Melon Varieties Research Articles

De Novo Transcriptome Analysis of Cucumis melo L. var. makuwa.

Oriental melon (Cucumis melo L. var. makuwa) is one of six subspecies of melon and is cultivated widely in East Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea. Although oriental melon is economically valuable in Asia and is genetically distinct from other subspecies, few reports of genome-scale research on oriental melon have been published. We generated 30.5 and 36.8 Gb of raw RNA sequence data from the female and male flowers, leaves, roots, and fruit of two oriental melon varieties, Korean landrace (KM) and Breeding line of NongWoo Bio Co. (NW), respectively. From the raw reads, 64,998 transcripts from KM and 100,234 transcripts from NW were de novo assembled. The assembled transcripts were used to identify molecular markers (e.g., single-nucleotide polymorphisms and simple sequence repeats), detect tissue-specific expressed genes, and construct a genetic linkage map. In total, 234 single-nucleotide polymorphisms and 25 simple sequence repeats were screened from 7,871 and 8,052 candidates, respectively, between the KM and NW varieties and used for construction of a genetic map with 94 F2 population specimens. The genetic linkage map consisted of 12 linkage groups, and 248 markers were assigned. These transcriptome and molecular marker data provide information useful for molecular breeding of oriental melon and further comparative studies of the Cucurbitaceae family.

Effectiveness of a superoxide dismutase supplement derived from melon extract as a recovery aid for horses following strenuous exercise

An antioxidant derived from a variety of melon purported to be high in superoxide dismutase was fed to horses and the effect on performance and recovery was measured following repeated daily bouts of intense exercise. In a cross-over design study, six unfit Standardbred mares were fed this antioxidant at a rate of 2.0 IU/kg body weight (BW)/d as part of the daily ration for 4 weeks before undergoing a simulated race test (SRT) repeated over a 3-day period. The SRT, designed to simulate the training of Standardbreds, consisted of a 2 min warm-up at 6 m/s followed by a high speed run to fatigue at 125% of the speed calculated to correspond to the horse’s maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) as determined in a baseline incremental exercise test. Measurements included VO2 and the VO2 recovery time, VO2 at the point of recovery, run time, as well as plasma lactate, and plasma cortisol. Oxidative stress was measured by assessing malondialdehyde (MDA). The results from the study demonstrated that there were no differences (P>0.05) in mean values for the plasma concentrations of lactate, cortisol, or MDA. However, when supplemented with this antioxidant, there was an observable pattern with a small-to-medium effect size of an increase average run time of 14 s. Another important observation was that despite the longer run time, there was a moderate effect for a faster VO2 recovery time. The data suggest that supplementation with 2.0 IU/kg BW of this antioxidant had a modest but non-significant effect on performance and recovery time. Additionally, it did not negatively impact physiology in untrained Standardbred mares.

The Effect of CmLOXs on the Production of Volatile Organic Compounds in Four Aroma Types of Melon (Cucumis melo).

Lipoxygenases (LOXs) play important role in the synthesis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which influence the aroma of fruit. In this study, we elucidate that there is a positive relationship between LOXs activity and VOC production in melon (Cucumis melo), and CmLOX genes are involved in fruit aroma generation in melon. To this end, we tested four aroma types of melon that feature a thin pericarp: two aromatic cultivars of the oriental melons (C. melo var. makuwa Makino), ‘Yu Meiren’ (YMR) and ‘Cui Bao’ (CB); a non-aromatic oriental pickling melon (C. melo var. conomon), ‘Shao Gua’ (SHAO); and a non-aromatic snake melon (C. melo L. var. flexuosus Naud), ‘Cai Gua’ (CAI). A principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that the aromas of SHAO and CAI are similar in nature because their ester contents are lower than those of YMR and CB. Ethyl acetate, benzyl acetate, (E, Z)-2, 6-nonadienal and menthol are four principal volatile compounds that affect the aromatic characteristics of these four types of melons. The LOX activity and total ester content in YMR were the highest among the examined melon varieties. The expression patterns of 18 CmLOX genes were found to vary based on the aromatic nature of the melon. Four of them were highly expressed in YMR. Moreover, we treated the fruit disks of YMR with LOX substrates (linoleic acid and linolenic acid) and LOX inhibitors (n-propyl gallate and nordihydroguariaretic acid). Substrate application promoted LOX activity and induced accumulation of hexanal, (2E)-nonenal and straight-chain esters, such as ethyl acetate. In contrast, LOX inhibitors decreased the levels of these compounds. The effect of CmLOXs in the biosynthesis of esters in melons are discussed.

