Midwest Vegetable Trial Report for 2010

Evaluation of Muskmelon Varieties for

Production in Southwest Indiana, 2010
Shubin K. Saha
Vegetable Extension Specialist, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Department,
Purdue University, Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center, Vincennes, IN 47591

Introduction
Muskmelon production is an important horticultural industry in southwest Indiana. In 2009,
Indiana was ranked fifth in the United States in acres harvested (2,200) and sixth in total value
($6.9 million) (USDA, 2010). It is essential for commercial producers to select varieties that
meet the demands of production and quality, which includes desirable traits such as high yield,
resistance to biotic diseases and disorders, and good internal qualities such as firmness and
soluble solids content. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate newly available cultivars
and various experimental breeding lines from numerous seed companies to assess adaptability to
growing in the climate in southwest Indiana.
Materials and Methods
The experiment was established on April 15, 2010, when seeds of each variety were sown in 52-
cell seedling flats for transplant growth and development in the greenhouse. A total of 14
varieties and experimental breeding lines were utilized for this trial and were transplanted into
the field on May 10, 2010. The experimental design was that of a randomized complete block
with three replications. Experimental plot dimensions were 55 feet in length and 4 feet in width.
Rows were spaced on 6-foot centers and plants were spaced 2.5 feet apart in row with a total of
22 plants per plot. Plants were grown in a typical plasticulture vegetable system utilizing a raised
bed with black plastic mulch in conjunction with drip tape for irrigation supplementation when
rainfall was insufficient. All fertilizer applications were pre-plant including 350 lbs. (46-0-0),
100 lbs. (0-0-60), and 200 lbs. of pelletized lime. Plants were harvested 17 times from July 7 to
August 13, at which times each fruit was harvested and weighed. Additionally, fruits from each
variety were evaluated for numerous quality characteristics including percent soluble solids, size,
shape, rind thickness, seed cavity size, and pressure. Yield data was analyzed by Fisher’s least
significant difference test using SAS statistical programs (SAS Institute, Cary, NC.)
Results
In 2010, there were 14 different muskmelon varieties submitted with a range of 3,960-10,648
fruit/acre, which was greater than the 2009 muskmelon trials (3,432-6,204 fruit/acre) (Saha and
Egel, 2009). Fantasista was the variety with the highest yield (10,648 fruit/acre) as compared to
all other varieties (Table 1). Average fruit weight ranged from 4.8 to 9.1 lbs, with SME1029
having the highest average weight at 9.1 lbs (Table 1). Fantasista however did not have a high
soluble solid concentration (10.8%) relative to other varieties (Table 2). ACX3477XWS has the
highest numerical percent soluble solid concentration at 13.2%, however, it was one of the
lowest yielding varieties (Table 1 and 2). Varieties with higher yields and high percent soluble
solids were E1023 and E1016, both varieties from American Takii Seed Company (Tables 1 and
2). Additionally, E1023 had firmness (11.3 lbs-force) greater than 11 of the 13 other varieties
(Table 2). Range of fruit firmness was from 6.0-11.3 lbs force.
 Midwest Vegetable Trial Report for 2010

Acknowledgements
The author would like to extend his appreciation to the following individuals for all their help
and assistance with the completion of the variety trials this year: Dennis Nowaskie, Bill Davis,
Angie Thompson, Sara Hoke, and Chelsey Cardinal.
Literature Cited
Saha S.K. and D. Egel. 2009. Evaluation of muskmelon varieties for southwestern Indiana, 2009,
pp. 63-66. In E. Maynard (ed.). Midwest Vegetable Trial Report for 2009.
United States Department of Agriculture, 2010. National Agricultural Statistics Service.
Vegetables 2009 Summary. http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/VegeSumm/
VegeSumm-01-27-2010.pdf.
 Midwest Vegetable Trial Report for 2010

Table 1. Harvest data from muskmelon variety trial 2010.

