Watermelon

WATERMELON

• Pakistan is generally self sufficient in the production of water melons.

• With the arrival of summer the natural gifts from the nature also come to the aid of people struggling with the scorching heat and harsh sunshine, one of the useful fruits of the summer is the water melon.

• The water melon is usually consumed in the peak of summer in the months of April, May and June.

• It is generally recommended not to consume water melon in the rainy season as it can cause more problem than benefit.

• But in the peak of summer it is a great blessing and reduces the body heat to a great level.

• Usually it is consumed after being placed in the refrigerator for at least couple of hours.

• Consuming it early in the morning with empty stomach is very useful for the health.

• Water melon is very good for the patients having liver problem as this gives a cool effect on the liver and general body and has a lot of water inside it.

AREA AND PRODUCTION

file:///H:/Factfish%20Watermelons,%20production%20quantity%20for%20Pakistan.html

PAKISTAN POSITION IN WORLD

Pakistan is on no.30 in the world ranking in the production of watermelon.

Top ten ( 5 ) countries in the world are 1. china 2.iran 3.turkey 4.brazil 5.egypt


Comparison of Pakistan with othercountries


Varieties of watermelonThere are 18 varieties of watermelon on the basis of taste, texture, color,

and size given below1. Sugar baby2. Sangria3. Golden midget4. Starlight5. Starbrite6. Extazy7. Stars n trip8. Yellow baby9. Yellow doll10. Little baby flower.

sugar baby watermelon

Golden-Midget

sangria

http://www.saveur.com/gallery/Varieties-of-Watermelon


Varieties of watermelon

11. Mickylee12. Crimson sweet13. Pixie14. Summer flavor15. Moon and star16. Sweet favorite17. Cream of saskatchewan18.jubilee.

jubilee

starlight



MATURITY ASSESMENT

• Watermelon are considered optimum for eating when their flesh mature to produce a sweet flavor.

• And crisp texture.• Deep red color.• External rind appearance does not always

predict good internal flesh quality and full maturity.

QUALITY INDICES

• Watermelon should be symmetrical and uniform in appearance.

• The surface should be waxy and and bright in appearance.

• No evidence of bruising.• Appears heavy for size.• Absence of scars , sunburn, or other surface

defects or dirt.

HARVESTING

• Watermelon don’t sweeten after they are picked, harvest time is important.

• Thump it, if the watermelon sound hollow , it’s ripe.• Look at the color at bottom, a green watermelon have

a white color at bottom. And a ripe melon will have cream or yellow colored bottom.

• Stem should be cut with a sharp kinfe close to the fruit.

• Watermelon can be stored uncut for about 10 days, if cut they can last in the refrigerator for 4 days.

HARVESTING METHOD

• Watermelon are harvested by clipping the stem with help of sharp clippers , or sharp kinfe.

• The stem is cut as short as possible to avoid mechanical injury.

Handling• Rough handling due to carelessness and haste during

harvest will cause damage and quality loss.• Loaders on the ground should hand pass melons to

stackers who carefully place them in the load. • Pitching melons often results in their being dropped or

rolled onto the load .• Never stack melons on their ends, because the thin

blossom end is the most susceptible area for bruising. A drop of only 8 inches can result in severe internal bruising; a 1-foot drop can crack the flesh internally or split the melon open.

Handling

The conveyor belt loading watermelons onto the traile.

Handling

Damage results when loaders pitch melonson top of the field load

Handling

Padding protects melons from damage asthey are loaded and hauled from the truck.

PACKING OF WATERMELON

• Watermelon are loaded as a bulk shipments or packed into bins and cartons loaded onto transport trucks.

• Bulk shipment are loaded adjacent to the watermelon growing field.

• Bulk loading required protection of melon from vibration and

load shifting injury during transporting.

PACKING OF WATERMELON

Straw protects against vibration and impactdamage during truck shipment.

Body weight causes bruising and splitting ofwatermelon flesh.

Post harvest storage and degreening

• Optimum temperature10-15 ºc storage life is typically 14 days

at15ºcWith upto 21 days attainable at 7-10 ºc• Optimum relative humidity is about 85-90%• High relative humidity is generally advisable

to reduce desiccation and loss of glossiness.

• Rate of ethylene rate is 0.1-1.0 micro l/ kg.hr at 20 degree centigrade.

• Response to controlled atmosphere ( CA )controlled atmosphere storage or shipping are not recognized as offering controlled benefits for water melon.

RATE OF RESPIRATION

• The rate of respiration for watermelon is given below.

DISEASES

Following are the main diseases found in watermelon.• Gummy stem blight• Damping-off• Anthracnose• Root-knot nematodes• Rind necroses• Fruit blotch• Watermelon mosaic virus

DISEASES

Rind necrosis

Watermelon fruit blotchWatermelon mosaic virus

REFERENCES• http://www.lawaonline.com/types-of-watermelon-in-pakistan-picture/

• http://www.factfish.com/statistic-country/pakistan/watermelons,+production+quantity

• http://edu.par.com.pk/wiki/musk-melon/• http://edu.par.com.pk/wiki/watermelon/• http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/fruits/watermelon/pick-a-

watermelon.htm( harvesting )

• http://www.almanac.com/plant/watermelon• http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/PFfruits/Watermelon/• http://groweralliance.net/products/watermelons/• http://www.agrisk.umn.edu/cache/ARL01971.htm

MUSK-MELON

Muskmelon (Cucumis melo) is a species of melon that has been developed into many cultivated varieties.