Physicochemical and nutritional evaluation of Spanish melon landraces

The study of unknown and therefore unexploited genetic material from landraces and wild relatives could be essential to help modern plant breeders to respond to ongoing requirements and new challenges in food production. The present study evaluates the most relevant physicochemical values and nutrient contents of a genetically unique array of traditional melon varieties, cultivated in Spain at least since the 19th century, and compares them with modern melon hybrids available on the market. This research is complemented with an assessment of variety, environment and repetition effects on each trait to determine their stability. Spanish melon landraces displayed extraordinary diversity with respect to juiciness (70.59–95.97 g/100 g water fresh weight), firmness (20.75–149.89 N), soluble solids content (9.57–16.53 °Brix), pH (5.04–6.38), total sugars (360.21–877.36 mg/g dry weight), carotenoids (0.01–2.05 μg/g fresh weight) and ascorbic acid values (7.55–44.33 mg/100 g fresh weight). A subset of these landraces, belonging to Piel de Sapo and Rochet market classes, revealed remarkably superior values of ascorbic acid in comparison with all commercial varieties, doubling ascorbic acid values with respect to their corresponding market class. Furthermore, most of these landraces exhibited high acidity and accumulated high levels of sugars, fulfilling those sensory and physicochemical characteristics that researchers and breeders have spent many years seeking. The possibilities of these landraces to be used in improvement projects are innumerable; they should be surely taken into account in the near future.

Impact of melon varieties, planting dates and use of sticky traps on suppressing aphid populations on melon plants

Impact of melon varieties, planting dates and use of sticky traps on suppressing aphid populations on melon plants

Transposon Insertions, Structural Variations, and SNPs Contribute to the Evolution of the Melon Genome.

The availability of extensive databases of crop genome sequences should allow analysis of crop variability at an unprecedented scale, which should have an important impact in plant breeding. However, up to now the analysis of genetic variability at the whole-genome scale has been mainly restricted to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). This is a strong limitation as structural variation (SV) and transposon insertion polymorphisms are frequent in plant species and have had an important mutational role in crop domestication and breeding. Here, we present the first comprehensive analysis of melon genetic diversity, which includes a detailed analysis of SNPs, SV, and transposon insertion polymorphisms. The variability found among seven melon varieties representing the species diversity and including wild accessions and highly breed lines, is relatively high due in part to the marked divergence of some lineages. The diversity is distributed nonuniformly across the genome, being lower at the extremes of the chromosomes and higher in the pericentromeric regions, which is compatible with the effect of purifying selection and recombination forces over functional regions. Additionally, this variability is greatly reduced among elite varieties, probably due to selection during breeding. We have found some chromosomal regions showing a high differentiation of the elite varieties versus the rest, which could be considered as strongly selected candidate regions. Our data also suggest that transposons and SV may be at the origin of an important fraction of the variability in melon, which highlights the importance of analyzing all types of genetic variability to understand crop genome evolution.

Impact of melon varieties, planting dates and use of sticky traps on suppressing aphid populations on melon plants

Field studies were conducted to determine susceptibility of three melon varieties ;Musk melon, Sharlyne and Ogen melon, to infestation with aphid and effect of planting dates (1st March, 15th March and 1st April) and use of sticky trap at two position and two heights on the suppressing population of melon aphids. The results reveled that the three tested varieties harbored a different levels of aphid infestation during two seasons 2012 and 2013, where Musk melon variety harbored the highest infestation level with aphid for the two tested seasons, followed by Ogen melon, while Sharlyne variety harbored the lowest number of aphid populations. Planting dates appeared highly significant effect on the aphid populations, where earlier planting date (1st March) showed the lowest population of aphids (32.6 and 22.8 individual/ 20 leaves) for two seasons respectively, while the highest population of aphids were recorded on the latest planting date 1st April (88.6 and 76.2 individual / 20 leaves).Yellow sticky traps were tested in vertical and horizontal position and two heights. Trap in position vertical caught more aphids than traps in horizontal position. Significant differences were detected between 30 cm and 40 cm height of the trap above the ground, where the total means number was (67.7 and 41.35 individual/ trap at 30 highest; 40.75 and 26.35 at 40 highest respectively).

