GROWTH, PHYSIOLOGY AND YIELD RESPONSES OF FOUR ROCK MELON (CUCUMIS MELO VAR. CANTALOUPENSIS) CULTIVARS IN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE

Abstract

Rock melon is a high value greenhouse crop. Reduction of economical crop yield in high temperature stress due to global warming is an emerging issue with Rock melon. Therefore, this study was conducted for evaluate the growth, physiology and yield of different Rock melon cultivars grown under high temperature stress. Four cultivars of rock melon (Lady-gold, Lady-green, Himalai-99 and Glamour) were evaluated for their physiological behaviors under two temperature (42±3°C and 47 ±3°C) regimes. In four cultivars of rock melon, leaf area, specific leaf area, relative growth rate, chlorophyll content, photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, intercellular carbon dioxide concentration, transpiration rate, malondialdehyde content and fruit yield of Rock melon were significantly differ in each temperature regime. Temperature significantly affects the fruit position in main branch. When temperature increases, Rock melon fruits shifts in to upper branches. While Lady-green and Glamour shown similar attributes in extreme temperature, most susceptible cultivar was the Lady-gold and most tolerant cultivar was the Himalai-99.This study identified the issues of extreme temperature related to the economical yield of rock melon cultivars which can be use in future crop modification and breeding.