QUALITY FACTORS IN 4 VARIETIES OF MELON (CUCUMIS-MELO, L)

Four of the most widely produced cultivars of muskmelon in Spain (''Pi el de Sapo,'' ''Amarillo,'' ''Galia'' and ''Tendral'') were characteri zed using the quality factors at harvest of. weight, calibers, shape, peel thickness, edible portion, firmness, soluble solids content, pH, titratable acidity, reducing and nonreducing sugars, formol index, min eral nutrients and respiration rate. ''Piel de Sapo'' fruits were high est in weight, caliber and edible portion and were the most oval shape d. ''Amarillo ''fruits were highest in soluble solids and nonreducing sugars and had the lowest respiration rate. ''Galia'' offered the lowe st weight, pulp firmness and acidity and high values of reducing and n onreducing sugars and mineral nutrients, with the most spherical shape . ''Tendral'' presented highest values of peel thickness, pulp firmnes s acidity and respiration rate and the lowest values of soluble solids and mineral nutrients.