Variability of candidate genes, genetic structure and association with sugar accumulation and climacteric behavior in a broad germplasm collection of melon (Cucumis melo L.).

BackgroundA collection of 175 melon (Cucumis melo L.) accessions (including wild relatives, feral types, landraces, breeding lines and commercial cultivars) from 50 countries was selected to study the phenotypic variability for ripening behavior and sugar accumulation. The variability of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at 53 selected candidate genes involved in sugar accumulation and fruit ripening processes was studied, as well as their association with phenotypic variation of related traits.ResultsThe collection showed a strong genetic structure, defining seven groups plus a number of accessions that could not be associated to any of the groups (admixture), which fitted well with the botanical classification of melon varieties. The variability in candidate genes for ethylene, cell wall and sugar-related traits was high and similar to SNPs located in reference genes. Variability at ripening candidate genes had an important weight on the genetic stratification of melon germplasm, indicating that traditional farmers might have selected for ripening traits during cultivar diversification. A strong relationship was also found between the genetic structure and phenotypic diversity, which could hamper genetic association studies. Accessions belonging to the ameri group are the most appropriate for association analysis given the high phenotypic and molecular diversity within the group, and lack of genetic structure.The most remarkable association was found between sugar content and SNPs in LG III, where a hotspot of sugar content QTLs has previously been defined. By studying the differences in allelic variation of SNPs within horticultural groups with specific phenotypic features, we also detected differential variation in sugar-related candidates located in LGIX and LGX, and in ripening-related candidates located in LGII and X, all in regions with previously mapped QTLs for the corresponding traits.ConclusionsIn the current study we have found an important variability at both the phenotypic and candidate gene levels for ripening behavior and sugar accumulation in melon fruit. By combination of differences in allelic diversity and association analysis, we have identified several candidate genes that may be involved in the melon phenotypic diversity.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12863-015-0183-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Proximate composition of seeds and seed oils from melon (Cucumis meloL.) cultivated in Bulgaria

The seeds of three varieties of melon (Cucumis melo L.) from Bulgaria were analyzed for their chemical composition and a detailed study of their lipids was carried out. Chemical composition values were as follows: fat content ranged from 41.6 to 44.5%, protein 34.4 to 39.8%, crude fiber 4.5 to 8.5%, carbohydrates 8.2 to 12.7%, soluble sugars 3.7 to 4.2%, and minerals 4.6 to 5.1%. The content of sterols, phospholipids, and tocopherols in the oils was 0.6, 0.7–1.7%, and 435–828 mg/kg, respectively. The major fatty acid in lipids was linoleic (51.1–58.5%), followed by oleic acid (24.8–25.6%). The trilinolein (31.3–32.2%), oleo dilinolein (31.0–34.0%), and palmitoyl dilinolein (14.9–22.3%) have represented 80.0% from the total triglyceride composition of the melon seeds oil. β-Sitosterol predominated in both free and esterified sterols, being, respectively, 52.9–70.8 and 50.4–58.4%. Phosphatidylinositol (24.4–33.9%), phosphatidylcholine (23.0–33.1%), and phosphatidylethanolamine (8.4–17.1%) were the main phospholipids. Palmitic acid (34.4–61.7%) was the major fatty acid of the phospholipids, followed by oleic acid (8.9–27.2%). Linoleic acid (32.7–39.1%) was the main component among the fatty acids of the sterol esters, followed by oleic acid (25.1–30.7%). In the tocopherol fraction of melon seed oils, the main component γ-tocopherol varied from 71.4 to 91.5%.

