IMPACT

New melons continue to be identified which have unique characteristics and are adapted to NC growing conditions. This provides commercial growers with additional choices such that they can grow and market some of these new program melons. One melon grown on a limited scale in 2004 with two growers was Sugar Nut. It produced good yields and high quality melons. In the future, there is potential for increased production acreage of Sugar Nut.

INTRODUCTION

The consumer is interested in having melons of high quality with unique flavors and textures. New melon cultivars are being developed each year and there are a range of specialty melon types. Interspecific crosses result in new melons that often do not fit neatly into a particular melon category. This may offer new production and market opportunities. Disease resistance is another important component of variety development and many of these unique melons have limited disease resistance or tolerance. It is important to realize that a unique cultivar with a special quality or characteristic can have a dramatic impact, resulting in the opportunity to produce a product that can be marketed and be profitable.

The primary goal of the melon screening program is to assess advanced lines or new cultivars of the various melon types and to determine their adaptation to southeastern United States growing conditions (i.e. North Carolina). Another objective, which is equally important, is to take promising lines or cultivars of the various melon types and test market them for consumer acceptance. It is very important that markets are developed as production factors are being evaluated. Several reports have described tests that involved the evaluation of specialty melons, but it appears that there has been limited market penetration by these specialty products (Elmstrom and Maynard, 1992; Simon et al., 1993a, 1993b). A third objective of the melon evaluation program is to have grower participation in the market development. This is done through informal contacts during the season; through the use of advisory committees, and on-farm demonstrations and cooperation with county agents and farmers. Several on-farm demonstrations of specialty melons were conducted in 2004 (see specific reports for results). The most important end goal is to provide North Carolina farmers with a quality product they can grow which produces well, and can be successfully marketed for profit!

METHODS

Before the growing season, seed companies are contacted to obtain seeds for a variety of specialty melon types. Seed companies donate seeds in all cases as they are interested in their cultivar and product lines and how if they can be grown and produced in the southeastern United States, and if they have market potential. The primary melon type grown and marketed in North Carolina, and the United States is muskmelon. Thus, all other melon types (i.e. juan canary, ananas, charentais, Crenshaw, piel de sapo (Christmas), casaba, Japanese, etc.) are considered specialty types. This includes honeydew melons since these are not grown in any great quantity in North Carolina.

Once all seed were obtained, they were sown in transplant trays 1 April 2004. Fertilizer (10-10-10) was broadcast and incorporated on 6 April 2004 at a rate of 400 pounds per acre prior to the laying 60-inch wide black polyethylene plastic (1.25 mil thick). The 8-mil drip tube with a 12-inch emitter spacing (0.45 gallon/minute/10 ft, T-Tape) was placed beneath the soil surface during fumigation. On 7 April 2004, methyl bromide was injected at the time the plastic was laid. The remaining nitrogen and potassium was fertigated weekly for the season. Total nitrogen applied was 142 pounds per acre and 305 pounds per acre potash.

Transplants were treated with Kocide 101 two times before planting in the field. Approximately 4 weeks after seeding, the plants were established in the field (27 April 2004). Spacing between row middles was 5 feet and in-row spacing was 2 feet. Plot size was one row of 15 melon plants for the specialty melon observations. At time of transplant, a starter solution was applied using 20-20-20 (1 lb/50 gallons water) and Diazinon (3 oz/50 gallons water) for insect control. Insecticides and fungicides were applied weekly as a preventative measure beginning four weeks after transplanting (North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, 2000-2004).

Watering was reduced two weeks prior to harvest to improve fruit quality. Harvests were made Monday, Wednesday and Friday of each week for the melon screening study. Evaluations of each melon entry included yield, production earliness, average fruit size, soluble solids using a hand held refractometer (5 fruit samples), fruit shape and size, exterior and interior descriptions, flavor, flesh texture, disease susceptibility/tolerance and harvesting criteria (i.e. slip vs. does not slip). Based on this information, cultivars or advanced lines which showed potential for commercial production will be included in a screening or evaluation trial in 2005. Melon entries with obvious defects or no special features will not be evaluated in 2005.

