Effects of the Fruit Set Position and Training Method on Brix of Fall-Cropped Muskmelon Fruit

Abstract

Effects of the fruit set position and training method on Brix of fall-cropped muskmelon fruit (cv. ‘Rupia Red’) were examined. Plants were topped at the 3^rd node and two primary lateral shoots were grown as the main stems. Two bearing shoots were left at the 6-7^th, 8-9^th, 10-11^th or 12-13^th node of each primary lateral shoot and one fruit was set at the 1^st node of each bearing shoot. Secondary lateral shoots except the bearing shoots were removed up to the 15^th or 20^th node of the primary lateral shoots. As the node order of the bearing shoot rose from the 6-7^th to 12-13^th, Brix decreased from 13.1% to 11.6%. However, the total yield decreased as the node order of fruit set lowered. Topping of the main stem had a large effect on Brix. The average Brix was 10.9% when topped at the 25^th node, while it was 12.2% for non-topped plants. The parameter that had the greatest effect on Brix was the fresh weight of the leaf blades above the fruits, and the effect was significant. These results suggest that the number of healthy leaves above the fruits is critical for stabilization of the fruit quality of fall-cropped muskmelon.