EMERGÊNCIA E VIGOR DE MELANCIA DEPENDENTES DA DIMENSÃO DAS SEMENTES, NO SUL GOIANO

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of watermelon seed size on seedling development and establishment under field conditions. For the study, seeds were classified based on individual weight into three categories: small (30 to 40.5 mg), medium (40.51 to 50.5 mg), and large (50.51 to 75 mg). Seed size was measured using a caliper to determine length, width, thickness, and seed mass. The seeds were then used to assess emergence and seedling establishment in the field. The results showed that larger seeds had greater mass, length, width, and thickness, which contributed to better seedling performance, reflected in a higher emergence rate in the first days after sowing. Small seeds had lower performance, but differences were mitigated after the 10th day as the germination process became more uniform. At 15 and 30 days after transplanting, seedlings from large seeds continued to show greater height, stem diameter, and number of leaves, suggesting that larger seed size provides superior energy reserves, favoring vegetative growth. However, differences in stem diameter were not significant, indicating that environmental factors such as nutrient availability and irrigation also influence aerial development. It was concluded that seed size has a direct impact on the initial seedling development, with larger seeds providing a competitive advantage, which may result in higher productivity in the adult plant stage. KEYWORDS: Citrullus lanatus; seedling growth; seedling development.