RESULTS

Each of the melon types are described in table 1. Specific descriptions are given for each melon entry as well. The second table contains yield information for the season as well as categorizes yields into early, mid, and late season.

CONCLUSION

Several of the ananas melons show promise with some of the best ones being from Hollar Seed Company (i.e Duke and HSR 4220). As has been found in previous years, harvest time is critical with this type of melon because the shelf life is limited compared with most other melon types that have been tested. Researching and finding ways to extend shelf life or improve handling of this type of melon may make this melon type more suitable for commercial shipping. Until shelf life extension can be obtained and handling is improved, it will be difficult to include this melon type in shipping markets.

Another melon type which is very tricky to grow is a Charentais melon. In 2003 and 2004, the HMX 9606 line was the most resistant Charentais melon to cracking of the four entries tested. This melon needs to be harvested at the ¾ slip stage to reduce the incidence of cracking.

Growers might find some success in growing and selling Crenshaw melons for local markets. This melon is not well adapted for grocery store chain sales. Of the two we tested, Burpee’s Early was best.

Shelf life of the Galia type melons is being improved though breeding efforts. It is not as good as a muskmelon, but generally better than an ananas melon. One of the melon cultivars that performed well in 2004 was Elario (Hazera Seed). It was one of the higher yielding of the Galia types with nearly 16,000 fruit being produced per acre. It also has a very attractive finish on the rind.

The juan canary melon can be grown commercially in North Carolina. Several cultivars are well adapted; Sonora, an older cultivar, and Golden Beauty 229. Bartlett Hybrid produced over 10,000 fruit per acre in 2004, up 2,000 fruit from 2003 trials. Bartlett Hybrid received notice in 2003 for its pear-like flavor as its namesake suggests. It was tested for the first time in 2003 and produced well in 2004.

The Christmas (piel del sapo) melons have been a challenge to grow in North Carolina due to their requirement for a longer time to ripen. Because of this, disease is more difficult to control over the longer period of time necessary to grow this type melon. The hot, humid growing conditions of North Carolina are conducive to increased disease versus dry, warm growing conditions. In spite of the challenge in growing the Christmas melons, Sancho did produce some wonderful tasting fruit which were rated very high at the Specialty Crops field day in July 2003 and 2004. The other four Christmas melon entries were inferior to Sancho because of less fruit quality and Ruidera and Daimiel being extremely susceptible to powdery mildew.

Sugar Nut was placed on two commercial farms in 2004. The melon quality was extremely good with very sweet with excellent flavor. Favorable reviews of this melon were received from both growers in 2004.

For the first time, a Hami melon was included in the specialty melon screening trials in 2004. These melons can have variable flesh color. The flesh is characterized by is crisp texture and sweetness. The melons can often be stored for several weeks. New Century was the Hami melon tested in 2004. It had a light orange flesh and produced reasonable quality fruits.

Funding has become limited for the Specialty Crops program and the melon program will no longer be funded by this program in 2005. We are trying to secure funding in order to continue the melon screening program in 2005.

TABLES & PHOTOS

Photo 1: New Century, Hami melon

Table 1. Specialty melon cultigen/line name, seed company, and fruit description.
Cunningham Research Station, Kinston, N.C. 2004.

Ananas: These melons are oval to round with medium-fine netting. The rind turns from green to gold
when ripe. They have a sweet, aromatic, soft white flesh. Ananas melons tend to be very perishable.

