DETERMINACION DE LAS CURVAS DE ABSORCION DE MACRONUTRIENTES (N, P, K, Ca y Mg) EN MELON (Cucumis melo L.) cv. 'HONEY DEW GREEN FLESH' BAJO DIFERENTES DOSIS DE FERTILIZACION

An experiment with four levels of N-P-K-Mg fertilization was conducted to determine absorption curves of the macronutrients in Cucumis melo cv. *Honey Dew Green Flesh'. Tissue samples were taken beginning one month after planting and then at fifteen day intervals. Significant variations in nutrient concentrations were found during the crop vegetative growth. These variations were not affected by the levels of fertilization. Higher concentrations of N were observed at 30 and 45 days; K, 60 days; and P, Ca and Mg, 45 days after planting. After the maximum nutrient concentration was reached, the levels started a continuous decrease until the end of the vegetative phase. This pattern was observed for all the nutrients except for the Mg concentration in fruits, in which higher concentrations were observed at the end of the growth phase. Higher nutrient extraction was observed at 45 and 60 days after planting with average values of 47% for N, 62% for P, 57% for K, 51% for Ca and 33% for Mg