The results of optimization of the technology of growing Muscat pumpkin in non-irrigated conditions through adjusting agroecological factors to increase its productivity are presented in the article. Field experiments have been conducted on the fields of the experimental farm of the Southern State Agricultural Experimental Station of the Institute of Water Problems and Melioration of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, located in the Hola Prystan district of the Kherson region. The soil of the experimental site is black soil of the South solodized, slightly humus. The scheme of the experiment included the following variants - variety (factor A): Yanina (early-ripened), Gilea (middle-ripened); the area of plant nutrition (factor B): 2 m²; 3 m²; 4 m² and 5 m²; doses and fertilization methods (factor C): no fertilizers (control); recommended fertilizer dose N₆₀P₉₀K₆₀ in the spread; ½ recommended (N₃₀P₄₅K₃₀) locally; ⅓ recommended (N₂₀P₃₀K₂₀) locally; ¼ recommended (N₁₅P₂₃K₁₅) locally. In particular, for the farms of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine, the Muscat pumpkin growing technology has been worked out, the yield reached 20 t/ha, the feasibility of using a reduced dose of mineral fertilizers in conjunction with optimal plant nutrition has been substantiated. The most adapted to arid conditions in the south of Ukraine was an early-ripened variety Yanina, which differed in the intensity of the development phases, and had a shorter period of vegetation, formed the highest yield of 2.5 t/ha or 17 %, compared with the middle-ripened variety of Gilea. Statistically equal fruit yields were formed under introduction of N₃₀P₄₅K₃₀ locally and N₆₀P₉₀K₆₀ in the spread and the placement of plants on the area of 5 m²: the Yanina variety yield was 20.6-20.7 t/ha and the Gilea variety yiels was 17.8-18.0 t/ha. The meteorological conditions during the research years were contrasting, but in general, the weather conditions during the research years sufficiently reflected the climatic conditions of the Southern steppe of Ukraine.

In the conducted researches the high influence of application of the investigated elements of technology on the variability of Muscat pumpkin crop productivity was established. The right choice of the variety was one of the crucial conditions for obtaining the maximum yield, one of the most affordable agricultural production measures to reduce the negative impact of limiting environmental factors on the level of plant productivity, which provided plasticity of culture under conditions of the global warming. Therefore, in the view of the mentioned above, the varieties of Muscat pumpkin for unirrigated conditions in the south of Ukraine should have high drought tolerance, ductility, good reputation for fertilizers, and the ability to quickly and efficiently use of moisture stores.

The technology of Muscat pumpkin growing should be based on the most adapted to the specific soil-climatic conditions of the zone, zoned and perspective varieties of local selection. Our studies have shown that pumpkin varieties differ in the fruit yields. Thus, on average for the experiment, its highest level was obtained in the early-ripened variety of Yanina – 17,2 t/ha, which is 2.5 t/ha or 17 % more compared with the middle-ripened variety Gilea. Introducing N₃₀P₄₅K₃₀ locally and N₆₀P₉₀K₆₀ separately, and placing plants on the area of 5 м², the highest levels of fruit yield were fixed: for Yanina variety – 20.6-20.7 t/ha and for Gilea variety – 17.8-18.0 t/ha.

Thus, the improvement of the Muscat pumpkin cultivation technology elements for the unobstructed conditions of the south Ukraine, which ensured the fruits yield of 20 t/ha, comprises agroecological justification of the expediency of growing better adapted varieties and the use of fertilizers in combination with optimal plant nutrition. The yields of the pumpkin fruit were mostly influenced by nutrition regimes (68 %), the share of the participation in the fruit harvest formation was 22 %, the feeding area – 6 %, and the interaction of the factors ranged from 1 to 2 %. Based on the data obtained, it could be argued that the variety has been one of the leading factors in the Muscat pumpkin yield increasing, which accounted for more than 20 % of its growth.

In the conducted experiment, high (in comparison with other factors) efficiency of the feeding area and the nutrition background interaction on the variability of the Muscat pumpkin yield, which proves that the efficiency of the "power supply" factor increases under optimization of the crops placement in terms of feed area and vice versa – the efficiency of the power supply area was greatly increased with the optimization of the nutrient regime of the crops.

The variety factor influenced not only the pumpkin yield, but its biochemical composition as well. From the point of view of the nutritional value, the best  quality  was noted in the soft fruit of the Yanina variety while cultivating the crop under introduction of N₆₀P₉₀K₆₀ in the spread and N₃₀P₄₅K₃₀ locally as well as placing one plant in a feeding area of 5 m² allowed a maximum yield of carotene – 33.0-36.1 kg/ha and high content of dry matter, sugars, ascorbic acid and pectin in its fruit.

Key words: muscat pumpkin, area of nutrition, fertilizers, cultivar.