Role of leaf structure in resistance to powdery mildew in water melon

Four varieties of water melon, exhibiting highly susceptible to highly resistant response to powdery mildew, were investigated for the role of wax content, stomata number, stomata size, and thickness of palisade and spongy tissues in resistance to powdery mildew. The results revealed: (1) wax content of the resistant varieties was remarkably higher than in the susceptible varieties; (2) stomata on the upper surface of leaves in the resistant varieties was significantly dense than in the susceptible ones, but stomata size in the resistant varieties was just the opposite; and (3) the layer of spongy tissue in the resistant varieties was thicker than that in the susceptible genotypes, but the layer of palisade tissue was thinner in the resistant genotypes compared to the susceptible ones. Wax content, stomata number, stomata size, and thickness of palisade and spongy tissues could serve as a reliable indicator of resistance to powdery mildew in melon.

ВЛИЯНИЕ ВЕСЕННЕГО И ЛЕТНЕГО ПОСЕВА НА ХОЗЯЙСТВЕННЫЕ ПРИЗНАКИ ТЫКВЕННЫХ КУЛЬТУР

We have studied the locally released early-season melon varieties (cv. Anush), cucumber (cv. Maneh), and marrow squash (cv. Anna) under the conditions of Ararat valley to assess the influence of meteorological conditions on the development rates and productivity of the summer and spring-planted vegetable plants. Research has been conducted on the experimental field of the Scientific Center of Vegetable, Melon and Industrial Crops (2011-2013). Depending on the seeding time (spring or summer), the tested varieties varied in the durations of germination, blooming and fruit formation periods as well as in the plant resistance to low and high temperatures in spring and summer, respectively. It was found that, the summer-planted cucurbits crops have significantly shorter plant development phenological phases and prolonged fruit-bearing periods as compared to the spring-planted plants. It was proved for cucumber and marrow squash crops. The yields of the spring-planted melon, cucumber and marrow squash crops were 30,5; 24,8 and 42,5 t/ha, respectively, while the yields of the summer-planted crops were lower (39,9; 7,8 and 8,6%).

귀농인 참외재배 교육시스템 마련을 위한 생산기술 활용도 분석

ABSTRACT : The main purpose of this study is to provide the back-from-city farmers with the information about the melon cultivation technology by surveying 268 farm houses in the major melon producing districts such as Seongju and Chilgok. For the purpose, this study classifies the essential technologies that the melon experts think as most important into 6 categories: size of plastic film house, covering film, varieties of oriental melon, lagging cover, ventilation method and ways to reduce repeated-cultivation damage. The result of the study shows that the back-from-city farmers should consider the following items when they choose to cultivate oriental melons. For the size of plastic film house, the ventilation method and the covering film of plastic film house, it is better to choose the latest technology. Even though it may require larger initial investment, the latest technology can increase the production and lower the cost. In case of variety, it is better to choose popular or the most widely grown ones rather than the new ones. The lagging cover should be selected in consideration of climate conditions such as average temperature and humidity, transplant time and harvest time of the farming region.

Control de la cenicilla del melón (Podosphaera xanthii) mediante el uso de extracto de Larrea tridentata (D.C.) Coville (L.).

Este estudio se llevó a cabo en Ceballos del municipio de Mapimí, Durango con el objetivo de evaluar la efectividad del extracto de gobernadora (Larrea tridentata (D.C.) coville (L.)), para el control de cenicilla en el cultivo de melón. Se estableció un experimento en una parcela de 2,500 bajo un diseño de bloques con arreglo de parcelas sub sub-divididas, donde las parcelas grandes fueron las variedades de melón (Crusier y Navigator), las parcelas medianas fueron las formulaciones m2 del extracto de gobernadora (agua, hidroalcohólico 50 % agua y 50 % alcohol y, etanolico 96 %) y las parcelas chicas correspondieron a las dosis (0, 1000, 5000 y 10000 mg) de planta por litro de agua. Se evaluó la severidad de infección de cenicilla Podosphaera xanthii a los 37, 45 , 53 y 61 días después de la siembra. Los factores analizados fueron independientes entre sí. Las dosis 1,000 y 5,000 mg de planta de gobernadora por litro de agua, disminuyen el área bajo la curva del progreso de la enfermedad, con valores de: 7.9 y 8.7 %-días respectivamente. De acuerdo al análisis espacial, se identificó que el avance de la severidad de infección de la cenicilla es en la misma dirección de crecimiento todo el tiempo, de donde se originó el foco de infección lado noroeste, hacia el lado sureste. No hubo efecto de tratamiento en cosecha de fruto de primera; en tanto que, para fruto de rezaga la variedad Navigator mostró el mejor comportamiento al tener menor producción de este tipo de fruto de desecho (20.7 kg). También en contenido de azúcares, no hubo efecto entre tratamientos, excepto en la interacción Crusier y dosis de 10,000 mg de planta por litro de agua, donde el contenido de grados Brix, fue significativamente menor (6.8).

