. 2023 Feb 21;11:e14900. doi: 10.7717/peerj.14900

Table 3. Mean comparison of melon fruit traits.

Treatments	Fruit cavity (cm)	Pulp thickness (cm)	Rind thickness (cm)	Firmness (N)	TSS (°Brix)	EC (µS cm⁻¹)	pH	TA (% Critic acid)	L*	a*	b*	hue	c*
V1	4.79 ± 0.17	3.90 ± 0.13^b	0.44 ± 0.02^cd	0.66 ± 0.04^d	11.88 ± 0.35^a	6,549.58 ± 175.58^ab	6.81 ± 0.04^c	0.15 ± 0.01^d	62.43 ± 0.70^c	18.66 ± 0.40^c	36.66 ± 0.48^c	31.30 ± 0.56^d	0.36 ± 0.03^ab
V2	6.95 ± 0.10	3.51 ± 0.06^c	0.49 ± 0.03^bc	0.96 ± 0.05^b	11.51 ± 0.38^a	6,392.08 ± 99.78^ab	6.84 ± 0.03^bc	0.15 ± 0.01^d	63.10 ± 0.59^c	19.18 ± 0.41^c	38.98 ± 0.39^ab	30.66 ± 0.54^d	0.36 ± 0.03^ab
V3	4.84 ± 0.12	3.20 ± 0.05^d	0.40 ± 0.03^d	1.09 ± 0.05^a	11.73 ± 0.65^a	6,840.50 ± 113.32^a	7.08 ± 0.05^a	0.18 ± 0.01^c	63.11 ± 0.47^c	21.55 ± 0.16^a	39.93 ± 0.38^a	31.55 ± 0.50^d	0.40 ± 0.03^a
V4	4.90 ± 0.15	3.76 ± 0.08^b	0.58 ± 0.03^a	0.81 ± 0.04^c	11.66 ± 0.40^a	6,170.83 ± 70.31^bc	6.92 ± 0.04^b	0.16 ± 0.01^cd	56.21 ± 3.45^d	20.59 ± 0.28^b	37.68 ± 0.49^bc	32.87 ± 0.80^d	0.39 ± 0.03^ab
V5	5.60 ± 0.13	3.79 ± 0.09^b	0.49 ± 0.03^bc	0.90 ± 0.01^bc	10.37 ± 0.30^b	5,730.83 ± 109.93^c	6.56 ± 0.01^d	0.16 ± 0.00^d	69.99 ± 0.68^ab	−5.37 ± 0.16^c	30.41 ± 0.50^e	59.61 ± 0.84^bc	0.28 ± 0.03^bc
V6	4.50 ± 0.12	3.18 ± 0.09^d	0.50 ± 0.02^abc	0.93 ± 0.03^b	12.18 ± 0.25^a	6,601.67 ± 58.43^ab	6.64 ± 0.03^d	0.23 ± 0.01^a	69.21 ± 0.46^b	−4.90 ± 0.14^c	32.29 ± 0.50^d	57.55 ± 0.98^c	0.28 ± 0.02^bc
V7	5.35 ± 0.12	4.16 ± 0.18^a	0.53 ± 0.03^ab	1.11 ± 0.04^a	10.14 ± 0.51^b	5,039.96 ± 165.98^d	6.33 ± 0.08^e	0.17 ± 0.00^cd	73.46 ± 0.67^a	−5.08 ± 0.12^c	29.09 ± 0.46^e	60.60 ± 1.30^ab	0.21 ± 0.02^c
V8	4.93 ± 0.16	3.04 ± 0.08^d	0.42 ± 0.02^cd	0.62 ± 0.03^d	9.40 ± 0.50^b	6,418.75 ± 272.73^ab	6.38 ± 0.05^e	0.21 ± 0.01^b	68.48 ± 0.63^b	−5.60 ± 0.21^c	32.30 ± 0.48^d	63.16 ± 0.90^a	0.30 ± 0.03^abc
F-test	ns	**	**	**	**	**	**	**	**	**	**	**	**
C	5.19 ± 0.08	3.20 ± 0.06^B	0.51 ± 0.02^A	0.80 ± 0.04^B	10.13 ± 0.24^C	6,316.69 ± 135.29^AB	6.60 ± 0.06^C	0.18 ± 0.01^AB	67.64 ± 0.78^AB	7.31 ± 1.83	34.04 ± 0.62^B	47.52 ± 2.21^A	0.32 ± 0.02
