Quality and conservation of casaba melon fruits in two harvest time

Abstract

This work aimed to evaluate the fruit characteristics of nine experimental hybrids of casaba melons harvested in the 70th day after sowing (70 DAS) and when the fruits completed 34 days after the pollination (34 DAP). The commercial hybrid Gold Mine was used as control. The experiment was lead in the experimental field of the Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, located in Pacajus-CE, Brazil from September to November, 2005. Fruits 70 DAS were evaluated only in the day of the harvest (T0), while the fruits 34 DAP, part was evaluated in the harvest (T0) and the remaining were kept at room temperature. The following traits were evaluated during this period: average weight, internal cavity, width and fruit length, flesh thickness, the flesh firmness and the soluble solids content. The appearance of the fruits 34 DAP was similar to the fruits 70 DAS. However, the first ones showed greater values for soluble solids content and flesh firmness. During the storage there was reduction of the values of the soluble solids content and flesh firmness. Hybrids ML37.1 x ML35 and ML37.1 x ML114 achieved 34 days of conservation, followed by Gold Mine (32 days) and ML115 x ML43.2 (30 days).