THE RESPIRATORY CLIMACTERIC IS PRESENT IN CHARENTAIS (CUCUMIS-MELO CVRETICULATUS F1-ALPHA) MELONS RIPENED ON OR OFF THE PLANT

Ripening of climacteric fruit is accompanied by an increase in respira tion and autocatalytic ethylene synthesis. In harvested melons, there is variation in the magnitude and duration of the respiratory climacte ric depending on the cultivar. It has recently been reported that, whi le the ripening-associated increase in ethylene production is present, the respiratory climacteric is absent in ripening melon fruit attache d to the plant, leading to the suggestion that climacteric respiration is an artifact of harvest. To address the universality of this phenom enon, ripening behaviour in the melon cultivar Charentais (Cucumis mel o cv. Reticulatus F1 Alpha), was investigated and the results show tha t the respiratory climacteric occurs in fruit ripened both on and off the plant.