Fruit Growth and Development, Ripening, and the Role of Ethylene in the ‘Honey Dew’ Muskmelon1

Abstract

The muskmelon cultivar Honey Dew (Cucumis melo L.) has unique horticultural and physiological characteristics, most notably an unusually long period between attainment of acceptable horticultural maturity and self-ripening in the field. Patterns of flowering, fruit set, fruit growth, solids accumulation, softening, ethylene production, respiration, and variation among individual fruits were studied during several seasons. Internal ethylene concentration may be estimated by the following formula: ppm internal = 3.7 ± 1.2 × rate of production in µl/kg-hr. The act of harvesting had no effect on ethylene production or internal concentration. Full ripening required an internal ethylene concentration of about 3 ppm. Horticultural maturity was attained at 35 to 37 days after anthesis, but self-ripening required about 47 days. Commercial harvests include fruits in this range of ages, so treatment with ethylene is required for uniform ripening and consumer satisfaction.