ISSN 1807-1929

Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental

Brazilian Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering
v.28, n.10, e280370, 2024
Campina Grande, PB – http://www.agriambi.com.br – http://www.scielo.br/rbeaa

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1807-1929/agriambi.v28n10e280370 Original Article

Do moderate salinity and harvest stages interfere

with gas exchange and quality of yellow melon fruits?1
Salinidade moderada e época de colheita interferem
nas trocas gasosas e na qualidade dos frutos de melão amarelo?
Beatriz de A. Araújo2* , Rafael S. da Costa3 , Elaine F. Celin4 & Marlos A. Bezerra5
1
Research developed at Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, Pacajus, CE, Brazil
2
Universidade Federal do Ceará/Centro de Ciências Agrárias/Departamento de Engenharia Agrícola, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
3
Universidade Federal do Ceará/Centro de Ciências Agrárias/Departamento de Fitotecnia, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
4
Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados/Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias, Dourados, MS, Brazil
5
Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical/Laboratório de Fisiologia Vegetal, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil

HIGHLIGHTS:
The gas exchange of ‘Goldex’ melon is not affected by moderate salinity, but it tends to decrease throughout the cycle.
Electrical conductivity of irrigation water of 4.0 dS m-1 reduces the fruit mass of ‘Goldex’ yellow melon.
The quality of ‘Goldex’ yellow melon fruits is not affected by moderate water salinity.

ABSTRACT: Salinity is one of the most limiting factors for agricultural productivity, as it affects both gas exchange and
plant metabolism. However, with population growth and the constant search for alternatives to increase productivity,
irrigation with water of moderate salinity appears to be feasible to enhance fruit cultivation in Brazil, especially in
semi-arid regions, where most waters have high salt concentration and are the only available source for the producer.
In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of irrigation water salinity and harvest stages on
gas exchange and post-harvest fruit quality of ‘Goldex’ yellow melon (Cucumis melo L.). The treatments consisted
of two electrical conductivities of irrigation water (ECw - 0.8 and 4.0 dS m-1) and eight harvest stages (54, 56, 58,
60, 62, 64, 66, and 68 days after transplanting), arranged in a 2 × 8 factorial scheme and a completely randomized
design. Under the salinity conditions imposed during the evaluation stages, the ‘Goldex’ yellow melon maintained
its basic gas exchanges stable. The mass and number of fruits per plant were reduced by the salinity of the irrigation
water, but the fruits continued to be classified as marketable, which makes irrigation with saline water up to 4.0 dS m-1
a viable alternative for the production of yellow melon, especially in regions where there is low availability of good
quality water, which can enhance fruit growing in the semi-arid region.
Key words: Cucumis melo L., plant physiology, saline water irrigation, post-harvest

RESUMO: A salinidade é um dos fatores mais limitantes para a produtividade agrícola, pois afeta tanto as trocas
gasosas quanto o metabolismo das plantas. Porém, com o crescimento populacional e a busca constante por alternativas
para aumentar a produtividade, a irrigação com águas de salinidade moderada parece ser viável para potencializar a
fruticultura no Brasil, especialmente nas regiões semiáridas, onde a maioria das águas tem alta concentração de sal
e são as únicas fontes disponíveis para o produtor. Neste contexto, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos da
salinidade da água de irrigação nas trocas gasosas e na qualidade pós-colheita dos frutos do melão amarelo ‘Goldex’
(Cucumis melo L.) nas fases de colheita. Os tratamentos consistiram de duas condutividades elétricas da água de
irrigação (CEa - 0,8 e 4,0 dS m-1) e oito etapas de colheita (54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66 e 68 dias após o transplantio),
dispostas em forma de esquema fatorial 2 × 8 e delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Nas condições de salinidade
impostas durante as etapas de avaliação, o melão amarelo ‘Goldex’ manteve estáveis suas trocas gasosas básicas. A
massa e o número de frutos por planta foram reduzidos pela salinidade da água de irrigação, mas os frutos continuaram
classificados como comercializáveis, o que torna a irrigação com água salina até 4,0 dS m-1 uma alternativa viável para
a produção de melão amarelo, principalmente em regiões onde há baixa disponibilidade de água de boa qualidade,
o que pode potencializar a fruticultura no semiárido.
Palavras-chave: Cucumis melo L., fisiologia de planta, irrigação salina, pós-colheita