Cultigens	Company	Description
Amie	Hazera Seeds, Inc	oval to round shape, variable sizes; rind color is green to burnt orange;
		flesh color is green to white to orange; small to medium stem scar;
		medium to large cavity; soft to medium firm flesh; harvest when
		abscission layer appears; flavor is aromatic with sweet aftertaste

Arava	Zeraim Gedera	very round uniform shape; no sutures; green with a fine netting when
		unripe turning to a golden-yellow with fine netting; harvest when abscission
		layer appears and melon is a golden color with some greenish
		background; splits if taken to full slip

Duke F1	Hollar & Company	Ananas melon; mostly oval, a few blocky, variable size, uniform shape;
		rind color is dark green to green and yellow to burnt orange when overripe;
		flesh color is light green to white to salmon in cavity; medium stem scar;
		medium cavity; soft-medium firmness; sweet Ananas flavor

HSR 4011	Hollar & Company	round; rind color is green to golden yellow; flesh color is slight green,
		mostly white with pale salmon cavity; medium stem scar with little
		cracking; small to medium cavity; soft to medium firmness; flavor is mild,
		pleasing taste; firmer than most Ananas melons

HSR 4022	Hollar & Company	round shape; small stem scar; small to medium cavity size; soft to medium flesh
		firmness; diffuse medium netting; harvest when abscission layer forms but before it
		slips, harvest when melons starts to turn from green to yellow; light green flesh
		when optimum for harvest, white flesh when too ripe

HSR 4220	Hollar & Company	oval to oblong; variable shapes; uniform sizes; rind color is green to greenish yellow
		to a burnt orange when overripe; fine netting of medium density; flesh color is light
		green to white with pale salmon in cavity; medium stem scar; harvest when
		50-90% green but before full slip, netting tends to slip in places; mild fruity flavor

Ophir	Zeraim Gedera	Oblong with fine netting; no sutures; rind color turns from green to beige; flesh color
		is mint to light green; medium deep stem scar if allowed to slip

Raymond	Hazera Seeds, Inc	Elongated, oblong shape; dark green with light net to burnt orange when over ripe;
		light green to a faint salmon color near cavity, golden background intermingled with
		green; flesh turns from light green to white; small stem scar; medium dense netting;
		no suture; harvest when abscission has begun to form but will not slip.

Table 1 cont.

Galia: Galia melons are generally round with a netted, sutureless rind that turns golden yellow as the melon
matures. They slip when mature. They are aromatic, with green flesh and resist cracking under wet conditions.

Cultigens	Company	Description
Elario	Hazera Seeds, Inc	round, uniform shape, slightly variable in size; rind goes from green to golden yellow
		when ripe; flesh color is light green to white with some salmon coloring in cavity;
		medium to large stem scar with slight cracking; small to medium cavity;
		medium dense fine netting; soft-medium flesh; aromatic Galia flavor, attractive finish-
		much better than the standard; harvest when abscission appears, need some green
		background for commercial harvest

Elba	Nunhems	round, uniform shape; rind color is green, turns to golden yellow as ripens; flesh
		color is mint-green; harvest with force slip; small to medium cavity; medium-soft
		flesh firmness; flavor is very good

Gallardo	Seminis Vegetable	round; rind color goes from green to medium golden-yellow as it ripens;
	Seeds, Inc	flesh color is very light green; flavor is sweet, has the characteristic aroma
		of a Galia melon

HSR 4036	Hollar & Company	noncommercial because of poor quality and poor yield; unable to harvest for market
		quality

RS 11105026	Royal Sluis	elongated, oblong shape; orange flesh - cantaloupe type; medium net density with
		medium size netting; medium to firm flesh texture; harvest when mix of green
		and burnt orange color at first abscission layer formation

Charentais (French Breakfast Melon): These melons are smooth or slightly netted with gray-green rind
and dark green, shallow sutures. The flesh is deep orange to salmon, firm and intensely sweet. These
melons should be harvested prior to slip as abscission layer forms due to splitting. Water management is
critical to prevent cracking. Determination of when to harvest is difficult in some cases.

