Abstract:

The oriental sweet melon cultivar ‘yumeiren’ was used in the experiment, effects of grafting on maturity stage and its associated quality during melon fruit development and maturation were investigated. The results show that grafting significantly increases ethylene production and respiratory rate, and ethylene and respiratory peaks are presented at 35d and 37d after anthesis, respectively. These two peaks are both later 2 days than own-root fruits. Grafting increases LOX activity, and change of the enzyme activity is keeping with ethylene releasing. To the fruits that have the same days after anthesis, grafting increases fruit firmness and water content; while, dry matter accumulation and soluble solid content decrease. Maturity stage of grafting fruits is later 2 days than own-root fruits. Comparison of both fruits that reach maturity, fruit firmness, water and dry matter content have no significant difference between two treatments. Grafting only affects sugar and acid content of mature fruit.