GCREC Research Report BRA2001-7

 

CANTALOUPE VARIETY EVALUATION

SPRING 2001

D. N. Maynard^[1], A. M. Dunlap, and B. J. Sidoti^[2]
Gulf Coast Research and Education Center
University of Florida
5007 60^th Street East
Bradenton, FL 34203

Cantaloupe is included in the melon group Cucumis melo cantalupensis Naud. according to Munger and Robinson (1991).  Cantaloupes are a relatively minor crop in Florida so there are no data available on commercial acreage, yield, production or value.  However, there has been a great increase in production in west-central Florida and throughout the state in recent years indicating the potential for a strong commercial cantaloupe industry in Florida.

The ideal shipping variety for Florida should combine the following traits: (1) capacity to produce high yields; (2) fruit that is sutureless or nearly so, round to slightly oval, fully netted, a minimum 3 lb weight with a thick, deep salmon interior, a small, tight seed cavity, and high soluble solids; (3) a pleasant aroma and taste; and (4) resistance to fruit rots and foliar diseases, especially downy and powdery mildew (Maynard and Elmstrom, 1991).  ‘Athena’, introduced several years ago, has become the industry standard and is largely responsible for the increased acreage.  The object of this trial was to further evaluate outstanding varieties from the 2000 trial to identify  slightly sutured, heavily netted cantaloupe varieties for potential production in west-central Florida.

Materials and Methods

Soil samples from the experimental area obtained before fertilization were analyzed by the University of Florida Extension Soil Testing Laboratory (Hanlon and DeVore, 1989): pH = 6.5 (target pH is 6.5) and Mehlich I extractable P = 53 (high), K = 14 (very low), Mg = 61 (high), Ca = 712 (adequate), Zn = 5.2 (adequate), Cu = 2.1 (adequate), and Mn = 3.0 (adequate) ppm.

The EauGallie fine sand was prepared in late February by incorporation of 0-0.8-0 lb N-P₂O₅-K₂O per 100 linear bed feet (lbf).  Beds were formed and fumigated with methylbromide:chloropicrin, 67:33 at 2.3 lb/100 lbf.  Banded fertilizer was applied in shallow grooves on the bed shoulders at 2.52-0-3.50 lb N-P₂O₅-K₂O/100 lbf after the beds were pressed and before the black polyethylene mulch was applied.  The total fertilizer applied was equivalent to 220-70-304 lb N-P₂O₅-K₂O/acre.  The final beds were 32-in. wide and 8-in. high, and spaced on 5-ft centers with six beds between seepage irrigation/drainage ditches which were on 41-ft centers.

Ten cantaloupe hybrids (Table 1) were direct seeded on 15 March in holes that were punched 2 ft apart in the black polyethylene mulch.  The 20-ft long plots contained 10 plants each and were replicated four times in a randomized, complete block design.  Weed control in row middles was by cultivation and application of paraquat.  Pesticides were applied as needed for control of silverleaf whitefly (endosulfan), downy mildew (chlorothalonil, fosetyl-aluminum, azoxystrobin, thiophanate-methyl, and maneb), powdery mildew (trifoxystrobin), and lepidopterous larvae (Bacillus thuringiensis, spinosad, esfenvalerate, and methomyl).

Cantaloupes were harvested eight times beginning on 28 May and ending on 13 June.  Marketable fruit (U.S. Dept. Agr., 1968) were separated from culls that included fruit weighing less than 2.0 lb or that were cracked, rotted, or poorly shaped.  Observations were made on fruit shape, sutures, and netting.  Soluble solids were determined with a hand-held digital refractometer on several fruit from each entry on several harvest dates.  Where possible, the resulting data were subjected to analysis of variance and mean separation was by Duncan’s multiple range test.

 

Results and Discussion

Maximum and minimum average temperatures during the experiment from 15 March through 13 June were about average (Table 2).  Rainfall was considerably above average in March but below average throughout the remaining period.

Plant stand counts (Table 3), recorded just before the vines grew together showed that there was no difference among the entries.

