Comparison of Cell Size and Sugar Accumulation in Melons (Cucumis melo L.) Grown Early or Late in Summer

Abstract

Earl's Knight Natsukei No. 2 melons (Cucumis melo L.) were grown in a plastic film greenhouse after seeds were sown on June 25 (early sowing) or on July 15 (late sowing) , 2002. Melons grown early tended to be higher in weight than those grown late. The average temperature throughout the growth period after the early sowing date was much higher than that after the late sowing date. In both rectangular parallelepipeds (7-mm long samples serially collected beginning at one end of the 10-mm wide strip removed from the 10-mm thick disk at the maximum transverse diameter of the fruit to the opposite end) and fruit, the cell size of melons grown early was greater at every stage of fruit development than that of melons grown late. Sucrose content on 30 and 50 DAA (days after anthesis) was greater after the early sowing than the late sowing .These results show that an increasing number of larger cells during early fruit development after early sowing brings active sucrose accumulation, resulting in high sucrose content in the fruit due to high temperature.

Effect of Heating Fruit on Cell Size and Sugar Accumulation in Melon Fruit (Cucumis melo L.)

“…In this study, cell enlargement and sucrose accumulation are accelerated in the late development of melon fruit, and furthermore, the enlargement and the accumulation are promoted by auxin treatment (Kano, 2002). An increasing number of larger cells and active sucrose accumulation occur in the fruit grown in summer rather than autumn (Kano and Fukuoka, 2006). Therefore, in this report, investigations were carried out regarding cell size and sugar accumulation in melon fruit grown at higher temperature.…”

Effects of Succinamic Acid 2,2-Dimethylhydrazide Treatment on Cell Size, Acid Invertase and Sucrose Phosphate Synthase Activities, and Sugar Content of Melon Fruit

“…However, when melons are exposed to heat at night during early fruit development, cell enlargement is accelerated, resulting in increased sucrose content in the fruits . An increase in the number of larger cells in the fruit of melon plants, grown at higher temperatures during early fruit development, results in active sucrose accumulation in the fruit (Kano and Fukuoka, 2006). Furthermore, sucrose preferentially accumulates in Japanese pear with a considerable proportion of large cells after gibberellin (GA) A 4 + A 7 treatment (Kano, 2003).…”

Effects of Heating Bearing Shoot near Fruit on Cell Size, Sucrose Metabolizing Enzymes and Sugar Accumulation in Watermelon Fruit

“…These reports point out that fruit maturation is accompanied by an increase in SPS activity, resulting in an increase in fruit sucrose content. Increased sucrose content of melon (Kano, 2006) and watermelon (Kano et al, 2008a) fruit by night-time heating of fruit early in development, and the high sucrose content in netted melon fruit grown at higher night-time temperatures (Kano and Fukuoka, 2006;Suzuki and Masuda, 1961;Suzuki et al, 1986Suzuki et al, , 1993, are considered to be the result of higher temperatures accelerating fruit and cell development. Cells of melon fruit heated at night during the early stage of fruit development enlarge and mature, which induces an earlier increase in SPS activity, which in turn, promotes sucrose accumulation, leading to a high fruit sucrose .…”