• Ref. 280370 – Received 11 Nov, 2023 This is an open-access article

* Corresponding author - E-mail: [email protected] distributed under the Creative
• Accepted 21 Apr, 2024 • Published 19 Jun, 2024 Commons Attribution 4.0
Editors: Toshik Iarley da Silva & Hans Raj Gheyi International License.
2/9 Beatriz de A. Araújo et al.

Introduction spacing was 2 m between rows and 0.8 m between plants.

Each cultivation row (treatment) contained 26 plants, of which
In 2021, Brazil produced over 600 thousand tons of melon one plant was randomly harvested during the eight harvests
(Cucumis melo L.) in an area of 23,000 hectares, achieving an evaluated, making a total of 64 experimental units.
average yield of 25 t ha-1, with the Northeast region accounting The seeds of ‘Goldex’ yellow melon (F1 hybrid of the
for about 90% of the melon planted area, highlighting the yellow type) were acquired from Agristar Ltda’s TOPSEED
regional and national relevance of the crop (IBGE, 2023). premium line, Lot: 065119, with a germination rate of 90%
However, in the Brazilian melon production area, there is a and purity of 99%. The seedlings were obtained through
restriction on water quantity and quality, since most wells sowing in polypropylene trays each containing 200 cells. The
have water with high electrical conductivity (Akrami & Arzani, substrate used for seedling production comprised coconut
2019). fiber, peat, and humus in a 1:1:1 ratio (volume basis). Upon the
About one billion hectares of saline soils are present in emergence of the first true leaf on the seedlings (13 days after
coastal and continental areas around the world, with an sowing), they were transplanted to the definitive experimental
annual increase of approximately one million hectares, mainly field. Irrigation with saline water began at four days after
in arid and semi-arid regions (Hopmans et al., 2021). Given transplanting - DAT (Araújo et al., 2024).
this scenario, saline water in agriculture can be a promising The level of 4.0 dS m -1 of electrical conductivity of
solution for using these brackish waters and salt-affected water was obtained by adding adequate amounts of NaCl
soils in rural areas, covering a range of salinity levels (Gheyi to water available at the Pacajus experimental farm, coming
et al., 2023). Although most studies carried out on cucurbits from a deep well (ECw = 0.8 dS m-1), and the quantity was
relating the effect of salinity take into account a specific phase determined considering the relationship between ECw
of plant development, the study of salinity in the stages of plant and salt concentration (Richards, 1954). The ratio used to
development and the evolution of fruit maturation becomes obtain the salinity level was 10 mM of NaCl for every 1 dS
relevant since salt stress may affect these stages differently and m-1. Adjustments were performed after measurement with a
can contribute to the development of management strategies portable conductivity meter. The solutions were prepared in
that can minimize salt stress at critical moments for plants and 5000 L water tanks and pumped to the plants by a 0.5 hp motor
fruits (Sarabi et al., 2019). pump set through PVC pipes with diameter of ¾” for main
Melon is classified as moderately sensitive to water salinity lines and 16 mm for drip lines. Irrigation was applied using
(2.2 dS m-1), and reductions in yield have already been observed a drip system, with one line of drippers per row, which was
with increased salinity in irrigation water (Akrami & Arzani, covered with double-sided plastic mulching: black side facing
2019), as well as reduction in gas exchange (Sousa et al., 2021), down and silver side facing up.
growth inhibition and reduction in dry matter (Sousa et al., P l ant i r r i g at i on w a s b a s e d on e s t i m ate d c rop
2019). In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate evapotranspiration (ETc = ET 0 × Kc × Kr). Reference
the effects of irrigation water salinity on gas exchange and evapotranspiration (ET0) was calculated according to the
post-harvest quality of ‘Goldex’ yellow melon (Cucumis melo FAO-Penman-Monteith method (Allen et al., 1998), using
L.) fruits at the harvest stage. meteorological data obtained from a meteorological station
located close to the orchard. The crop coefficients (Kc) applied
Material and Methods for all melon development stages were used following the
recommendation of Miranda et al. (2001). The irrigation
The experiment was conducted in the field between October lines had Katif pressure-compensating drippers from Revulis®
and December 2021, at the Experimental Farm of Pacajus, (Minas Gerais, BR) with flow rate of 4 L h-1 spaced 0.8 m apart,
belonging to Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, headquartered corresponding to one dripper per plant. Irrigation began to
in Pacajus, Ceará, Brazil. The geographic coordinates are 4º 10’ be applied whenever there was no rainfall event ≥ 10 mm in
S and 38º 27’ W, at an altitude of 60 m, and the soil is classified the last seven days and stopped when a rainfall event ≥ 10
as Neossolo Quartzarênico (Quartzipsamment - United States) mm occurred. The daily means of maximum and minimum
(Santos et al., 2018), whose characteristics are presented in temperatures and relative humidity observed during the
Table 1. experimental period are shown in Figure 1.
The design adopted was completely randomized in a split- Before sowing, the 0.0625-hectare area received the initial
plot scheme. The plot consisted of two electrical conductivities application of fertilizers based on soil analysis. Bovine manure
of water (ECw 0.8 dS m-1 - control and with addition of NaCl (500 kg), urea (2.2 kg), triple superphosphate (29.3 kg), and
- 4.0 dS m-1), and subplots consisted of eight harvests over potassium chloride (3.1 kg) were used. The entire fertilization
time (54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, and 68 days after transplanting process was carried out through fertigation, applied three
– DAT). The plants were arranged in a random scheme with times per week. Nutrient solution was prepared using a 20
eight crop rows and two border rows, totaling 10 rows. The L container, and the solution was applied through a Venturi

