Growing conditions and seasonal fluctuations are critical factors affecting fruit and vegetable nutritional quality. The effects of two partially overlapping cropping seasons, early (ECS; January–May) and full (FCS; March–July), on the main carpometric traits and bioactive components of different watermelon fruits were investigated in the open field. Four watermelon genotypes, comprising of three commercial cultivars ‘Crimson Sweet’, ‘Dumara’, ‘Giza’, and the novel hybrid ‘P503 F1’, were compared. The carpometric traits varied significantly between genotypes. Soluble solids and yield were higher under FCS than ECS. The variation affecting colour indexes between the two growing seasons exhibited a genotype-dependent trend. The antioxidant components and radical scavenging activity of watermelon fruits were also significantly affected by differences in received solar energy and temperature fluctuations during the trial period. The average citrulline, total phenolics and flavonoid contents were 93%, 71% and 40% higher in FCS than in ECS. A genotype-dependent variation trend was also observed for lycopene and total vitamin C between cropping seasons. The hydrophilic and lipophilic radical scavenging activities of the pulp of ripe watermelon fruits of the different genotypes investigated varied between 243.16 and 425.31 µmol Trolox Equivalent (TE) of 100 g−1 of fresh weight (fw) and from 232.71 to 341.67 µmol TE of 100 g−1 fw in FCS and ECS, respectively. Our results, although preliminary, show that the functional quality of watermelon fruits is drastically altered depending on the environmental conditions that characterize the ECS and LCS.
Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) is a popular summer fruit consumed all over the world due to the combination ofrefreshingly sweet taste, pleasant flavour and nutritional value. Melon fruit is characterized by germplasm variabilitywith superior quality. This study aimed to evaluate 5 promising local muskmelon cultivars (Maazoun, Galaoui,Stambouli, Trabelsi, Asli) for some physicochemical characteristics, the content of different bioactive compoundsand the antioxidant activity. The experiments were conducted for two consecutive years 2018 and 2019 at the support station of the inter-professional vegetable group positioned in the North East of Tunisia. Significant differences were observed across the melon cultivars (P<0.05) for soluble solids (9–12°Brix), pH (5.5–6.6), carotenoid (7.5–59.5 mg/ kg FW), phenolic (400–1390 mg GAE/kg FW), flavonoid (251.3–390 mg RE/kg FW), vitamin C (138.2–193 mg/kg FW) contents, as well as hydrophilic (102.28–285.43 μM Trolox/100 g FW) and lipophilic (30–180.22 μM Trolox/100 g FW) antioxidant activities. Galaoui showed the highest levels of carotenoids, phenolics, flavonoids, vitamin C and antioxidant activities followed by Stambouli. Trabelsi cultivar also had a high level of flavonoids. The enhanced hydrophilic antioxidant activity in Galaoui was significantly correlated to phenolic content (r = 0.91). These findings proved that besides being refreshing summer fruit, muskmelon can be considered a promising healthy produce with a superior potential source of natural antioxidants.
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