MINERAL CONTENT OF MELON FRUIT (CUCUMIS MELO L.)
Melons are highly demanding, thermophilous plants, which is why they are unpopular among fruit growers. Melon cultivation requires special treatment methods for the improvement of microclimatic conditions. Seven Polish melon cultivars are presently grown on the domestic market. They are well adapted to the local climate. The growth rate, vigor, fruit shape, fruit size, rind color and flesh thickness of those cultivars vary. The objective of this study was to determine the mineral content of edible parts of four field-grown melon cultivars in the Warmia region (NE Poland). This study discusses the mineral content of melon fruit subject to the investigated cultivar and cultivation method. In Poland, melon production is difficult and unreliable. The main problem is the selection of an appropriate cultivar and cultivation method. The analyzed material consisted of four Polish melon cultivars: Malaga F1, Melba, Oliwin, Seledyn F1, grown in a field experiment without protective cover, under polyethylene (PE) sheet cover, under non-woven polypropylene (PP) cover, with soil mulching, as well as with soil mulching under PE sheet cover or nonwoven PP cover. The highest concentrations of total N, K, Ca and Cu were determined in melon fruit of cv. Oliwin. Significant variations in total nitrogen and phosphorus levels in the edible parts of melon plants were noted subject to the applied cultivation method. Cucumis melo L. grown in the control treatment without protective cover was marked by significantly higher levels of total nitrogen and phosphorus in the fruit, compared with fruit grown with the use of other cultivation methods. The results of this study indicate that the fruit of melon plants cv. Seledyn grown in mulched soil under non-woven PP cover was characterized by the most favorable Ca:Mg and Ca:P ratios in comparison with fruit from the remaining treatments.
THE EFFECT OF DATE OF PLANTING SEEDLINGS AND POLYPROPYLENE FIBRE COVERING ON THE YIELD AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF MELON
Melon is a little popular vegetable to grow in Poland, due to high climatic requirements. Ensuring appropriate thermal conditions for plants growth is possible with relatively late planting seedlings. However, late planting does not guarantee high yield of good quality fruit. The factor enabling the earlier planting seedlings and improving the conditions of growth is the use of flat covers. The field experiment was conducted in 2008–2010 in central-eastern Poland. The effect of planting seedlings of melon ‘Malaga F1’ (15 May, 25 May and 4 June) and the length of polypropylene fibre 17 g·m -2 covering (by 4 and 8 weeks from planting, until harvest, control without covering) on the yield and economic efficiency of melon cultivation in the field was investigated. Most preferably the yield level and profitability of melon cultivation were influenced by planting seedlings on the 15 May and covering by 4 weeks. However, earlier planting decreased the share of marketable fruits in the total number of fruits. The highest share in the costs structure of melon cultivation had the costs of human labour.
EVALUATION OF FERMENTED PALM KERNEL MEAL AND FERMENTED COPRA MEAL PROTEINS AS SUBSTITUTE FOR SOYBEAN MEAL PROTEIN IN LAYING HENS DIETS
Two hundred and ten (210) laying hens of Black Harco breed at 37 weeks in lay were fed experimental layer diets, in which fermented palm kernel meal (PKM) and copra meal (CM) were used independently to substitute for soybean meal (SBM) on protein content basis at 0%, 25%, 50% and 75%, to give seven treatments in a completely randomized design feeding trial that lasted 12 weeks. Performance characteristics and some haematological indices were evaluated in this study. Fermentation for seven days increased the crude protein of PKM (from 20.04% to 23.42%) and that of CM (from 19.63% to 23.11%). The crude fibre of the fermented PKM and CM decreased (from 15.47% to 12.44 % and 16.00% to 11.63% respectively). The feed intake (FI) was significantly highest (P 0.05) by the substitution of PKM and CM for SBM. The study showed that SBM protein could be substituted optimally at 50% by either PKM or CM protein.