Table 1. Physical-chemical characteristics of the soil of the experimental area

O.M - Organic matter; SB - Sum of exchangeable bases; CEC - Cation exchange capacity; V - Base saturation percentage; m - Aluminum saturation percentage

Rev. Bras. Eng. Agríc. Ambiental, v.28, n.10, e280370, 2024.

 Do moderate salinity and harvest stages interfere with gas exchange and quality of yellow melon fruits? 3/9

considering atmospheric CO2 concentration, temperature,

ambient humidity, and the camera had an area of 6.25 cm2.
The growth and post-harvest variables fruit mass (FM - g)
and total soluble solids (TSS - ºBrix) were evaluated throughout
eight stages of fruit maturation (54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, and
68 days after transplanting). At each harvest, the number of
fruits per plant (NF), fruit mass (FM - g), and total soluble
solids content (TSS - ºBrix) of the pulp were determined.
Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the data was performed
using the F test. The significant means of the salt stress
treatments were compared using the Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05),
Figure 1. Daily means of maximum and minimum temperatures and the regression analysis for the harvest time was performed
and relative humidity of air during the experimental period using of the SISVAR computer program (Ferreira, 2019). The
(October to December 2021) graphs were constructed using the SigmaPlot® program version
11.0 (Systat Software Inc., 2008). Multivariate statistical
injector in a bypass system. Throughout the crop cycle, 16.7 analysis of plant growth and fruit quality data was performed
kg of urea (44% N), 32.6 kg of MAP (10% N, 50% P205), and using principal component analysis (PCA). Analyses were
32.3 kg of potassium chloride (60% K2O) were used, divided performed using the statistical software R® (R Core Team,
and applied over nine weeks. The distribution of nutrients 2021).
followed the guidelines of the Embrapa Melon Production
System (Salviano et al., 2017).
Results and Discussion
During cultivation, cultural practices were adopted,
including the use of black mulching as a cover, to control pest The analysis of variance presented in Table 2 shows that
and disease infestations. Delegate® products (Registration there was significant effect only for the individual factors:
Nº. 14414 at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock) were water salinity and evaluation times. For the salinity factor, only
applied to control leafminer larva (Liriomyza trifolii), and the variable internal CO2 concentration (Ci) was significantly
Trifmine (Registration Nº. 2993 at the Ministry of Agriculture influenced (p ≤ 0.05). As for the harvest times factor, all
and Livestock) was applied before and during planting to variables showed a significant effect.
prevent the occurrence of Didymella bryoniae. The doses were The variables A (Figure 2A) and E (Figure 2B) showed
established following the recommendations of each product similar trends, in which the data were described by decreasing
for the crop. Micronutrients were not applied to the soil. Fruit linear equations as a function of the evaluation times, with
thinning was not carried out to observe the fruit production net photosynthesis decreasing by 50.9% and transpiration