Early yields, as represented by the first two of eight harvests, ranged from 21 cwt/acre for ‘Odyssey’ to 483 cwt/acre for RML 8726-VP (Table 3).  Average fruit weight of early-harvested cantaloupes varied from 4.8 lb for ‘Athena’ to 8.8 lb for ‘Minerva’.  Soluble solids were uniformly high and ranged from 10.9% for RML 9603-VP to 13.5% for RML 8797-VP.  Cull fruit ranged from 5 cwt/acre for ‘Athena’ and PXC 221 to 66 cwt/acre for RML 8726-VP.

Total marketable yields for the entire season varied from 514 cwt/acre for RML 9602-VP to 773 cwt/acre for RML 8793-VP (Table 3).  Seven other entries had yields similar to those of RML 8793-VP.  Average fruit weight ranged from 5.0 lb for ‘Athena’ and PXC 221 to 8.6 lb for RML 9601-VP which was statistically superior to all but one other entry.  Soluble solids varied from 10.7% for RML 9602-VP to 13.2% for RML 8793-VP.  Very good internal quality is used to describe cantaloupes containing not less than 11% soluble solids (U.S. Dept. Agr., 1968).  Using this criterion, all but three  entries qualify for the very good internal quality designation.  Cull fruit was between 64 cwt/acre for RML 8793-VP and 298 cwt/acre for RML 8797-VP.  The principal causes of cull fruit were stem-end cracks, fruit rots and misshapen fruit.  Marketable fruit per plant varied from 1.7 for RML 8797-VP to 3.3 for ‘Athena’.

The proportion of fruit in various size categories is shown in Table 4.  This analysis provides an indication of fruit uniformity and a comparison with western type cantaloupes that are size graded.  Florida-grown cantaloupes are not usually graded into size categories, but 5 lb (8 per 40 pound carton) or larger are preferred.

A cantaloupe variety evaluation was conducted at this location in the spring 2000 season (Maynard and Dunlap, 2000).  Previous trials were in the spring 1988, 1990, and 1991 seasons (Maynard and Elmstrom, 1991) and spring 1999 (Maynard and Wittman, 1999).  Total marketable yields from cantaloupe hybrids in 2001 ranged from 514 cwt/acre to 773 cwt/acre, in 2000 yields varied from 265 cwt/acre to 681 cwt/acre; in 1999 they ranged from 382 cwt/acre to 660 cwt/acre; in 1991 yields varied from 327 cwt/acre to 547 cwt/acre; in 1990 yields ranged from 300 to 566 cwt/acre.  Accordingly, yields in recent years are about 100 cwt/acre greater than those obtained almost a decade ago.  In 2001, yields were still higher with the yields being related largely to large fruit size. Also, some of the more recently introduced hybrids are more dependable producers and have better shipping qualities than those previously available.  ‘Athena’ remains the leading variety.  However, growers may want to make trial plantings of ‘PXC 221’, ‘Odyssey’, ‘Eclipse’, or ‘Vienna’ to evaluate their performance on their own farms.

Note

The information contained in this report is a summary of experimental results and should not be used as recommendations for crop production.  No discrimination is intended or endorsement implied where trade names are used.

Acknowledgment

We are grateful to the following firms for their financial and material support of vegetable variety evaluation during 2000 and 2001.  Abbott & Cobb; Agrisales, Inc.; BHN Research; Fafard, Inc.; Harris Moran Seed Co.; Hazera Quality Seeds; Paramount Seeds, Inc.; d. palmer seed company, inc.; Sakata Seed America; SeedWay; Shamrock Seed Co., Inc.; Seminis Vegetable Seeds, Inc.; Southwestern Seed Co.; Sugar Creek Seeds, Inc.; Sunseeds Co.; Syngenta Seeds; Willhite Seed, Inc.; and Zeraim Gedera Ltd.

 

Literature Cited

Hanlon, E. A. and J. M. DeVore.  1989. IFAS extension soil testing laboratory chemical procedures and training manual.  Fla. Coop. Ext. Circ. 812.