Integrative Influence of sulfur, chicken manure and potassium silicate fertilization on growth and yield characters of muskmelon

Field experiments were carried out at a private farm in Fayoum governorate, Egypt during the summer seasons 2018 and 2019 to study the effect of sulfur, chicken manure, and potassium silicate on growth and productivity of muskmelon. Eighteentreatments were applied using sulfur (0 and 150 kg feddan-1) (feddan = 4200 m² = 0.420 hectares = 1.037 acres) ×chicken manure levels (0, 3 and 6 ton feddan-1), and potassium silicate (0, 10 and 20 cm3 /L). The experiments were arranged in a split-split plot based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications. Sulfur, chicken manure, and potassium silicate levels were randomly allocated in the main, sub- and sub-sub plots, orderly. Each experimental unit was planned to cover an area of 45 m2 including two rows of 15 m long and 1.5 m wide. Data revealed that all treatments had a significant effect on all studied characters, i.e. number of branches and leaves/plant, leaf chlorophyll (A and B), total soluble sugar, number of fruits/plant , average fruits weight (g), fruits yield /plant (kg) and fruits yield/ feddan-1 (ton). Application of sulphur at 150 kg feddan-1, chicken manure at 6 ton feddan-1 and potassium silicate at 10 or 20 cm3 /L was the best treatment for all the studied attributes.