Physiological quality of Charentais cantaloupe melon seeds under the ascending salinity of irrigation water

Abstract

The Charentais cantaloupe melon Cucumis melo var.Cantalupensis Naud is a creole species that presents high adaptability to the edaphoclimatic conditions of the Northeastern semiarid, representing a food and income source. In this context, the purpose hereof was to evaluate the physiological quality of Charentais cantaloupe melon seeds subjected to irrigation with salt waters of 0.012, 2, 4, 6, and 8 dS m^-1 in the germination percentage, first germination counting, germination speed rate, average time for germination, percentage of regular strong, regular weak, and abnormal seedlings, in the aerial part length, root length, length of seedlings  and seedlings dry matter. The waters salinity did not interfere in the Charentais cantaloupe melon seed germination process, but inhibited the main roots and length of irrigated with water salinity over 3.8 and 4.3 dS m^-1, respectively, and therefore superior to the maximum allowed of 3 dS m^-1 in the conventional irrigation of most of the cultivated plants.