Physiological and Genetic Basis of Shelf Life and Flavor in Melon

Melon, which is in the cucumis genus of the Cucurbitaceae family and an annual herbaceous plant is an economically precious species grown in the world and in Turkey. With the increase in world population, changes in consumer demands- especially increasing interest in products with high quality characteristics such as taste and flavour- led the studies on fruit quality characteristics. The affordability of the melon fruit, which has an important and economical share in Turkey, depends on its characteristics such as color, taste and flavour. These characteristics are among the main determinants of fruit quality perceived by consumers. Considering these factors, long shelf life is also important in terms of preserving these properties.

The purpose of the review, is to give direction to studies on fruit quality characteristics in order to return to the tastes lost by both consumers and producers, to ensure the preservation of (species-specific) characteristics in melon varieties, to contribute to the examination of the physiological and genetic mechanisms of factors such as taste, aroma and shelf life in order to grow new cultures with high quality and long shelf life. For this purpose, the studies carried out on the subject in recent years have been discussed.