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Dec 31, 2020Keywords:
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Main Article Content
EFFECTS OF POPULATION DUE TO INTRA-ROW SPACING ON POSTHARVEST QUALITY OF GOLDEN MELON FRUITS
Abstract
Golden melon (Cucumis melo L.) grown at different intra-row spacing contains different proximate
compositions and are of disparate quality. A field experiment was conducted at the Federal University of
Agriculture, Abeokuta, in the tropical rainforest/savannah transition zone of southwest Nigeria, to assess effects
of population due to intra-row spacing on proximate composition and some fruit physical and biochemical
qualities of golden melon. Treatments comprised of plant populations of 50,000, 25,000, 16,667, 12,500, and
10,000 plants/ha at 20, 40, 60, 80, or 100 cm intra-row with a constant inter-row spacing of 100 cm. Data were
collected on proximate composition, carbohydrate, crude protein, ash, crude fiber, fat, dry matter and moisture
content. Fruit length, fruit width, fruit firmness, titratable acids (TA), total soluble sugar (TSS) and vitamin C
were determined. Results showed plant population due to intra-row spacing affected fruit proximate and quality
traits. Population of 12,500 plants/ha from 80 cm intra-row spacing produced fruits with higher ash, fat, crude
fibre and crude protein content; at 16,667 plants/ha (60 cm intra-row) produced fruits with higher carbohydrate
content. Population of 12,500 plants/ha from 80 cm intra-row produced longer and wider fruits, with higher TSS
and more vitamin C. Therefore, plant population from specific intra-row spacing could impact on the proximate
composition and physico-chemical composition of golden melon.