M	4.75 ± 0.10	3.75 ± 0.08^A	0.45 ± 0.02^B	0.89 ± 0.03^A	10.39 ± 0.28^C	6,068.33 ± 113.02^B	6.67 ± 0.04^BC	0.17 ± 0.01^B	63.74 ± 2.01^B	7.33 ± 1.84	34.22 ± 0.76^B	46.92 ± 2.25^A	0.32 ± 0.02
S+M	4.83 ± 0.11	3.63 ± 0.08^A	0.47 ± 0.02^AB	0.92 ± 0.04^A	11.07 ± 0.32^B	6,055.63 ± 124.36^B	6.72 ± 0.05^AB	0.18 ± 0.01^AB	66.02 ± 0.68^A	7.29 ± 1.87	34.93 ± 0.64^AB	45.25 ± 2.24^B	0.33 ± 0.02
A+M	6.15 ± 0.12	3.69 ± 0.10^A	0.49 ± 0.02^AB	0.93 ± 0.04^A	12.84 ± 0.33^A	6,431.46 ± 138.66^A	6.78 ± 0.03^A	0.18 ± 0.01^A	65.59 ± 0.73^AB	7.57 ± 1.87	35.49 ± 0.55^A	43.96 ± 1.98^B	0.31 ± 0.02
F-test	ns	**	*	**	**	**	**	*	**	ns	**	**	ns
C: V1	5.12 ± 0.28	3.38 ± 0.10^abc	0.42 ± 0.05^abc	0.67 ± 0.13^bcd	12.57 ± 0.20^abc	7,356.67 ± 51.23^a	6.63 ± 0.03^abc	0.17 ± 0.00^ab	62.58 ± 1.08^hi	18.99 ± 0.60^bcde	37.64 ± 0.78^bc	31.87 ± 1.77^c	0.43 ± 0.05^a
C: V2	5.37 ± 0.13	3.60 ± 0.15^abc	0.67 ± 0.04^a	0.76 ± 0.02^abcd	10.20 ± 0.00^abc	6,450.00 ± 6.32^ab	7.02 ± 0.00^ab	0.13 ± 0.00^ab	61.80 ± 0.22^hi	18.42 ± 0.49^cde	38.48 ± 0.38^abc	32.27 ± 0.79^c	0.35 ± 0.07^abcd
C: V3	5.22 ± 0.22	3.10 ± 0.07^abc	0.50 ± 0.08^abc	0.86 ± 0.04^abcd	9.90 ± 0.33^abc	6,585.33 ± 209.76^ab	7.11 ± 0.03^ab	0.14 ± 0.01^ab	64.57 ± 0.68^efghi	21.36 ± 0.33^ab	38.54 ± 0.51^abc	31.13 ± 0.60^c	0.42 ± 0.04^abc
C: V4	5.12 ± 0.22	3.37 ± 0.13^abc	0.63 ± 0.06^ab	0.63 ± 0.07^bcd	9.82 ± 0.13^abc	6,241.67 ± 99.38^abc	6.80 ± 0.11^abc	0.14 ± 0.00^ab	63.90 ± 1.28^fghi	20.53 ± 0.47^abc	36.30 ± 0.85^bcde	36.42 ± 2.56^c	0.36 ± 0.06^abcd
C: V5	5.30 ± 0.27	3.68 ± 0.11^abc	0.62 ± 0.03^abc	0.88 ± 0.02^abcd	10.03 ± 0.02^abc	5,636.67 ± 177.46^abc	6.56 ± 0.03^abc	0.16 ± 0.00^ab	72.23 ± 0.66^abc	−5.44 ± 0.13^f	28.66 ± 0.73^hi	61.72 ± 1.18^ab	0.21 ± 0.02^bcd
C: V6	4.95 ± 0.16	3.00 ± 0.06^abc	0.48 ± 0.03^abc	0.84 ± 0.09^abcd	10.55 ± 0.23^abc	6,240.00 ± 76.11^abc	6.62 ± 0.03^abc	0.22 ± 0.01^ab	70.59 ± 0.55^bcd	−5.09 ± 0.12^f	31.06 ± 0.53^ghi	57.84 ± 1.45^ab	0.31 ± 0.03^abcd
