Modelling of fertilization on the photosynthetic and yield indicators of melon (Cucumis melo L.) under the saline soils of southern Kazakhstan Amirov Bakhytbek, Seytmenbetova Aksaule, Kulymbet Kanat, Tanirbergenov Samat* U. U. Uspanov Kazakh Research Institute of Soil Science and Agrochemistry, 050060, al-Farabi ave., 75 B, Almaty, Kazakhstan *(e-mail: samat.soil.kz@gmail.com)
Online published on 21 June, 2023. Abstract Recommendations on the use of generalized regional fertilizers for agricultural crops lead to low fertilizer efficiency, and an imbalance of plant nutrition while identifying economic and environmental problems. The use of innovative methods with the modelling of fertilizers with balanced doses of nutrients used based on the needs of crops, the potential of fertility and the degree of soil degradation should be the main condition for sustainable precision farming. Therefore, a field experiment to study the application of mineral fertilizers on melon was carried out under two saline backgrounds of light serozem at a farmer's field, Maktaaral District, Kazakhstan during 2022. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 10 treatments: T1-Control (no fertilizer), T2-N120P80, T3-N120K80, T4-P80K80, T5-N120P80K80, T6-N60P80K80, T7-N180P80K80, T8- N120P120K80, T9-N120P80K120 and T10-N157K256 and N93K96 for a targeted yield of 30 and 20 t/ha on low and medium-saline soils, respectively, each replicated thrice. Ammonium nitrate (34%), double superphosphate (45%) and potassium sulfate (51%) were used as fertilizers. The study of photosynthetic productivity of plants showed that the accumulation of dry biomass (from 1.9 to 10.37 t/ha) and leaf area (from 7.8 to 26.5 m2/ha) adequately changed with changes in doses and ratios of fertilizers. On the low salinity background, high early yields were provided by T5 and T10-10.1 and 10.9 t/ha, against a medium saline background, they were lower than low saline background of 1.7 and 2.3 t/ha, respectively. When modelling the effect of fertilizers on the formation of an early melon crop, the unilateral action of nitrogen fertilizers, the interaction of nitrogen fertilizer with potash fertilizer and the interaction of phosphorus fertilizer with the soil salt concentration have been excluded from the equation as insignificant (P < 0.05). Top Keywords Biomass, Melon, Modelling, Photosynthetic activity, Saline soil, Yield. Top |