Cultigens	Company	Description
HMX 9606	Harris-Moran Seed	round; rind color is gray with suture to beige background and netting; flesh
		color is bright salmon; medium to large stem scar; small cavity; very firm flesh;
		harvest at 3/4 slip; flavor is very sweet and aromatic; cracks under wet conditions

HMXP 6885	Harris-Moran Seed	extreme variability in size and shape

Honey Girl	W Atlee Burpee	round; rind color is gray to cream color; flesh color is salmon; medium to large
		stem scar; small to medium cavity; firm flesh; slight to no netting; green fading
		sutures occur as ripens

SVR-1084	Seminis Vegetable	extreme variability in size and shape
	Seeds, Inc

Italian Sweet Melon: These are European type cantaloupes, intensely sweet with extended storage life if
harvested when the abscission layer appears but prior to full slip.

Cultigens	Company	Description
Magenta	Nunhems	round; rind color is green-gray to tan as it ripens with deep green sutures;
		flesh is deep salmon color; medium stem scar; medium cavity; diffuse, thick
		netting; firm flesh; very sweet, excellent taste; harvest when abscission layer
		is visible on stem

Table 1 cont.

Italian Sweet Melon:
Mirage	Nunhems	oval to oblong shape; rind color is green-gray to tan as ripens; flesh color is orange;
		small to medium stem scar; large cavity; medium dense ropy netting; slight
		sutures; medium firm flesh; flavor is an excellent muskmelon taste

Shilan	Nunhems	oval; rind color is tan as ripens; melon has an Athena look; flesh color is dark
		salmon; small stem scar; small very tight cavity; diffused medium fine netting;
		no sutures; firm flesh, flavor is excellent

Crenshaw: A large melon that progresses from smooth dark green rind to a blotchy yellow-green when
ready for harvest. Fruit turns solid yellow with soft flesh that becomes sweeter after harvest. Most
varieties sunburn in NC.

Cultigens	Company	Description
Bolero	Siegers Seed Co	blocky oblong to oval shape; ripe when it turns light green with yellow blotches
		with cracking

Burpee's Early	W Atlee Burpee	teardrop shape; rind color is dark green turning to green with light
		speckled background then yellow; flesh color is light orange; medium
		to large cavity; soft flesh; very susceptible to downy and powdery mildew

Juan Canary: These melons do not slip. They turn golden yellow when ripe.

Cultigens	Company	Description
Bartlett Hybrid	W Atlee Burpee	obovate (larger at one end); rind color is light green to yellow to
	& Co.	golden yellow as it ripens; ripe when gold yellow; flesh color is white; large cavity;
		thin rind; medium to firm flesh; flavor is good, very sweet

Gold 264	Seminis Vegetable	Canary - Casaba type; oval to obovate in shape; green to golden-yellow, wrinkled
	Seeds, Inc	appearance (extensively over melon); corky striations in furrows when ripe;
		does not slip; flesh color is milky white

Golden Beauty 229	Johnny's Selected	elliptic; white flesh; wrinkles intensify as it ripens; exterior golden yellow
	Seed	when ripe; corky striations develop as it ripens; excellent flavor

Golden Lady	Known-You Seed	oval to tear drop shape; rind color is canary yellow; flesh color is very light green;
		doesn't slip, forms sugar net; flesh is crunchy; very sweet with a fruity taste

Golden Prize	Known-You Seed	tear drop to American football shape; dark green turning golden-yellow when
		ripe; ripen characteristic could not be determined because of defoliation
		by downy and powdery mildew

HMX 1602	Harris-Moran	Juan Canary- Casaba type; rind color is green to golden-yellow when ripe;
		flesh color is light green to white, medium canary; medium large cavity; develops
		corky striations in wrinkled furrows around stem; medium firm flesh

William Flavor	Known-You Seed	rind color is green to green with yellow cast; flesh color goes from green to yellow
		and golden-yellow, does not slip; medium firm flesh with slight crunch;
		excellent fruity-sweet flavor without an aftertaste; havest when yellow to
		golden-yellow and mottling predominates over 80-90% of the fruit

Table 1 cont.

