Combined Effect of Biostimulants and Mineral Fertilizers on Crop Performance and Fruit Quality of Watermelon Plants

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible effects of two different biostimulant formulations at different application regimes and combined or not with mineral fertilizers (e.g., W1–W8, including the control treatment (no formulations added)) on the yield parameters and fruit quality of watermelon plants. The highest yield was recorded for the W5 treatment due to the formation of more fruit. The highest content of fat, proteins and ash was recorded for treatment W1, whereas carbohydrates were the most abundant in the control treatment, resulting also in the highest energetic value. The main detected sugars in all the tested samples were sucrose and fructose, which were the highest for the W4 and W5 treatments (sucrose) and W4 treatment (fructose). Malic and citric acid were the most abundant compounds, especially in the W4 treatment. In terms of tocopherols, only α-tocopherol was detected, with the highest amounts being recorded for the W4 treatment. Regarding bioactive properties, the lowest IC50 values for OxHLIA were recorded for the W2, W3 and W8 formulations. Moreover, all the extracts exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity comparable to the positive control, while a variable efficacy of the tested extracts against the studied bacteria and fungi was recorded. In conclusion, our results indicate that simple agronomic practices such as biostimulant application may improve crop performance and improve the proximal composition and the overall quality of watermelon fruit within the context of sustainable crop production.