potential of the crop under the imposed conditions. rate decreasing by 55.7% when comparing the first with the
Net CO2 assimilation rate (A – μmol CO2 m-2 s-1), stomatal last evaluation time. As for gs, the data were described by a
conductance (gs – mol H 2 O m -2 s -1 ), intercellular CO 2 quadratic equation with a decreasing trend until the evaluation
concentration (Ci – μmol CO2 mol-1 air), transpiration rate time of 62 DAT, reaching the minimum point of 0.18 mol H2O
(E – mmol H2O m-2 s-1), water use efficiency (WUE – A/E), m-2 s-1. When comparing gs at 54 and 62 DAT (minimum
and intrinsic carboxylation efficiency (iCE = A/Ci) were point), a reduction of 55.3% is observed; however, from 64
determined. Gas exchange readings were performed on mature, DAT onwards there was a recovery in stomatal conductance
fully expanded leaves exposed to sunlight. An infrared gas rates, with no statistical distinction between the data at 54
analyzer (IRGA- model LCi by ADC BioScientific, England) DAT (Figure 2C).
was used between 08:00 and 10:00 a.m., with a radiation source Transpiration through stomatal pores accounts for 70%
of 1500 μmol m-2 s-1 (value above the saturation point of C3 of total water loss, highlighting its significance in water
plants and below a value that may cause photo-inhibition), management. Stomatal opening is influenced by both plant

Table 2. Analysis of variance of net photosynthesis (A), transpiration (E), stomatal conductance (gs), internal CO2 concentration
(Ci), instantaneous carboxylation efficiency (iCE), and instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE) of melon (Cucumis melo L.)
under two levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water - ECw (0.8 and 4.0 dS m-1) and eight harvesting times (54, 56, 58,
60, 62, 64, 66 and 68 DAT)

DF - Degrees of freedom; CV- Coefficient of variation; ** - Significant at 0.01 probability level and ns - Not significant.

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4/9 Beatriz de A. Araújo et al.

conductance showed a 35% reduction compared to plants

irrigated with low ECw (0.8 dS m-1) throughout the cycle.
This reduction was also observed in leaf transpiration, which
results from stomatal limitation due to the difficulty of water
absorption, resulting from the reduction of soil water potential
(Silva et al., 2019).
According to Dias et al. (2019), the closure of stomata in
plants is a mechanism that aims to prevent the loss of water into
the atmosphere, preserving the water potential of the leaves
and preventing the dehydration of guard cells. In this context,
the reduction in photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and
transpiration throughout the evaluation times are related to
the higher respiration rate because, when reaching the end
of the cycle, plants tend to reduce gas exchange and increase
respiration, due to the action of senescence (Woo et al., 2018).
With regard to internal CO2 concentration, it was observed
that ECw of 4.0 dS m-1 reduced this variable by 11.63% (Figure
3A). Regarding the evaluation times, the data were described
by the increasing linear model, reaching a maximum point of
254.28 μmol CO2 mol-1 air at 68 DAT, and when comparing
the value obtained at the first evaluation time (187.5 μmol CO2
mol-1 air) with that obtained at the last, an increase of 35.6%
was observed in the internal CO2 concentration (Figure 3B).

