The effects of two irrigation intervals (7 and 14 days) and four levels of tea wastes (0,510, and 15 t/ha) on the quantitative and qualitative characters of waternelon (Citrullus vulgaris Schrad.), cv. Charlston Gray were studied. A split plot design with three replications was used. Studied characters were stem length, yield, yield components (number and mean weight of fruits per plant, number and weight of healthy and infected fruits with physiological blossom-end rot, percentage of soluble solids in fruits and soil moisture content.
Irrigation intervals did not have any significant effects on stem length, percentage and number of healthy and infected fruits, but had positive effects on yield and its components. A 7-day irrigation interval produced less soluble solids than the 14-day interval.
Tea wastes treatments had positive and significant effects on most of the studied characters. Stem length increased by 50% to 69%, yield by 25% to 35% and mean weight of fruits by 19% to 23%. Tea wastes application had no effect on the number of fruit per plant. There was not a significant statistical interaction between irrigation intervals and tea wastes application The effects of tea wastes application on the weight. percentage and number of infected fruits were significant. Increasing the amount: of tea wastes application decreased the percentage of infected fruits by 30% to 44% compared to control (without applying tea wastes). Soil moisture determination showed that the tea wastes application was effective on soil moisture conservation and conservently had more effects on the studied characters than the irrigation interval treatments.
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