抄録
Muskmelon (Cucumis melo var. reticulates Naud ev. Tokai R-230) plants were grown by using nutrient-film technique (NFT), deep flow technique (DFT), rockwool culture, kuntan culture (a culture medium made of charred rice hulls called kuntan), and soil culture. In order to compare differences in quality of fruits grown with different cultivation methods, all culture systems were set up in a greenhouse where variations in temperature and humidity by differences in location were minimized by computer-regulated feedback control systems. After harvesting melon fruits and storing them for 3 days, weight and size of fruits were measured, and net thickness and pattern were evaluated. Also, contents of sugars and amino acids were analyzed. Simultaneously, taste tests were conducting by surveying 15 examiners for sweetness, smell, texture and bitterness of fruits.
Fruits cultivated in DFT were the largest in weight and size. The net on fruits cultivated in NFT was best-developed and was considered to be highest-valued commercially.
Sugar contents evaluated by Brix were the highest in fruits cultured in NFT, but sucrose content was the highest in soil-cultured fruits. Total free amino acid contents were highest in fruits cultivated in NFT, and contents of glycine and arginine were larger in NFT than in the other cultivation methods.
In taste tests, sweetness was highest in NFT-cultured fruits and lowest in DFT-cultured fruits. Qualities of texture and smell were best evaluated in NFT-cultivated fruits. Thus, NFT seems to be best suited for muskmelon cultivation in greenhouses.
