POST-HARVEST PHYSIOLOGY OF MELONS AS AFFECTED BY SOIL PHOSPHORUS AVAILABILITY AND APPLICATION TIMING.
Keywords:
melon, phosphorus availability, application timing, post-harvest physiology, fruit firmness, shelf life, storage quality.Abstract
This study investigates the influence of soil phosphorus availability and the timing of its application on the post-harvest physiology of late-ripening melon (Cucumis melo L.) cultivated in light gray soils of the Samarkand region. The experiment was designed to assess how different phosphorus levels (deficient, optimal, and excessive) and application stages (pre-sowing vs. vegetative phase) affect melon fruit quality indicators such as firmness retention, weight loss, sugar content (Brix%), and spoilage rate during a 60-day storage period. Results demonstrated that optimal phosphorus application (100 kg/ha P₂O₅) applied during early vegetative growth significantly enhanced fruit biochemical stability and shelf life, with 72.5% firmness retained and only 12% spoilage. Delayed or excessive phosphorus application resulted in lower storability and nutritional quality. These findings suggest that precise phosphorus management—both in dosage and timing—plays a critical role in post-harvest performance of melons and can inform more sustainable melon production strategies in phosphorus-deficient soils.
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