メロンの窒素, 石灰栄養と果実の呼吸, エチレン生成との関係

Abstract

The physiology and biochemistry of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) fruit were studied in combination with nitrogen and calcium nutrition. Two forms of nitrogen ((NH4)2SO4 and NH4NO3) and 2 sources of calcium (CaCO3 and CaCl2) were studied with particular reference to carbon dioxide and ethylene production. In addition, fruit ethanol, chlorine and sugar contents were also estimated. Calcium, when applied in the form of CaCl2, was detrimental, in that, it produced more carbon dioxide and ethylene, decreased the mean fruit weight and also advanced the respiration peak by about 2 days to the ninth day after harvest compared with the 11th day in CaCO3. In this case, very high fruit ethanol and chlorine content seemed to affect the fruit quality. Such detrimental results were not observed in CaCO3 treatments. Irrespective of the treatments, carbon dioxide and ethylene production curves followed a typical sigmoidal pattern, confirming the climacteric nature of the fruit. Carbon dioxide and ethylene production, total soluble solid and ethanol contents, and ethanol and chlorine contents were positively correlated. Carbon dioxide production and fruit weight, and fruit weight and chlorine content were negatively correlated.