The 2-C-methylerythritol 4-phosphate pathway in melon is regulated by specialized isoforms for the first and last steps.

The 2-C-methyl-d-erythritol-4-phosphate (MEP) pathway provides the precursors for the biosynthesis of plastidial isoprenoids, which include the carotenoid pigments of many fruits. We have analysed the genes encoding the seven enzymes of the MEP pathway in melon (Cucumis melo L.) and determined that the first one, 1-deoxyxylulose 5-phosphate synthase (DXS), and the last one, 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl 4-diphosphate reductase (HDR), are represented in the genome as a small gene family and paralogous pair, respectively. In the case of DXS, three genes encode functional DXS activities which fall into previously established type I (CmDXS1) and II (CmDXS2a and CmDXS2b) categories, while a fourth DXS-like gene belonging to the type III group did not encode a protein with DXS activity. Their expression patterns and phylogenies suggest that CmDXS1 is functionally specialized for developmental and photosynthetic processes, while CmDXS2a and CmDXS2b are induced in flowers and ripening fruit of orange- (but not white-) fleshed varieties, coinciding with β-carotene accumulation. This is the first instance connecting type II DXS genes to specialized isoprenoid biosynthesis in the fruit of an agronomically important species. Two HDR paralogues were shown to encode functional enzymes, although only CmHDR1 was highly expressed in the tissues and developmental stages tested. Phylogenetic analysis showed that in cucurbits such as melon, these HDR paralogues probably arose through individual gene duplications in a common angiosperm ancestor, mimicking a prior division in gymnosperms, while other flowering plants, including apple, soy, canola, and poplar, acquired HDR duplicates recently as homoeologues through large-scale genome duplications. We report the influence of gene duplication history on the regulation of the MEP pathway in melon and the role of specialized MEP-pathway isoforms in providing precursors for β-carotene production in orange-fleshed melon varieties.

Fatty Acid Profile of Cucumis melo var. acidulus (Culinary Melon) Seed Oil

Sir, The melons (Cucumis melo, Cucurbitaceae) are a diverse group of fresh, dessert fruits including C. melo var. cantalupensis, with a rough and warty skin, not netted (cantaloupe), C. melo var. inodorus, with a green, yellow or orange skin (winter melons), C. melo var. reticulatus, with a netted skin (true muskmelon). However, some other melons are considered ‘culinary vegetables’ (C. melo var. acidulus) and they are used as vegetables rather than fruits. C. melo var. acidulus is widely cultivated in India and used as a vegetable throughout the year since it has a long shelf life. The seeds of melons are normally treated as waste products. Some reports available on the composition of melon seeds [1–3] and authors have reported lipid and protein contents of proximally 30 and 54 %, respectively. We were interested in the possibility of extending the range of products from melons and therefore examined the oil content and the fatty acid profile of oil extracted from culinary melon seeds. Prior to extraction of the oil, approximately 50 g of seeds were dried overnight at 80 C and ground in a coffee grinder. The oil was extracted by a heat reflux method using 100 ml of petroleum ether (b.p. 40–60 C). Three extractions were carried out from three different batches of seeds of the same melon accession/variety. The mass of oil was determined gravimetrically after removal of the solvent and results are expressed as a percentage of the seed dry weight. Oil from the seed was subjected to physical characterization. The color and state of the oil at room temperature were noted by visual inspection, while the specific gravity was determined by the AOCS method given in [4]. The refractive index of the oil at room temperature was measured using the Abbe refractometer as outlined in AOCS method. The acid value, free fatty acids, iodine value, saponification number, peroxide value and unsaponifiable matter were measured by AOCS methods [5]. The fatty acid composition of the oil sample was analyzed by GC after transesterification. Fatty acid methyl esters was analyzed on a Chemito GC 8610 gas chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector and a capillary column BP 9 70 (50 m 9 0.32 mm 9 0.25 lm films). The detector temperature was programmed for 260 C with flow rate of 0.3 ml/min. The injector temperature was set at 240 C. Nitrogen (purity 99.95 %) was used as the carrier gas. Identification of the peaks was performed by comparing retention times with those of genuine standards analyzed under the same conditions. The oil content obtained from the seeds was 34.68 % on a dry weight basis. Compared to results obtained in different varieties of melon (30.83–33.92 %) the oil content in C. melo var. acidulus was higher [1–3]. The oil was consistently liquid at room temperature (25 C); colorless, and the specific gravity and refractive index of the oil were 0.92 and 1.48, respectively. The total acidity (0.76 mg NaOH/ g), free fatty acid (0.88 %), peroxide values (8.21 mg/g) are within the allowable limits for edible oil. The saponification (186.21 mg KOH/g) and iodine values (109.2 mg/ 100 g) of the seed oil in our study were lower than the values reported by Ramakrishna et al. [6] and de Melo et al. [1]. Table 1 shows that there are nine kinds of fatty acids in C. melo var. acidulus seed oil with a high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids (80.54 %) and a low concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids (19.43 %). Linoleic S. H. Manohar H. N. Murthy (&) Department of Botany, Karnatak University, Dharwad 580003, India e-mail: hnmurthy60@gmail.com; nmurthy60@yahoo.co.in

