Effect of Water and Salt Stresses on Productivity of Cantaloupe in Ismailia Soil

Salinity is a major problem that negatively impacts agricultural activities in many regions in the world, and especially the Near East and North Africa region. Generally, salinity problems increase with increasing salt concentration in irrigation water. Water scarcity is a limiting factor for crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. Drip irrigation has the greatest advantages over other irrigation methods when saline water is used. In irrigated lands, the production of total and marketable yield depends largely on the quantity and salinity of the irrigation water. Field experiments were carried out in El Kasasin El Gedeida area, Ismailia governorate, Egypt (30° 36` N: 32° 15` E. 13 m a.s.l) during the summer season of 2015. The main objective was to investigate the effectiveness of applied irrigation water stress (IR100%, IR90%, IR80% and IR70%) at different salt stress levels of irrigation water SL (FW= 0.80, S1= 1.56, S2= 3.14 and S3= 6.25 dS m-1) on the total production of marketable yield (Ya), fruit quality parameters, water use efficacy (WUE), irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) and yield response factor (Ky) of cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L. var. cantalupensis). The results revealed that the total production and fruit quality parameters of cantaloupe except diameter (D), protein (P) and (pH) were recorded significantly increased with the increase of SL for all IR treatments. Also, fruit quality of cantaloupe except (D), (P) and total soluble solid (TSS) were recorded significantly increased with the decrease of IR for all SL treatments. The values of ETcadj and Ks decreased with increasing SL for all IR treatments while, decreased with decreasing IR for all SL treatments. In addition; the maximum value of Ya for cantaloupe was 7.65 Mg fed-1 under FW and IR100% (control treatment). While, the minimum value of Ya was 1.71 Mg fed-1 under S3 and IR70% treatment. Also, the results reported that the FW and IR80% treatment recorded the maximum increases reached 33 and 18 % for WUE and IWUE of cantaloupe respectively, compared to that under control treatment. The minimum value of Ky for cantaloupe was 0.17 under FW and IR80% treatment. Finally, to save approximately 20% of applied irrigation water, IR80% could be used under salinity levels of irrigation water (FW, S1 and S2). While, to save approximately 10% of applied irrigation water, IR90% could be used under SL (S3).