Effect of protected cultivation under netted rain-shelter with fertigation on the production of chili (Capsicum spp.) and rockmelon (Cucumis melo L.)

Chili is an important vegetable for Malaysian and experienced scarce supply during out season, while rockmelon is still unpopular among Malaysian but has a great potential to become an important horticultural crop for export from Malaysia. This study was established to evaluate the effects of protected cultivation, fertigation and foliar fertilizer on chili and rockmelon performance. The first objective was to determine the effect of protected versus open cultivation on growth, yield and quality of rockmelon for year round production and chili in rainy season. Individual fruit weight obtained from open field cultivation of rockmelon was below the high marketable yield criteria, 1.10 kg/fruit and protected cultivation produced 1.51 kg/fruit. Protected cultivation also produced rockmelon with higher brix reading, 14.12±0.83 compared to open cultivation, 12.24±1.81. Number of fruit of chili at inside netted rain-shelter, 32.20±5.6 was higher than at open field, 15.13±6.74. Most of rockmelon fruits harvested from inside netted rain-shelter found to be in grade B, 60% and 53.33% of rockmelon harvested from outside netted rain-shelter were graded as grade C. The second objective was to evaluate the effect of fertigation and foliar fertilizer in improving rockmelon yield and quality. Fertigation + foliar fertilizer treatment recorded the highest percentage of grade A fruit, 77.78%; fertigation recorded highest grade B fruit, 63.9% and conventional broadcast fertilizer recorded 55.6% grade B fruit. There was no record on grade C fruit was found in fertigation + foliar fertilizer treatment. Grade C fruit was only recorded in conventional broadcast fertilizer and fertigation treatment, 33.3% and 13.9% repectively. The third objective was to work out the economics of chili and rockmelon cultivation under the treatment that give the maximum yield and quality of the crops. Total cost of fertilizer for a chili plant is RM
3.55 up to RM 3.85 and for a rockmelon plant is RM 1.84 up to RM 2.08. At the end of the study, a planting and harvesting schedule for chili and rockmelon year round production has been generated. Starting on early February, 10 rain-shelters were planted with rockmelon, one rain-shelter per week. At the early September, 5 rain-shelters were planted with chili alternately biweekly and another 5 rain-shelter were planted with rockmelon. By following this schedule, 75,200 kg of rockmelon and 7,125 kg of chili can be produced a year. The initial investment approximately RM 571,000 per acre with the earliest payback period is 10 months. Cultivation of chili under netted rain-shelter during rainy season had a better yield and quality than at open field. Fertigation + foliar fertilizer had a great effect in improving percentage of grade A rockmelon fruit. Economics analysis revealed that, crop cultivation under netted rain shelter coupled with a proper planting and harvesting schedule suggested is profitable and having short payback period.