Formation of alcohol substances in muskmelon: variation among cultivars and with maturity

Abstract

To elucidate the differences in the formation of alcohol substances between different cultivars of muskmelon ( Cucumis melo L.), 24 cultivars were tested for alcohol substance concentration (ASC) in the flesh and inner tissue of the fruit. The change in ASC with maturity was also investigated. Of the 24 cultivars tested, four showed markedly high ASC in every crop and two cultivars occasionally showed markedly or fairly high ASC. These cultivars were of ‘Earl's Favourite’ or ‘Earl's Favourite’ and ‘British Queen’ ( C. melo var. reticulatus) parentage, with most falling into the latter category. An exception was ‘Prince’ which was an F 1 hybrid of ‘Charante’ (var. reticulatus) and var. acidulus. Cultivars belonging to var. inodolus or acidulus and their F 1 hybrid showed consistently low ASC. High ASC was found only in the inner tissue of the fruit, not in the flesh. ASC in the inner tissue began to increase from 10–15 days before the fruit reached maturity for shipment and continued to increase for the first 10 days of after-ripening at 20°C.