** Significant at 0.01 probability level by F test

Figure 2. Photosynthesis (A), transpiration (B), and stomatal
conductance (C) of melon (Cucumis melo) as a function of
harvesting times

and environmental factors. When exposed to saline conditions,

plant cells lose water and reduce cell elongation to adapt
quickly, subsequently accumulating NaCl intracellularly
over time (Liu et al., 2017). Pan et al. (2020) assert that in
the presence of NaCl, plants undergo osmotic changes in
leaf tissues that, in summary, affect CO2 concentration and
stomatal closure.
In a study conducted by Silva et al. (2019) with watermelon, ** Significant at 0.01 probability by F test. Different letters differ by Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05)
it was observed that during the vegetative phase, the application Figure 3. Internal CO2 concentrations of melon (Cucumis melo)
of saline water increased the values of stomatal conductance. as a function of the electrical conductivity of irrigation water
However, during the fruit maturation phase, stomatal (A) and harvesting times (B)

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 Do moderate salinity and harvest stages interfere with gas exchange and quality of yellow melon fruits? 5/9

Similar results were found by Sarabi et al. (2019), who

observed that most plants under salt stress conditions show
a reduction in CO2 absorption through the leaves compared
to those that are not subject to this stress. According to
Moinuddin et al. (2017), these effects occur due to limited
water uptake and imposed osmotic stress, interference with
the absorption of essential elements and modification of ionic
balance, as well as the accumulation of salt in the cytoplasm
of photosynthetic cells.
For iCE, there was a significant linear decrease as a
function of the evaluation times, and when comparing the
values ​​obtained in the first (54 DAT) and in the last (68 DAT)
evaluations, a reduction of 60.9% was observed in the iCE of
melon plants (Figure 4A).
WUE was increased by approximately 12.1% by ECw of 4.0
dS m-1 (Figure 4B), while the evaluation times promoted an
increase in WUE only up to 62 DAT, where the maximum point
of 4.89 (A/E) was found; from then on there was a decrease until
the last assessment moment (Figure 4C). According to Nemera
et al. (2021), the increase in the intrinsic or instantaneous water
use efficiency is commonly directly related to stomatal closure
and reduced photosynthesis. This was observed in the present
study, in which a reduction in the rates of net photosynthesis,
stomatal conductance, and transpiration was observed at 62
DAT (Figure 2A, Figure 2B, and Figure 2C), the latter being
responsible for reducing the loss of water from the plant to the
atmosphere. At the same time that stomatal conductance was
reduced, WUE increased (Figure 4C).
For the analysis of variance of fruit mass, number of
fruits, and total soluble solids, it was found that the individual
factor ECw (4.0 dS m -1) interfered only with fruit mass, while
the individual factor harvesting time provoked significant
responses in all variables evaluated. Regarding the interaction
between ECw and evaluation times, only the number of fruits
was significantly influenced (Table 3).
Fruit mass averaged 1,374 g for fruits under low electrical
conductivity (0.4 dS m-1) and 1,139 g when ECw of 4.0 dS m-1
was imposed, with a 17.1% reduction under saline conditions
(Figure 5A). With regard to the effect of evaluation times, there
was a linear increase in fruit mass throughout the harvesting
times (54 to 68 DAT), with this increase being greater than
40.8% (Figure 5B).
The salinity of the soil or irrigation water can affect the
development of plants as it limits agricultural production and
reduces crop yield, reaching unfavorable economic levels,
especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Therefore, the influence
of salinity in irrigation water is widely recognized as a crucial
factor to be considered as its use can trigger adverse effects on ** Significant at 0.01 probability level by F test. Means followed by different letters differ
by Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05)
the interactions between soil, water, and plants (Hussain et al.,
Figure 4. Instantaneous carboxylation efficiency as a function
2020). This scenario reinforces the need for careful management
of harvesting times (A) and instantaneous water use efficiency
of salinity in irrigation water in order to preserve the health and of melon (Cucumis melo) as a function of the electrical
yield of cultivated plants (Dias et al., 2019). conductivity of irrigation water (B) and harvesting times (C)
Plants’ behavior is affected by the salinity of irrigation
water differently depending on their stage of development. above 1.1 dS m-1. The authors also observed that there were
Given this, when evaluating the use of brackish water in melon melon plants that suffered stress only at the fruiting stage (51
irrigation during plant development stages, Dias et al. (2010) to 70 DAT), recording lower biomass gains due to an increase
found a linear reduction in growth and fruit mass when plants in electrical conductivity, which made the plants more tolerant
were subjected to nutrient solution with electrical conductivity to salinity.