Greenhouse-grown bitter melon: production and quality characteristics

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) is a medicinal fruit reported to have antidiabetic properties. To grow this tropical fruit year-round in temperate climates, greenhouse production is necessary, sometimes without insect pollinators. Suitable high-yielding varieties with good bioactivity need to be identified. This experiment evaluated the yield of six varieties of bitter melon under greenhouse conditions and their bioactivity in terms of total phenolic and saponin compounds and total antioxidant activity determined using four assays. The larger varieties (Big Top Medium, Hanuman, Jade and White) were more productive than the small varieties (Indra and Niddhi) in terms of total fruit weight and yield per flower pollinated. The bioactivity (total phenolic and saponin compounds and antioxidant activity) of the two small varieties and Big Top Medium was significantly higher than that of the other three large varieties. Two antioxidant assays, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), were shown to provide the strongest correlations with phenolic and saponin compounds of bitter melon. Preliminary research has identified Big Top Medium as the most suitable variety for greenhouse production. The rich source of phenolic and saponin compounds and their associated antioxidant activity highlight bitter melon as a valuable food.

Extraction of Flavonoids from Bitter Melon

Bitter melon, Momordica charantia L, is a popular traditional medicinal fruit in tropical and subtropical countries. It has been linked with therapeutic effects, some of which are likely due to its flavonoids. To determine its total flavonoid content (TFC) and to prepare extracts for use as nutritional supplements or ingredients for nutraceutical functional foods, various solvents have been used, including water, which is the preferred solvent because it is inexpensive, safe and environmentally friendly. The study aimed to extract bitter melon, using five solvents (ethanol, methanol, n-butanol, acetone and water) before and after the optimal conditions for water were determined in terms of extraction temperature, time, ratio of water to bitter melon (mL/g) and number of times the same material was extracted. The TFC of six varieties of bitter melon was also determined. Acetone was the best of the five solvents for extracting flavonoids from the Moonlight variety (23.2 mg Rutin Equivalents (RE)/g). Even after increasing the extraction by 88% (1.24 vs 0.66 mg RE/g) using optimised conditions for the aqueous extraction (two extractions at 40℃ for 15 min at a ratio of 100:1 mL/g of bitter melon powder), the flavonoids extracted from the Moonlight variety using water was very little (5.4%) compared to acetone. Furthermore, using acetone, it was shown that the Moonlight variety (23.2 mg RE/g) bought at a local market had higher levels of flavonoids than the greenhouse-grown Jade (15.3 mg RE/g), Niddhi (16.9 mg RE/g), Indra (15.0 mg RE/ g), Hanuman (3.9 mg RE/g) and White (6.9 mg RE/g) varieties. Therefore, acetone was the best solvent for extracting flavonoids from bitter melon and the aqueous extraction could only be improved to extract 5.4% of the flavonoids extracted with acetone from the Moonlight variety, which had the highest TFC of the six varieties of bitter melon.

