ABSTRACT
Cucurbit melons in the Cucurbitaceae family include many popular, important species that are cultivated as high-value cash crops worldwide. Melon fruits are harvested at maturity to maximize their sweet taste as they have no starch reserves and do not become significantly sweeter after harvest. Japanese melon, a green, fist-size, succulent fruit, is harvested at maturity to maximize its sweet taste. High-quality crops depend on a wide variety of factors such as soil nutrient content and availability, cropping management activities, and handling conditions. The fruit crops develop and their overall postharvest quality is largely a response to their genetic endowment and growth conditions. Macronutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are the most important nutrients influencing fruit quality, postharvest life, and postharvest wrinkly skin and vascular breakdown. Soil liming is a useful cropping practice in fruit production in acidic environments. Crop thinning is also a common practice in fruit production management.