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6/9 Beatriz de A. Araújo et al.

Table 3. Analysis of variance of fruit mass (FM), number of

fruits (NF), and total soluble solids (TSS) in melon (Cucumis
melo) irrigated under two levels of water electrical conductivity
(ECw - 0.8 and 4.0 dS m-1) and at eight harvesting times (54,
56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, and 68 DAT)

DF - Degrees of freedom; CV - Coefficient of variation; * - Significant at 0.05 probability

level; ** - Significant at 0.05 probability level and ns - Not significant

*Significant at 0.05 probability level; ** Significant at 0.01 probability level by F test.

Means followed by different letters differ by Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05)
Figure 6. Number of fruits (A) of melon (Cucumis melo) as a
function of the electrical conductivity of irrigation water and
harvesting times and content of total soluble solids (B) as a
function of harvesting time

relation to the level of 4.0 dS m-1, the data were described

by a quadratic equation, with the maximum point of 4.85
at 64 DAT, followed by a reduction from that time onwards
(Figure 6A).
At 64 DAT, the number of fruits remained constant
in both treatments of water salinity. In the treatment of
ECw = 4 dS m -1, the plants had an average of 4.5 fruits
per plant, with only two of these fruits being viable for
** Significant at 0.01 probability by F test. Means followed by different letters differ by
commercialization in terms of size and maturity stage. In
Tukey test (p ≤ 0.05) general, irrigation water salinity can reduce fruit production
Figure 5. Fruit mass of melon (Cucumis melo) as a function in salt-sensitive crops such as melon (Lima et al., 2020).
of the electrical conductivity of irrigation water (A) and However, what occurred was an adaptation of the plants to
harvesting times (B) the imposed water salinity conditions (4.0 dS m-1), where
they invested less in vegetative growth and managed to
For the number of fruits per plant, the data were described
maintain fruit production. Results obtained by Terceiro
by two equations; the low ECw (0.8 dS m-1) was described by
Neto et al. (2021) for the ‘Sancho’ cultivar also showed no
a positive linear equation, reaching the value of 5 fruits per negative effect on the number of fruits of plants grown under
plant at the evaluation time of 68 DAT, and when comparing ECw conditions of 4.3 dS m-1.
this result with the value obtained at 54 DAT (3 fruits per Water management strategies using waters with
plant), an increase of 66.7% was observed (Figure 6A). In salinities of 0.57 and 4.33 dS m -1 did not affect the number

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 Do moderate salinity and harvest stages interfere with gas exchange and quality of yellow melon fruits? 7/9

