Physiological properties of novel melon cultivars (cv. Meloni and cv. Tacapa Green Black) during storage

Abstract

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) has polymorphic varieties that affect genetic diversity. Melon cv. Meloni and cv. Tacapa Green Black are new cultivars produced by Universitas Gadjah Mada. The information about respiration rate, volatile compounds, and firmness, including the impact on storage time of those novel cultivars, is not available yet. This work aimed to investigate the respiration rate, volatile compounds, and firmness of melon cv. Meloni and Tacapa Green Black during 20 days of storage at a temperature of 21°C. Based on respiration rate measurement, melon cv. Meloni and cv. Tacapa Green Black are classified into climacteric and non-climacteric fruit, respectively. The volatile compounds were extracted using solvent extraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). It identified more than seventy volatile compounds in melon cv. Meloni, whereas only 20 volatile compounds were found in cv. Tacapa Green Black at harvest time and altered during storage. Melon cv. Meloni has a highly aromatic volatile compound but short shelf life according to firmness. Whereas cv. Tacapa Green Black could be stored until 20 days in form shape but lacking volatile compounds. Melon cv. Meloni and cv. Tacapa Green Black has good potential and could be a promising commercial horticultural product.