Impact of AVG preharvest spray and soil injection on yield and quality of melon Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • The aim of this study was to determine whether aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), an inhibitor of ethylene synthesis, would affect earliness, increase yield, and improve overall at harvest and postharvest quality of melon (Cucumis melo L. group Cantalupensis, `Sol Real'). Field experiments were conducted during two seasons with AVG (124 gha1 a.i.) applied as spray or soil injected into the root zone with a single or double application between 7 d and 21 d before harvest. The AVG soil injection method increased earliness compared with AVG spray in one season. Total marketable yield increased with AVG injection but not with the AVG spray method compared with the control. Regardless of method of application, AVG did not affect fruit firmness, rind thickness, netting, or soluble solids content when measured at harvest. However, AVG spray decreased fruit size and seed cavity in one season. Similarly, AVG spray did not affect fruit quality after storage, whereas AVG soil injection increased fruit firmness. Overall, melon yield and fruit quality responses to preharvest AVG applications were superior for the soil injection than the spray method.

published proceedings

  • HORTSCIENCE

author list (cited authors)

  • Leskovar, D. I., Goreta, S., & Franco, J. A.

citation count

  • 3

complete list of authors

  • Leskovar, Daniel I||Goreta, Smiljana||Franco, Jose A

publication date

  • August 2006