الفهرس 
Vegetative growth
MATERIALS AND METHODSOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The experiment was carried out in the Arid Land Agricultural Graduate Studies and Research Institute, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Shoubra El-Kheima, Egypt during the two successive seasons of 2010 and 2011 under unheated plastic house (9 x 30 x 3.5 m) to evaluate different soilless culture systems on production of two watermelon cultivars
watermelon seedlings were transplanted, in all soilless culture systems. On the other hand, for NFT systems, seedlings were sown directly in small perforated bags (8 cm diameter x 10 cm length) contain peat moss mixed with vermiculite (1:1 v/v) then transferred after 4 weeks to the systems in both growing seasons. Plant spacing was 50 cm in the gully, 60 cm between the gullies, and 100 cm between the double gullies. Cultural management, disease and pest control programs were followed according to the recommendations of the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture.
The experiment included two factors as follows:
Soilless culture techniques including, Nutrient Film Technique system
Substrate culture system filled with. (Peat moss mixed with sand / mixed with perlite / mixed with vermiculite (1:1))
All these systems compared with traditional cultivation in clay loam soil as a control.
Two watermelon cultivars tested in thes study as follows:( Sakata and Q2623 )
The obtained results
(A) Vegetative plant growth:
(1) Plant height
The obtained results showed that using perlite culture, vermiculite culture and NFT system increased plant height compared with other treatments and the lowest plant height was recorded by control in both season.
2) No. of leaf per plant
Date illustrated the highest no of leaf was recorded by soilless culture in the first season, while in the second season the highest no was recorded by all treatments. The Q2623 was superior than sakata cultivar in no. of leaf.
3) Leaf area
Using NFT system increase leaf area compared with other treatments and there was no significant between cultivars.
4) Leaf Chlorophyll content:
The highest chlorophyll was recorded by soilless culture and the lowest was recorded by control and there was no significant between cultivars.
B) The total yield of the plant:
The highest total yield of the plant have been obtained through the use of the NFT and followed by vermiculite culture, while the lowest plant yield was obtained with control. In addition, there was no significant effects between both cultivars in total yield .
C) fruit quality
1) Total soluble solids (TSS)
Date showed that the highest TSS was recorded by sand, perlite, vermiculite and control. The lowest was recorded by NFT in both seasons .There was no significant between both cultivars.2) The average fruit weight:
Date showed that the highest was recorded by using NFT and vermiculite while, the lowest was recorded by using control .There was no significant between both cultivars.
3) Flesh thickness
Date obtained indicated that the highest Flesh thickness was recorded by control in the first season, while in the second season the highest Flesh thickness was recorded by NFT and there was no significant between both cultivars.
D) Chemical properties
1) Nitrogen %
Date showed in the first season that the highest N% was recorded by using NFT and vermiculite culture and the lowest was recorded by sand culture and control while, in the second season the highest N% was recorded by NFT .
2) Phosphorus %
Date showed that using NFT increased P% in leaves comparing with control in both seasons followed by sand culture and perlite culture in the second season. Whereas the lowest was recorded by using vermiculite culture and control and there was no significant between both cultivars
3) Potassium %
Data showed that there was no significant effect of soilless culture techniques on K % in leaves in the first season while in the second season, data showed that using soil and NFT recorded the highest K % in leaves and using vermiculite recorded the lowest K in the leaves. Sakata cultivar recorded the highest K comparing with Q 2632 in both seasons.4) Sodium ppm
Data showed the highest Na ppm was recorded by control in the first season ,while in the second season the highest Na ppm was recorded by NFT and the lowest was recorded by vermiculite culture in both seasons the highest Na ppm in leaves was recorded by control with Sakata in both seasons
5) Calcium %
Data showed the highest Ca was recorded by control in the both seasons. there was no significant between cultivars.
6) Magnesium %
Data showed the highest Mg was recorded by control in the both seasons and the lowest was recorded by sand and there was no significant between cultivars in both seasons .
7) Iron ppm
Data showed the highest Fe was recorded by control and the lowest was recorded by sand in both seasons .that using Sakata recorded the highest Fe
8) Zinc ppm
Data showed the highest Zn was recorded by control and vermiculite and the lowest was recorded by sand culture.
9) manganese ppm
Data showed the highest Mn was recorded by control and vermiculite in both seasons and the lowest was recorded by NFT. Sakata cultivar was recorded the highest Mn ppm comparing with Q2632 in both seasons.10) Copper ppm
Data showed that there were no significant effect of all treatments on Cu in the leaves in the first season while in the second season, data showed that using NFT recorded the highest Cu in leaves. Sakata cultivar recorded the highest Cu comparing with Q 2632 in the first season and there was no significant effect between both cultivars in the second season.
E) Water consumption in liters per plant
Data showed the highest water consumption was recorded by control and the lowest water consumption was recorded by NFT in both seasons.
F) Water use efficiency
Date showed that the highest WUE was recorded by using NFT and the lowest was recorded by control.
It could be concluded from the overall results that all the soilless culture systems performed better than soil system (control). The NFT system and vermiculite culture are considered to be the best systems for producing watermelon. This may be due to that there systems were the most favorable for vegetative growth, good quality and high production comparing with other soilless culture systems tested. More work needed to improve the system to get more productivity and quality of watermelon.