Evaporation, Radiation use Efficiencies and Solar Radiation Relationships to be used in an Auotamated Irrigation System for Field Grown Melon (Cucumis melo L. cv. Ananas F1)

This study assessed water needs of melon (Cucumis melo L. cv. Ananas F1) by using class–A pan and determined the effect of the irrigation management on vegetative growth, the intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (IPAR), water use efficiency (WUE), radiation use efficiency (RUE) for total dry matter (TDM). The incoming amount of solar radiation was 2174.3 MJ m–2 day–1 for 89 days period, of which 372.69 MJ m–2 day–1 intercepted by melon canopy. With the effect of the applied irrigation water of 412.1 mm and the intercepted radiation of 372.69 MJ m–2 by the plant canopy, Ananas melon variety produced the yield of 23.01 Mg ha–1. Being a strong relationship between evaporation from class–A pan and solar radiation and mean temperature, the equation developed in this study is thought to be used to activate the pressurized irrigation systems automatically.