THE INFLUENCE OF THE HARVESTED MATURITY TO CANTALOUPE QUALITY CUCUMIS MELO L. VAR. RETICULATUS IN SHELFLIFE

Maturity harvest, quality and the shelf life of fruits after harvesting have intimate relationships with one another, especially to the climacteric fruit group. Maturity harvest is the most important factor that determines postharvest shelf life and the quality of cantaloupe [1]. There are significant physiological changesbetween immature and mature fruit during the development of cantaloupe that affect the quality of cantaloupe. In this research, Chu Phan  cantaloupe was harvested at 26, 29, 32, 35, 38, 41 days after setting fruits. The results showed that the most suitable time for harvesting the cantaloupe wasat 32 days after setting fruits. The average weight of fruit was 1,68 kg, the hardness reached 0,1834 kg/cm2, the brix valued 6° brix, total sugar of 40mg/g, titratable axitityof 0,05%, vitamin C of 41 mg%; and the storage time at 10 ± 1°C has been extended to 21 instead of 15 days to the cantaloupe which was stored at 28 ± 1°C.