C: V7	5.45 ± 0.20	2.92 ± 0.20^bc	0.40 ± 0.04^bc	1.22 ± 0.11^abc	7.93 ± 0.39^bc	5,061.50 ± 135.47^abc	5.84 ± 0.04^c	0.18 ± 0.01^ab	75.95 ± 1.51^a	−5.07 ± 0.25^f	29.57 ± 0.37^ghi	64.98 ± 1.61^a	0.20 ± 0.03^cd
C: V8	5.03 ± 0.28	2.55 ± 0.08^c	0.40 ± 0.04bc	0.54 ± 0.03^d	10.05 ± 1.28^abc	6,961.67 ± 732.76^ab	6.24 ± 0.11^bc	0.26 ± 0.03^a	69.53 ± 1.45^bcd	−5.24 ± 0.63^f	32.06 ± 1.51^fghi	63.92 ± 1.21^a	0.31 ± 0.06^abcd
M: V1	4.62 ± 0.36	4.78 ± 0.17^a	0.42 ± 0.05^abc	0.71 ± 0.10^bcd	9.60 ± 0.36^abc	5,955.00 ± 217.02^abc	6.74 ± 0.05^abc	0.13 ± 0.02^ab	64.73 ± 1.20^efghi	17.03 ± 0.57^e	35.64 ± 1.41^cdef	31.01 ± 0.45^c	0.24 ± 0.03^abcd
M: V2	4.90 ± 0.12	3.45 ± 0.15^abc	0.42 ± 0.03^abc	0.72 ± 0.03^abcd	9.72 ± 0.16^abc	6,083.33 ± 151.96^abc	6.87 ± 0.01^ab	0.13 ± 0.00^ab	65.90 ± 0.57^defgh	20.13 ± 0.67^abcd	39.31 ± 0.53^abc	32.19 ± 1.12^c	0.40 ± 0.07^abc
M: V3	4.65 ± 0.13	3.30 ± 0.11^abc	0.35 ± 0.03^c	1.12 ± 0.07^abcd	13.65 ± 0.25^a	7,175.00 ± 251.19^ab	6.83 ± 0.13^abc	0.21 ± 0.01^ab	63.77 ± 0.76^fghi	22.02 ± 0.31^a	41.96 ± 0.54^a	33.48 ± 1.54^c	0.37 ± 0.07^abcd
M: V4	4.00 ± 0.19	3.80 ± 0.13^abc	0.57 ± 0.06^abc	0.86 ± 0.01^abcd	10.03 ± 0.02^abc	5,676.67 ± 2.11^abc	7.06 ± 0.00^ab	0.12 ± 0.00^b	64.00 ± 9.60^efghi	20.25 ± 0.37^abcd	36.98 ± 0.49^bcd	31.68 ± 0.54^c	0.39 ± 0.08^abcd
M: V5	5.62 ± 0.21	3.57 ± 0.09^abc	0.38 ± 0.05^bc	0.91 ± 0.02^abcd	11.20 ± 0.16^abc	6,416.67 ± 8.43^ab	6.57 ± 0.04^abc	0.18 ± 0.00^ab	68.96 ± 1.33^bcde	−4.42 ± 0.23^f	28.81 ± 0.83^hi	60.84 ± 2.15^ab	0.31 ± 0.05^abcd
M: V6	4.07 ± 0.17	3.35 ± 0.08^abc	0.57 ± 0.02^abc	0.97 ± 0.01^abcd	12.15 ± 0.49^abc	6,925.00 ± 42.64^ab	6.51 ± 0.00^abc	0.23 ± 0.01^ab	69.75 ± 1.01^bcd	−5.31 ± 0.28^f	32.37 ± 1.50^efgh	58.62 ± 3.10^ab	0.26 ± 0.05^abcd
M: V7	5.45 ± 0.15	4.30 ± 0.14^abc	0.53 ± 0.03^abc	1.11 ± 0.06^abcd	9.53 ± 0.22^abc	5,005.00 ± 161.76^bc	6.28 ± 0.04^bc	0.18 ± 0.00^ab	73.52 ± 1.40^ab	−5.13 ± 0.16^f	28.01 ± 0.80ⁱ	62.36 ± 1.59^a	0.24 ± 0.05^abcd