of fruits per plant, fruit production, total soluble solids FM, and Ci showed positive scores for PC1, indicating a higher
content, and fruit weight per plant of “Toad Skin” melon number and weight of fruits under non-saline conditions
(cv. Sancho) in a study conducted by Terceiro Neto et al. (control) (Figure 7).
(2021). These results corroborate those obtained in the The biplot (Figure 7) showed that axis 1 (PC1) was
present study, where no significant effect (p ≤ 0.05) of negatively correlated with WUE and iCE (under both saline
salinity on the variables number of fruits per plant and and non-saline conditions). In practical terms, this means
total soluble solids was found. that WUE did not increase under conditions of increased
For the total soluble solids content (TSS), it was found electrical conductivity of water (ECw) for the studied ‘Goldex’
that this variable increased throughout the evaluation times. yellow melon variety. In this context, the results observed in
When comparing the values ​​obtained at 54 DAT (8.81 ºBrix) Figure 7 can be associated with the negative effect of salinity
with the values of the last evaluation time, 68 DAT (11.25 on plants, especially those that accumulate a large amount of
ºBrix), a superiority of 27.7% is observed (Figure 6B). Lima et water in their fruits, as in the case of melon, because when
al. (2020), when evaluating quality parameters of cantaloupe they detect saline conditions through their roots, they inhibit
melon fruits, found an increase in the total soluble solids the capture of atmospheric CO2, through stomatal closure,
content of the fruits and associated it with the effect of
and as a consequence there is a reduction in photosynthesis,
nutrient concentration, given the low supply of water to the
since these variables are highly correlated (Figure 7). Results
fruit, caused by the osmotic effect arising from salinity.
similar to those found in this study were observed by Sarabi
The principal component analysis (PCA) applied to our
& Ghashghaie (2022), who evaluated the physiological and
dataset provided an insightful view of the underlying structure
biochemical responses of melon plants under salt stress by
of the analyzed variables. The PCA plot reveals the distribution
NaCl and verified through multivariate analysis that gas
of observations along the two principal components,
exchange was negatively influenced by the increase in salinity,
representing 72.60% (PC1 and PC2), a significant portion of
so that plants avoided losing water to the atmosphere in
the total variation (Figure 7). When analyzing the loadings
of the principal components, it is observed that principal response to stress.
component 1 (PC1) is strongly influenced by the variables TSS did not show a positive correlation with gas exchange
number of fruits - NF, fruit mass - FM, and intercellular variables (Figure 7). The increase in sugar content was due to
CO2 concentration - Ci, while principal component 2 (PC2) the progression of fruit ripening throughout the harvest, where
is primarily influenced by the variables water use efficiency there was no significant effect of the increase in the electrical
- WUE and intrinsic carboxylation efficiency - iCE. The conductivity of the water. Sucrose, along with major hexoses
substantial magnitude of the loadings for these variables like glucose and fructose, plays crucial roles in signaling and
indicates that they play crucial roles in the variation captured regulating plant development (Durán-Soria et al., 2020). These
by the components. Gas exchange, photosynthesis - A, leaf sugars have direct or indirect control over various processes
transpiration - E, and stomatal conductance - gs were negatively such as photosynthesis, nitrogen uptake, defense mechanisms,
influenced by salinity, indicating an increase in their values hormonal balance, secondary metabolism, and ripening
over the harvesting times. On the other hand, the variables NF, (Nookaraju et al., 2010).

S - Salinity; D - Day; A - Photosynthesis; E - Transpiration; gs - Stomatal conductance; Ci - Internal CO 2 concentrations; iCE - Instantaneous carboxylation efficiency;
WUE - Instantaneous water use efficiency; FM - Fruit mass, NF - Number of fruits; TSS - Total soluble solids
Figure 7. Principal component analysis (PCA) scatterplot for the growth and gas exchange variables of ‘Goldex’ melon (Cucumis
melo) fruits grown under different electrical conductivity of water and harvesting times

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8/9 Beatriz de A. Araújo et al.

Conclusions Dias, N. da S.; Lira, R. B. de; Brito, R. F. de; Sousa Neto, O. N, de;
Ferreira Neto, M. de O. Produção de melão rendilhado em
1. ‘Goldex’ yellow melon (Cucumis melo) maintains its sistema hidropônico com rejeito da dessalinização de água em
water status and its basic gas exchange stable under electrical solução nutritiva. Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e
conductivity of 4.0 dS m-1. Ambiental, v.14, p.1-5, 2010. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1415-
2. Electrical conductivity of irrigation water of 4.0 dS m-1 43662010000700011
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Supplementary documents: There are no supplementary 09111-6
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Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no conflicts of agrícola municipal ano de 2021. Available on: <https://sidra.ibge.
interest. gov.br/tabela/1612>. Accessed: Apr. 2023.
Funding statement: This work was supported by the Lima, M. R. E.; Araújo, L. F.; Farias, L. F. M. de; Bezerra, M. A.
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior Biometrics, physiology, production, and quality of Cantaloupe
– Brasil (CAPES) – Funding Code 001. melons grown with saline waters under semi-arid conditions.
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