Solar injury of “crenshaw” muskmelons: the influence of ultraviolet radiation and of high tissue temperatures

✍ Scribed by Werner J. Lipton; James J. O'Grady

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1980
• Weight: 806 KB
• Volume: 22
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0002-1571
• DOI: 10.1016/0002-1571(80)90004-7

✦ Synopsis

Solar injury (SI) of "Crenshaw" muskmelons (Cucumis melo L., Inodorous group) grown under field conditions was serious when ultraviolet (UV) irradiance between 290 and 400 nm exceeded 20 Wm -2 and when the maximum temperature of the fruit just below the surface (Tmax) exceeded 50°C. When UV was between 10 and 20Wm -2 SI was moderate when Tmax was above 50 °, but mild when Tmax was below 50 °. No SI developed when UV was below about 10 W m -2 and Tmax was below 50 °. The various environments were achieved by covering the fruits with vented plastic tents that transmitted various proportions of solar radiation. The pattern of development of SI indicated that high tissue temperatures and UV jointly induce the symptoms of SI; high temperatures are primarily responsible for the darkening associated with SI, whereas UV bleaches the injured tissue.