Open AccessEFFECT OF SPENT MUSHROOM SUBSTRATE ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF THREE CULTIVARS OF MUSKMELONS (Cucumis melo)
Author(s) -
Thi Oanh Nguyen,
Thi Diem Nguyen,
Hai Thi Hong Truong,
Thi Thu Hang La,
Nguyễn Thị Kim Cúc
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of experimental biology and agricultural sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.108
H-Index - 2
ISSN - 2320-8694
DOI - 10.18006/2021.9(3).276.286
Subject(s) - mushroom , horticulture , substrate (aquarium) , cucumis , jaggery , brix , coir , cultivar , crop yield , biology , yield (engineering) , hydroponics , agronomy , sugar , chemistry , botany , food science , materials science , ecology , metallurgy
Muskmelons are currently grown in several areas of Vietnam for domestic and international consumer markets. The fruit grows well in greenhouses in soil or soilless substrate such as coconut peat. Researchers in Vietnam are investigating the growth of muskmelons in a range of organic by-products. In this study, spent mushroom substrate was recycled for use as an organic substrate and to evaluate the growth, quality, and yield of three muskmelon varieties including RZ F1, PN 128, and TL3 in greenhouses over three months. The substrate was incubated for one month before use and contained 45% spent mushroom substrate, 30% manure, 7.7% rice husks, 1.5% phosphorus, 0.2% commercial Trichoderma (Tribac), 0.1% rice bran, 15% sand, and 0.5% micronutrients and water. Following incubation, the substrate had optimal pH for the growth of muskmelon and the concentration of nutrients and beneficial microorganisms had increased significantly. The growth of RZ F1 and TL3 cultivars was significantly better than PN 128 in terms of growth, fruit quality, and yield. Specifically, RZ F1 and TL3 species took 78 days and 75 days to complete their life cycle produced 1.76 kg and 1.62 kg of fruit, had a pericarp thickness of 4.0 cm, and possessed 14.20o Brix and 14.88o Brix of soluble solid content, respectively. These findings suggest that agricultural by-products, such as spent mushroom substrate, could be a valuable resource for the culture of muskmelons in Vietnam.