Abstract
This experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of limited nutrient supply during 21 days before and after pollination stage on the growth, fruit quality and nutrient uptake of muskmelon in rockwool culture. Muskmelon, cv. Earl's Favorite seeds sowed on rockwool cube and transplanted on rockwool slab($90\times15\times7.5cm$) when 2 to 3 true leaf appeared on Sep. 6, 1991. Three kinds of nutrient composition recommended by Shizuoka university, combinated with the composition of Otsuka house A and composition Shizuoka III. One half of calcium nitrate(Ca(NO$_3$)$_2$.4$H_2O$) for limiting nitrogen supply during 21 days was treated and then fertigated the nutrient composition recommended by Shizuoka university up to harvest time. Trickling nozzles(Netafim Co. Israel) were used for fertigation of nutrient solution and noncirculating system was employed. Temperature was maintained $18^{\circ}C$ in night but 23 to $25^{\circ}C$ for 10 days after pollination for softening the fruit. The drainage ratio of nutrient solution was adjusted 20 to 30 percent. Fertigated and drained amount, and the pH and EC of nutrient solution were recorded. The concentrations of mineral elements including N, P, K, Ca, and Mg were analyzed and compared among treatments. In both autumn and winter cultivation, the limitation of nutrient supply by adjustment of nutrient composition(NO$_3$-N : 8meㆍ$\ell^{-1}$) caused the nutrient deficiency in muskmelon plant due to the limited nutrient supply. After pollination nutrient limitation by the lowering the nitrate retarded the over thickening of upper leaves of muskmelon but plant height and fresh weight of fruit were higher in the plot of nonlimited nutrient supply. The phenomena were attributed to the differences of the amount of nutrient uptake due to the limited time of nutrient solution, duration of nutrient supply and concentration of nutrient solution. These results suggested that increasing nutrient supply in the pollination stage was favorable for better appearance of fruit and improving fruit quality. Further trials would be required for the incre-ment of sugar degree of muskmelon grown in rockwool.