Juan Canary:
WS 5003	Western Seed Co	Juan Canary - Casaba type; variable shapes, oblong to football shape, large fruit;
		rind color is light green to light yellow to golden-yellow; flesh color is light green;
		medium cavity; texture is medium; corky striations developing in the wrinkled furrows
		on the stem end; pleasant taste, some say it has a nutty taste

Sol	Zeraim Gedera	oval, some have point at either end, slight wrinkling, uniform shapes and sizes;
		rind color is green to light yellow to golden-yellow when ripe, no netting formed,
		color is indicative of ripeness; flesh color is light green to white; medium to large
		cavity; soft to medium flesh; very sweet and fruity flavor

Oriental: Most of these melons are smaller melons and do not slip. They have crisp white flesh.

Cultigens	Company	Description
PS 614	Seminis Vegetable	variable shapes and sizes, pancake round, round ovoid, oblong, some assymetrical;
	Seeds, Inc	when rind color is golden to golden-yellow, turns light to golden yellow with
		corky diffuse netting when ripe; mint-green flesh; small to large tight cavity;
		doesn't slip for optimum quality; slightly aromatic, mild flavor and firm flesh


Sprite	Sakata Seeds, Inc	round to oval; cream to mottled yellow when ripe; crisp flesh; ugly netting and
		cracks cover the fruit when it becomes over ripe; harvest as blossom end netting
		develops; very high sugars

Piel de Sapo (Christmas Melon, Santa Claus Melon): This melon is typified by the frog skin rind.
It does not slip but develops diffuse netting at peak ripeness. This melon has white flesh.

Cultigens	Company	Description
Ruidera	Nunhems	small cavity; very susceptible to powdery mildew; lots of sunburn and poor sugar


Sancho	Syngenta Seeds	Piel de Sapo; obovate, calyx end is small; flesh color is very light on edge to
		off-white with pale salmon cavity; develops diffuse netting over the whole melon;
		small to medium cavity; flesh texture is soft to medium; wonderful fruity taste

Trijilla	Nunhems	oblong with pointed end; with a few exceptions, the stem is larger
		than the calyx; netting starts at either end; flesh color is green to light greenish-white
		to pale salmon in cavity; medium cavity; medium flesh texture; rich fruity flavor

WS 5010	Western Seed Co	large Piel de Sapo; typical blocky oblong shape with pointed calyx end, some football
		shape; sunburns, small calyx scar; as it ripens, is starts to show netting beginning at
		stem end, golden flecking becomes more predominiate as ripening occurs;
		flesh color is light green to white to pale salmon in cavity; medium to large cavity;
		flesh has soft to medium firmness; average taste

Daimiel	Nunhems	small cavity; very susceptible (more than Ruidera) to powdery mildew; lots
		of sunburn and poor sugars

Table 1 cont.

Hami melon: This ancient melon originated in the northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Hami melons may have either red-pink, orange, white or green flesh. The flesh is crisp and very sweet.
These melons may be stored for several weeks to a few months with little quality loss.

Cultigens	Company	Description
New Century	Known-You Seed	ovate to oblong; variable in shape and size; rind color turns from a light green with
		gray flecking to light green with golden flecking in background when ripe; develops
		diffuse, fine netting over the entire fruit when ripe; white indistinct inch-wide area
		next to rind; small to medium cavity; light orange flesh; firm crunchy flesh;
		pleasant melon flavor

Miscellaneous: These melons do not fall in the other groups but have unique characteristics.

Cultigens	Company	Description
Jade Flower	Known-You Seed	highly susceptible to downy and powdery mildew; oval shape, fairly uniform shape
		and size; flesh color is white; medium texture; medium to large cavity; lacks
		traditional honeydew taste; harvest when it turns from greenish white to cream color
		with no pubescence

Red Queen	Known-You Seed	oval, uniform size and shape; rind color turns from gray-green to beige with light
		yellow flush; flesh color is regular orange with 1/2 inch light green rind ring;
		medium stem scar; large cavity; netting develops with color change, diffuse thin
		net which cracks into flesh; medium firm flesh; harvest with stem intact