Melon Crops Improvement through Biotechnological Techniques for the Changing Climatic Conditions of the 21st Century

As fleshy fruits, two major melon genera are widely produced and consumed, including the watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] and muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.). As different cultivars, cultivated them according to consumer and grower’s choice, and market conditions (i.e. seedless varieties, good shelf life, etc.). China is the world’s largest producer of melons, accounted for over 52% production by weight. In the past, melons considered to be a ‘seasonal delight’ because of their limited availability throughout the year, however, for production flexibility, imports availability and popularity, melons are now available in year-round. In recent, the melon production is 20% within total fruits production worldwide. Over the next three decades, a forty percent increase in the production of melons is required for a growing population. For the decade to 2009, the production of total melons approximately doubled by 2005 and after which it stabled. The inherent complexities in achieving this unparalleled increase in the demands of melon fruits are worsen by the yield-depressing consequences of climate alterations or dissimilarities. With declining agricultural land and water resources, and assailing microbes and pests, the expected increases in the melons production cannot be reached at an efficient level. Elite varieties of melons such as, tolerance to drought condition and inferior lands, or disease resistant that can yield more with fewer inputs will be pivotal to success. Moreover, varieties of melons can improve with the traits such as, seedless, good shelf life, excellent flesh color and good shapes that will make them more attractive to consumers. Plant breeding methods (conventional or molecular breeding) have to be applied for regenerate the elite varieties in melon fruits to meet the global demand for next decades. This paper highlights some of the scientific and technological tools that ought to be the necessary for all improvement programs of the melon production.

Honeydew Kavun Çeşitleri Üzerine Farklı Gübre Kaynaklarının Etkisi

Melon (Cucumis melo L.) is one of the important species of Cucurbitaceae family and commonly cultivated in many parts of the world with the economic importance. This species have very rich variations. Honeydew (var. inodorus) which is within the Muskmelon group is one of them. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers sources on yield and quality performance of six different varieties of honeydew melon (‘Spring Dew’, ‘Dew Summer’, ‘Fall Dew’, ‘Honey Pearl’, ‘Honey Orange’, ‘Snow Leopard’). For this purpose, greenhouse grown seedlings were planted in the open field with randomized block design with two treatments and four replications. Prior to planting which is divided into strips were applied 15 kg/ha nitrogen from two different sources; organic nitrogen (manure) and inorganic (ammonium sulphate) fertilizer. Result of the study exhibited that fertilizer sources were displayed different responses on the plants. Treatment and cultivar interaction was not significant according to analysis of variance. In addition, there was no effect of the application on the parameters studied. However, cultivars were significantly yield and quality parameters. TSS content was ranged between 13.7 to 10.8%. The highest phenolic content was observed in ‘Honey Pearl’ (291.3 µg GAE/g) and ‘Spring Dew’ (368.7 µg GAE/g). Variety of ‘Honey Orange’ that has light orange flesh color had the highest content of TEAC and FRAP values, while same variety had the lowest phenolic content among the varieties. The results of present study show that fertilizer sources have no significant effect on yield and quality of honeydew. In this case, considering the environmental pollution, plant and human health issues, using manure for honeydew production could be beneficial.

Chromosome Characterization of Bartek (Cucumis Melo L. var. Bartek), Local Melon Variety from Pemalang

ABSTRACT Bartek is one of local melon varieties which mainly cultivated in Pemalang, Central Java. Bartek has three shapes of fruit variation; Long-Green, Ellipse-Green, and Yellow. Chromosome characterization of the Bartek was investigated to determine the genetic variation. The main purpose of this research was to determine the genetic characters of Bartek including chromosome number, mitosis, cell cycle, and karyotype. Squash method was used for chromosome preparation. The results showed that all of Bartek observed in this study have similar diploid (2n) chromosome number = 24. According to total number of chromosome, Bartek is more related to melon. The mitotic analysis exhibited that the Bartek has same Karyotype formula, 2n = 2x = 24m. According to the R value of the three kind of Bartek (R< 0.27), it has indicated that three kind of Bartek were considered to be originated from same species and one of melon varieties ( Cucumis melo L. var. Bartek ). Key words : cucumber, bartek, chromosome, karyotype