Seed Fruit Avg. Fruit % of Fruits Harvested by Date
Variety Cwt/Acre Tons/Acre
Company No./Acre Weight (lbs) 7/7-7/19 7/21-8/2 8/4-8/13
Fantasista TAK 506.0 25.302 bcd1 10,648 a 4.8 f 47.1 14.0 38.8
Athena SY 479.1 23.955 de 8,624 b 5.6 e 55.1 14.3 30.6
E-1023 TAK 485.7 24.286 cde 8,580 b 5.7 de 21.0 41.0 37.9
E-1016 TAK 410.1 20.504 efg 7,964 bc 5.1 ef 54.7 24.9 20.4
ACX428ES AC 638.1 31.905 a 7,832 bc 8.1 b 15.2 48.3 36.5
Jaipur SW 531.1 26.5555 bcd 7,744 bcd 6.9 c 40.9 31.8 27.3
Aphrodite SY 568.4 28.422 abc 7,392 bcde 7.7 b 51.4 18.1 30.5
Ariel SY 467.7 23.386 def 7,260 bcdef 6.5 c 62.7 14.7 22.7
E-1031 TAK 344.1 17.2055 gh 7,084 cdef 4.9 f 10.7 50.0 39.3
SME1029 SK 587.3 29.367 ab 6,424 def 9.1 a 63.0 16.4 20.5
E-1030 TAK 380.9 19.0445 gh 6,116 efg 6.3 cd 1.4 34.5 64.0
ACX3497XWS AC 393.0 19.65 fgh 5,984 fg 6.6 c 2.2 50.0 47.8
ACX 3477XWS AC 309.9 15.495 h 5,016 gh 6.2 cd 15.8 52.6 31.6
ACX 4356XEA AC 222.8 11.139 i 3,960 h 5.7 de 48.1 38.3 13.6
1
Means in columns separated by Fisher’s least significant difference test (P ≤ 0.05), means with same letter are not significantly different.
 Midwest Vegetable Trial Report for 2010

Table 2. Muskmelon variety trial fruit quality characteristics 2010.

Fruit
Firmness Fruit Seed Cavity Seed Cavity
Variety Seed Company %SS1 Length
(lbs force)2 Width (in) Length (in) Width (in)
(in)
ACX3477XWS AC 13.2 a3 8.4 cde 7.8 defgh 6.9 cd 5.0 efg 3.0 defg
ACX4356XEA AC 12.5 ab 9.6 bc 7.7 defgh 6.9 cd 4.8 fg 2.5 g
ACX3497XWS AC 12.5 ab 10.3 ab 8.4 bcd 7.2 c 5.4 cde 3.1 def
E-1031 TAK 12.3 ab 9.5 bc 7h 6.2 e 4.5 g 2.6 efg
E-1023 TAK 12.0 bc 11.3 a 7.5 fgh 6.5 de 5.5 bcde 2.6 fg
E-1016 TAK 11.9 bc 8.9 bcd 7.6 efgh 6.5 de 5.2 def 2.8 defg
E-1030 TAK 11.4 bcd 9.3 bc 8.2 def 6.8 cd 5.4 cde 3.0 defg
Jaipur SW 11.1 cd 6.0 f 7.4 gh 6.8 cde 4.6 fg 2.9 defg
Fantasista TAK 10.8 cde 9.5 bc 7.2 gh 6.2 e 5.1 def 2.6 efg
Athena SY 10.6 def 7.9 cde 8.3 cde 7.0 c 5.2 def 3.1 de
Aphrodite SY 9.9 efg 9.2 bc 9.1 abc 8.4 a 6.1 ab 4.3 a
Ariel SY 9.7 fg 7.3 def 7.8 defg 6.9 cd 5.7 abcd 4.0 ab
ACX428ES AC 9.0 gh 10.5 ab 9.1 ab 7.8 b 5.9 abc 3.3 cd
SME1029 SK 8.3 h 6.8 ef 9.6 a 8.2 ab 6.2 a 3.6 bc
1
%SS=percent soluble solids. Higher values are related to higher sugar content in the fruit.
2
Firmness measures the firmness of the melon’s flesh. Higher values are associated with higher firmness.3Means in columns separated by Fisher’s least
significant difference test (P ≤ 0.05), means with same letter are not significantly different.