Riosol	Seminis Vegetable	obovate, small canary, slightly pointed end; ripe when golden yellow; slight netting
	Seeds, Inc	around stem end; flesh color is light green to white when ripe; medium firm flesh

Sugar Nut	Johnny's Selected	obovate, small canary, slightly pointed end; ripe when golden yellow; slight netting
	Seeds	around stem end; flesh color is light green to white when ripe; medium firm flesh

Diosa	Known-You Seed	Honeydew type- doesn't slip; noncommercial, too much splitting under wet
		conditions; variable in size and lots of surface netting; flesh color is mint-green;
		large cavity; very sweet

Table 2. Specialty Melon, Cultivar Trial. Yield (number/acre and
soluble solids) Cunningham Research Station, Kinston, NC 2004.¹

Cultivar	No./Acre
					Soluble
Ananas	Early²	Mid³	Late⁴	Season	Solids⁵
Amie	2323	4937	2323	9583	11.3
Arva	6389	7260	2033	15682	11.4
Duke	871	9583	1452	11906	11.3
HSR 4011	2904	2323	1162	6389	11.6
HSR 4022	3194	7260	1742	12197	12.5
HSR 4220	290	5518	4937	10745	10.5
Ophir	581	7841	1162	9583	11.0
Raymond	581	5518	871	6970	11.6

Charentais
HMX 9606	5518	9002	2323	16843	13.0
HMXP 6885	871	8131	3194	12197	11.7
Honey Girl	581	15391	2904	18876	12.6
SVR-1084	871	8131	2323	11326	12.2

Crenshaw
Bolero	581	2904	6389	9874	13.4
Burpees Early	1452	3194	0	4646	*

Galia
Elario	11035	4356	581	15972	11.1
Elba	11035	1162	1162	13358	12.0
Gallardo	8422	4066	871	13358	12.9
HSR 4036	9874	7260	0	17134	10.5
RS 11105026	0	9583	2033	11616	11.4

Italian Sweet Melon
Magenta	290	11616	4937	16843	12.2
Mirage	1452	9002	4937	15391	11.8
Shilan	581	7841	4937	13358	11.7

Juan Canary
Bartlett	1162	6970	2323	10454	13.2
Gold 264	1742	9874	2904	14520	13.2
Golden Beauty	290	9874	4937	15101	12.4
Golden Lady	6389	3775	4356	14520	15.1
Golden Prize	4646	3194	581	8422	12.7
HMX1602	0	6970	6679	13649	13.2
William Flavor	1162	8712	871	10745	15.1
WS 5003	871	4356	4646	9874	12.7
Sol	0	8131	2904	11035	12.2

Oriental
PS 614	9293	4066	2904	16262	12.9
Sprite	14520	16553	12487	43560	13.8

Table 2. Cont.
	No./Acre
					Soluble
Cultivar	Early²	Mid³	Late⁴	Season	Solids⁵

Piel de Sapo
Daimiel	1452	6098	1162	8712	*
Ruidera	0	8422	581	9002	13.8
Sancho	0	5227	2033	7260	13.0
Trijilla	0	1162	3775	4937	12.9
WS 5010	0	1742	5808	7550	13.1

Hami
New Century	1452	8422	1162	11035	13.1

Miscellaneous
Jade Flower	9293	4356	581	14230	12.6
Red Queen	581	4356	2323	7260	15.3
Riosol	581	9874	11906	22361	13.2
Sugar Nut	0	9583	11616	21199	13.9
Diosa	1162	3775	1742	6679	13.5

* These varieties never ripened because of early powdery mildew
infestation and complete defoliation.
¹Melons harvested 3 times per week, 15 plants per plot at 30 feet.
²Early harvest 1-4, June 22-28 (57, 58, 60 and 63) days after planting.
³Mid harvest 5-7, June 30-July 7 (65, 67, 70, and 72) days after planting.
⁴Late harvest 9-16, July 17-25 (74, 77, 79, and 81) days after planting.
⁵Solube Solids; reflects the sugar content of a fruit (average of 5 melons).