Preharvest furrow and drip irrigation schedule effects on postharvest muskmelon quality

Abstract

Abstract A two-year study was conducted on the effects of furrow or drip irrigation applied 1, 2 or 4 days prior to harvest (following all plots having been watered 8 days prior to harvest) on the postharvest quality of muskmelon ( Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus) fruits cv. Magnum 45. Fruit firmness was not affected by irrigation method or application time. Regardless of irrigation method, water applied at 4 days prior to harvest produced fruit with significantly lower soluble solids concentration SSC (10.8% vs. 12.2%) greater volume (1684 vs. 1508 cm 3 ) and greater moisture content (88.5% vs. 87.4%) compared to no watering after 8 days prior to harvest. No consistent differences were found with fruit SSC, volume moisture content or taste of fruits from plots where water was applied 1 or 2 days prior to harvest compared to fruits receiving no water after 8 days. Significantly lower sweetness and overall preference ratings were found for fruit from plots drip-irrigated 4 days prior to harvest compared to those that received no water after 8 days. In contrast, only sensory ratings of fruits from furrow-irrigated plots might indicate that watering 1 and 2 days prior to harvest may be as detrimental to quality as water applied at 4 days prior to harvest.