Guide to the Commercial Production of Muskmelon (Cantaloupe) and Related Melons

Historical Perspective Muskmelons, often called cantaloupes in the United States, are not commonly grown here. True cantaloupes have deeply grooved fruit with a hard, warty, or scaly rind and orange or green flesh. Muskmelons (Cucumis melo L. Reticulatus Group), on the other hand, possess a fruit rind that is netted. The muskmelon is a member of the Cucurbitaceae (cucumber) family, which also includes cucumbers, watermelons, and honey dew, Persian, casaba, and crenshaw melons. Evidence suggests that muskmelons were cultivated in Egypt as early as 2400 B.C. Little information exists, however, describing how the plant was used in ancient times. A native of Middle Eastern countries, muskmelons spread slowly to Europe. In the fifteenth century, muskmelons became popular in Spain and were soon introduced to the New World. By the mid-1600s, muskmelons were grown from Florida to New England. The modern muskmelon is derived from the ‘Netted Gem,’ a highly netted cultivar introduced by the W. Altee Burpee Company in 1881. In the United States, muskmelon production is concentrated in arid and semi-arid regions, but they are grown in many states for local and interstate sales. California accounts for 70 percent of total U.S. production, followed by Texas and Arizona. Nutritionally, the muskmelon is much higher in vitamins A and C than the white-fleshed honey dew or winter melons (casaba or crenshaw). Flowers And Pollination Muskmelons produce two types of flowers—perfect flowers, having both male and female parts, and staminate flowers, having only male parts. Perfect flowers upon pollination and fertilization will develop into the familiar fruits. Muskmelons set fruit in cycles where several fruit are set per plant in each cycle. Fruit harvested from the first cycle of fruit set have the highest quality. Muskmelons require bees for pollination. For greater yields and larger melons, place one or two strong hives of honeybees per acre adjacent to fields of muskmelons. Hives can be removed after fruits are set. Application of pesticides should be delayed until evening when bee activity is low, as many pesticides are toxic to honeybees.