M: V8	4.82 ± 0.11	3.45 ± 0.08^abc	0.40 ± 0.04^bc	0.70 ± 0.04^bcd	7.25 ± 0.11^c	5,310.00 ± 93.99^abc	6.54 ± 0.00^abc	0.15 ± 0.01^ab	68.46 ± 0.88^cdef	−5.90 ± 0.15^f	30.65 ± 0.82^ghi	65.17 ± 1.69^a	0.36 ± 0.06^abcd
S+M: V1	4.02 ± 0.24	3.83 ± 0.16^abc	0.43 ± 0.05^abc	0.59 ± 0.03^cd	11.57 ± 0.17^abc	5,886.67 ± 61.19^abc	6.91 ± 0.03^ab	0.14 ± 0.01^ab	62.08 ± 1.22^hi	18.93 ± 0.94^bcde	36.29 ± 0.93^bcde	29.47 ± 0.95^c	0.38 ± 0.06^abcd
S+M: V2	5.13 ± 0.27	3.57 ± 0.14^abc	0.40 ± 0.04^bc	1.28 ± 0.03^ab	12.00 ± 0.11^abc	6,560.00 ± 38.82^ab	6.58 ± 0.01^abc	0.18 ± 0.00^ab	62.17 ± 1.18^hi	17.78 ± 0.99^de	37.69 ± 1.21^bc	29.04 ± 0.88^c	0.33 ± 0.08^abcd
S+M: V3	4.60 ± 0.32	3.22 ± 0.09^abc	0.37 ± 0.05^bc	1.01 ± 0.03^abcd	8.95 ± 1.75^abc	6,418.33 ± 175.18^ab	7.32 ± 0.04^a	0.15 ± 0.00^ab	62.64 ± 0.50^hi	21.29 ± 0.24^ab	39.81 ± 0.59^abc	31.41 ± 0.58^c	0.45 ± 0.03^a
S+M: V4	5.17 ± 0.20	4.02 ± 0.11^abc	0.57 ± 0.06^abc	0.80 ± 0.11^abcd	13.15 ± 0.25^ab	6,393.33 ± 43.41^ab	7.06 ± 0.00^ab	0.20 ± 0.01^ab	62.63 ± 1.30^hi	21.89 ± 0.34^a	39.88 ± 0.54^abc	31.33 ± 1.02^c	0.43 ± 0.08^ab
S+M: V5	5.37 ± 0.21	3.52 ± 0.10^abc	0.49 ± 0.06^abc	0.86 ± 0.04^abcd	10.67 ± 0.89^abc	5,695.00 ± 8.85^abc	6.55 ± 0.02^abc	0.14 ± 0.00^ab	69.10 ± 1.26^bcde	−5.97 ± 0.33^f	32.24 ± 0.65^efgh	58.45 ± 1.06^ab	0.36 ± 0.06^abcd
S+M: V6	4.70 ± 0.17	3.32 ± 0.15^abc	0.48 ± 0.06^abc	0.97 ± 0.02^abcd	12.98 ± 0.10^ab	6,671.67 ± 81.38^ab	6.81 ± 0.03^abc	0.24 ± 0.01^ab	68.17 ± 0.40^cdef	−4.70 ± 0.37^f	32.20 ± 1.01^efgh	56.27 ± 1.66^ab	0.21 ± 0.05^bcd
S+M: V7	5.23 ± 0.32	4.65 ± 0.15^ab	0.63 ± 0.05^ab	1.12 ± 0.07^abcd	9.15 ± 0.49^abc	4,125.00 ± 288.48^c	6.31 ± 0.09^abc	0.14 ± 0.01^ab	73.27 ± 0.83^ab	−5.28 ± 0.29^f	28.01 ± 1.34ⁱ	62.47 ± 1.83^a	0.22 ± 0.03^abcd
S+M: V8	4.40 ± 0.27	2.90 ± 0.10^bc	0.42 ± 0.03^abc	0.72 ± 0.04^abcd	10.12 ± 0.08^abc	6,695.00 ± 17.84^ab	6.27 ± 0.02^bc	0.22 ± 0.01^ab	68.11 ± 1.68^cdef	−5.59 ± 0.20^f	33.34 ± 0.50^defg	63.59 ± 0.61^a	0.31 ± 0.07^abcd