Muskmelon in Pakistan

• Muskmelon is an important crop of Pakistan. It is grown over an area of 48,214 thousand hectare with production of 710,326 thousand tons. (Agricultural statistics of Pakistan, 2009-2010).

• Musk melon (cucumismelo) is a creeping cucurbit, originated from Iran and Pakistan and is also cultivated in many warm countries of the world like India, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan.

Major areas of crop production

The major pockets of musk melon growing are. 1. Thatta2. Badin 3. Mirpurkhas 4. as well as Bahawalpur 5. and Sahiwal.6. It is also cultivated in ‘katcha’ areas and is

known as a money-maker crop.

VARIETIES OF MUSKMELON

There are a number of varieties in the world but in Pakistan, farmers grow only two varieties i.e.

1. Golden ( Tumma ) and 2. Dharidar ( Gadap ).

VARIETIES OF MUSKMELON

Golden muskmelon Dharidhar muskmelon

Maturity Indices• Cantaloupes are harvested by maturity and not by size. • Commercial maturity is ideally at the firm-ripe stage or "3/4

to full-slip" when a clear abscission (slip, separation) from the vine occurs with light pressure.

• Cantaloupes ripen after harvest but do not increase in sugar content .

• Cultivars vary in their external color at this stage of maturity and may retain a greenish cast.

• This skin color typically transitions from gray to dull green when immature, deep uniform green at maturity, and light yellow at full ripeness.

Quality Indices

• Well-shaped nearly spherical and uniform in appearance

• Smooth stem end with no adhering peduncle (stem-attachment) which suggests premature harvest

• Absence of scars, sunburn or surface defects• Firm with no evidence of bruising or excessive

scuffing• Appears heavy for size and has firm internal cavity

without loose seeds or liquid accumulation

TEMPERATURE & CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE (CA)

• 2.2°C-5°C (36°F-41°F) Storage life is up to 21 days at 2.2°C (36°F) but sensory quality may be reduced.

• Typically 12-15 days of shelf life are attainable within the optimum range. Short term storage or transit temperatures below this range are used by some in the trade but may result in chilling injury after several days [for example,7 days or longer at temperatures below 2.2°C (36°F)].

Optimum Relative Humidity

• 90%-95%; High relative humidity is essential to maximize postharvest quality and prevent desiccation.

• Water loss through scuffed and damaged surface netting can be significant.

• Extended periods of higher humidity or condensation may encourage the growth of stem-scar and surface molds.

Rates of Ethylene Production

• Intact fruit: 40 - 80 µl/kg hr at 20°C (68°F)• Production Fresh-cut: - 7-10 µl/kg hr at 5°C

(41°F)

Responses to Ethylene• Cantaloupes are moderately sensitive to

exogenous ethylene and over-ripening may be a problem during distribution and short-term storage.

DISORDERS

• Physiological and Physical Disorders1. Chilling injury. 2. Typically occurs after storage at temperatures <

2°C Disorders (35.6°F) for several days.3. Sensitivity to chilling injury decreases as melon

maturity and ripeness increases. 4. Symptoms of chilling injury include pitting or

sunken areas, failure to ripen, off-flavors and increased surface decay.

POST HARVEST HANDLING

• Sorting and grading• Packaging• Storage• Market preparation

Sorting and grading

• At the packing location, melons are graded, sorted and packed into

1. crates or 2. cartons according to size for

shipping/marketing

Packaging • For short-distance shipping or local markets, melons are often

hauled in bulk.• Several sizes are packed: 12, 15, 18, or 23 melons in a crate

weighing 16 to 18kg. • The smaller the number, the larger the melons. The 15s are

generally the most desirable . • Until recently, few cantaloupes were cooled before shipment. • However , cooling prior to shipment improves marketability and

increases the time for melons to reach full ripeness, which extends shelf life.

• Most buyers will be demanding that melons be cooled prior to shipment.

Packaging

Storage

• Cantaloupes are highly perishable. • Even when harvested, handled and held under

optimum conditions, they will be of only fair quality two weeks after harvest.

• If cantaloupes that are half slip to three-fourths slip are held or stored, they should be at 2 to 7 °C.

• Ripened cantaloupes (equivalent to full slip) may be stored at 0 to 2 °C.

Market preparation

• The bulk of the commercial crop is shipped out and sold on the open market at prevailing prices.

• Many are sold from smaller plantings through temporary or permanent roadside stands or at farmers’ markets.

• Although earliness usually results in higher prices, quality and maturity should be of prime importance in marketing cantaloupes and other muskmelons.

REFERENCES• Coleman, E. 1995. The new organic grower. 2nd edition. Chelsea

Green Publishing.• McCollum, J.P., Swiager, J.H & Ware, G.W. 1992. Producing vegetable

crops. 4th edition. Danville, Illinois: Interstate Publishing.• Van Wyk, B.E. 2005. Food plants of the world—identification, culinary

uses and nutritional value. Pretoria: Briza.• Rubatzky, V.E. & Yamaguchi, M. 1997. World vegetables: principles,

production and nutritive values. 2nd edition. New York: Chapman & Hall.

• http://learningstore.uwex.edu/assets/pdfs/a3688.pdf• http://www.overlandingafrica.com/weather/• http://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=M173

http://learningstore.uwex.edu/assets/pdfs/a3688.pdf

http://www.overlandingafrica.com/weather/