method A: Pruning plants to three stems, keeping one fruit on each stem, Method B: Pruning plants to four stems, keeping one fruit on each stem, Method C: Pruning plants to five stems, keeping one fruit on each stem, Control D: No pruning) on ​​the growth and productivity characteristics of watermelon plants, using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 3 replicates per treatment. The results showed that the unpruned control treatment significantly outperformed the other pruning treatments in the number of leaves formed on the plant, while the three-branch pruning treatment significantly outperformed the control treatment and the other pruning treatments in terms of leaf surface area, leaf chlorophyll content, and fruit weight. Fruit weight increased significantly when pruning on three branches, while productivity was superior in the pruning treatment on four branches. As for foliar spraying, the 7.5 ml L^-1 treatment outperformed the rest of the spraying treatments and the control significantly in: number of leaves, leaf surface area, while the 5 ml L^-1 foliar spray treatment outperformed them significantly in the two traits of fruit weight and productivity.

Keywords: Watermelon, seaweed extract, pruning, growth indicators, productivity.