# Ethrel‐Induced Enhancement of Sugar Accumulation and Postharvest Quality in Early‐Harvested Cantaloupe Melons

## TL;DR

Treating early-harvested cantaloupe melons with 25 ppm Ethrel improves sweetness, color, and shelf life during storage.

## Contribution

Identifies 25 ppm Ethrel as the optimal treatment for enhancing postharvest quality in early-harvested cantaloupes.

## Key findings

- 25 ppm Ethrel increased sweetness and sugar content by 2% after 7 days of storage.
- The treatment improved melon color to vibrant orange and retained hardness, acidity, and vitamin C.
- 25 ppm Ethrel extended shelf life to 21 days with minimal fruit damage.

## Abstract

Melon (Cucumis melo L. var. Cantaloupe) is classified as a climacteric fruit, which means its quality deteriorates quickly after harvest. Early‐harvested melons often exhibit inferior color quality and lower sugar content but have a longer shelf life than those harvested later. This study aims to improve the postharvest quality of early‐harvested cantaloupe melons by evaluating the effect of Ethrel treatment on their sweetness and overall quality throughout the storage period. The melons were immersed in an Ethrel solution at 0 (control), 25, 50, and 100 ppm concentrations. After treatment, the melons were air‐dried and stored in a controlled environment at 28°C ± 1°C with 80% ± 5% relative humidity for 21 days. The results indicated that treating the melons with Ethrel at a concentration of 25 ppm significantly enhanced their quality and shelf life. This concentration increased sweetness levels and sugar content (sucrose), which measured 2% higher than the other treatments after 7 days of storage. Additionally, the 25 ppm Ethrel treatment improved the melons′ color to a vibrant orange and helped retain their hardness, titratable acidity, and vitamin C content. Furthermore, this treatment resulted in minimal fruit damage and extended the melons′ shelf life for up to 21 days during storage. In conclusion, Ethrel at a concentration of 25 ppm is considered the optimal treatment for improving sugar content and maintaining the quality of early‐harvested cantaloupe melons.