ABSTRACT
This chapter presents introductory information about cucurbits, ripening behavior and harvest indices of the most important species in this family. Cucurbits are vegetable crops belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae , which is primarily comprised of species consumed as food worldwide. Climacteric ripening is characterized by an increase in the respiration rate and an autocatalytic ethylene production peak during fruit ripening, while these are not observed in non-climacterics or are transitory after ethylene application. The ethylene production in melons has been suggested to correlate with the rind type. The stage of maturity at harvest has profound effects on postharvest life and susceptibility to physiological disorders. The fruit quality losses of most of the members of the Cucurbitaceae family include fruit disorders due to pre-harvest, harvest, and postharvest conditions. Temperature is the most influential environmental factor for the postharvest control of the crops.
