Resumen

GARCIA, J.C.; RODRIGUEZ G, Z.F.  y  LUGO, J.G.. Effects of cultivars and plant spacing on performance agronomics and muskmelon yield. Rev. Fac. Agron. [online]. 2006, vol.23, n.4, pp.448-458. ISSN 0378-7818.

Being Lara the bigger producing of melon in Venezuela, is indispensable to evaluate cultivars behavior with possibilities of adaptation to the area, with the objective of selecting those of more potential productive and better quality of fruits rationally. Hybrid melons were cultivated: Araucano, Iron Horse, Hybrid 642 and Packstar, separate 40 and 60 cm between plants, in Bobare, Lara state, it was determined 35 and 50 days later to the emergency (DPE): main and secondary longitude creeper, branch/plant number, fruits/plant number and yield. Cultivars and plant spacing were combined in factorial arrangement of 8 treatments with 3 replications in a random blocks design. Distances and cultivars affected longitude of main creeper 35 DPE, being observed bigger development in Araucano hybrid plants (128,58 cm) separate 60 cm and hybrid same secondary creepers (134,71 cm) at 40 cm. 50 DPE showed the bigger development of the main bud (181,71 cm) and secondary (195,63 cm) it was observed in hybrid Araucano at 60 cm, corroborating the beneficent effect that could have bigger spacing over the development increments of the plant. To cultivate and spacing between plants affected branch/plant number. Smaller number of fruits 35 DPE was reported for the hybrid Iron Horse in separate plants 60 cm with 2,5 fruits/plant. During the crop the biggest yield with 36.750 kg/ha was reported for cultivate Packstar at 40 cm and all the cultivars showed the biggest yield in plants at 40 cm, ratifying the theory that affirms that hybrid with regard to varieties, they are less susceptible to diminish the yield as they decrease the plant spacing.

Palabras clave : melon; cultivars; plant spacing and yield..