ARMAZENAMENTO REFRIGERADO DE MELÃO AMARELO HÍBRIDO FREVO CULTIVADO NO PERÍODO CHUVOSO

Abstract

The Brazilian northeast region is the main melon producer of Brazil, however in the rainy period there is a significant fall in the quality and amount of melon produced. This work aimed to evaluate the quality and the shelf-life of 'Frevo' yellow melon produced rainy time and stored under cold storage. The completely randomized design was used, in factorial scheme 5 x 4, with five replications. The treatments resulted of the combination of five storage times (0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days) and four storage temperatures (7, 9, 11 and 13 ºC). In each storage time the fruits were analyzed 48 hours after the withdrawal of these of the cold chambers to simulate the market conditions. The evaluated characteristics were flesh firmness, soluble solids, weight loss, chilling injury and internal and external appearances. The fruits kept at 13ºC and 11ºC temperatures had a postharvest shelf-life of 21 days, however, temperatures around 7ºC and 9 ºC favored the development of chilling injury, being apparent at 14º day. The temperatures and the time studied are not determinative for the increase or reduction in the soluble solid content.