A+M: V1	5.40 ± 0.26	3.62 ± 0.11^abc	0.50 ± 0.04^abc	0.69 ± 0.07^bcd	13.77 ± 0.40^a	7,000.00 ± 429.34^ab	6.96 ± 0.09^ab	0.18 ± 0.01^ab	60.35 ± 1.76ⁱ	19.67 ± 0.74^abcd	37.07 ± 0.63^bcd	32.84 ± 0.61^c	0.38 ± 0.04^abcd
A+M: V2	5.18 ± 0.22	3.42 ± 0.07^abc	0.47 ± 0.04^abc	1.09 ± 0.08^abcd	14.13 ± 0.44^a	6,475.00 ± 363.07^ab	6.89 ± 0.02^ab	0.17 ± 0.01^ab	62.53 ± 1.54^hi	20.38 ± 0.62^abcd	40.45 ± 0.30^ab	29.14 ± 0.84^c	0.36 ± 0.05^abcd
A+M: V3	4.88 ± 0.25	3.18 ± 0.09^abc	0.37 ± 0.03^bc	1.37 ± 0.07^a	14.42 ± 0.34^a	7,183.33 ± 62.65^ab	7.07 ± 0.04^ab	0.22 ± 0.01^ab	61.47 ± 1.31^hi	21.53 ± 0.41^ab	39.44 ± 0.69^abc	30.17 ± 0.66^c	0.36 ± 0.05^abcd
A+M: V4	5.40 ± 0.15	3.87 ± 0.15^abc	0.57 ± 0.04^abc	0.95 ± 0.01^abcd	13.65 ± 0.66^a	6,371.67 ± 106.66^abc	6.77 ± 0.06^abc	0.19 ± 0.01^ab	63.42 ± 1.40^ghi	19.69 ± 0.70^abcd	37.57 ± 1.33^bc	32.06 ± 0.75^c	0.37 ± 0.06^abcd
A+M: V5	5.90 ± 0.28	4.40 ± 0.14^ab	0.47 ± 0.04^abc	0.94 ± 0.01^abcd	9.58 ± 0.73^abc	5,175.00 ± 181.16^abc	6.58 ± 0.02^abc	0.14 ± 0.01^ab	69.67 ± 1.80^bcd	−5.66 ± 0.22^f	31.95 ± 0.88^fghi	57.44 ± 1.84^ab	0.23 ± 0.05^abcd
A+M: V6	4.30 ± 0.31	3.03 ± 0.30^abc	0.48 ± 0.06^abc	0.92 ± 0.03^abcd	13.05 ± 0.18^ab	6,570.00 ± 18.26^ab	6.63 ± 0.02^abc	0.23 ± 0.01^ab	68.34 ± 1.24^cdef	−4.51 ± 0.27^f	33.51 ± 0.69^defg	57.48 ± 1.62^ab	0.33 ± 0.04^abcd
A+M: V7	5.27 ± 0.28	4.77 ± 0.23^a	0.57 ± 0.04^abc	1.00 ± 0.05^abcd	13.95 ± 0.44^a	5,968.33 ± 197.58^abc	6.90 ± 0.02^ab	0.16 ± 0.01^ab	71.10 ± 0.97^bc	−4.86 ± 0.28^f	30.78 ± 0.44^ghi	52.57 ± 2.16^b	0.17 ± 0.03^b
A+M: V8	5.48 ± 0.45	3.27 ± 0.11^abc	0.47 ± 0.02^abc	0.53 ± 0.05^d	10.17 ± 1.31^abc	6,708.33 ± 696.91^ab	6.47 ± 0.11^abc	0.19 ± 0.02^ab	67.81 ± 1.07^cdefg	−5.67 ± 0.56^f	33.15 ± 0.43^defg	59.96 ± 2.66^ab	0.25 ± 0.05^abcd
F-test	ns	**	**	**	**	**	**	**	**	**	**	**	**

Note:

ns is not significantly different, *, ** are significantly different at p < 0.05 and 0.01, respectively. Values with the same alphabetical superscript within the same column are not significantly different based on Duncan’s multiple range test.