Melons Capable of Ripening on Demand Developed in Japan

Jakarta — Japan’s National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, in collaboration with the University of Tsukuba, has developed a muskmelon variety capable of ripening on demand to address problems arising from the fruit’s short storage life and to boost exports.

According to Kyodo News on Saturday (28 February), the research team deactivated the gene required to produce ethylene, which acts as a plant hormone to accelerate fruit ripening, and successfully kept the melon firm and green for up to two months.

The National Agriculture and Food Research Organization and the University of Tsukuba hope to register the variety with the government and commercialise it within three years.

Muskmelons typically enter the harvest season from spring through mid-summer. The rapid ripening process following harvest due to ethylene release causes the fruit to deteriorate quickly and become easily damaged during sea transport for export purposes.

The new approach allows producers to ship melons in a ripening-suppressed condition and then trigger the ripening process by exposing the fruit to ethylene, a technique already employed with bananas.

Hong Kong and Singapore are among Japan’s principal melon export destinations. The United States and Australia have also begun importing the fruit.

The extended storage life is seen as capable of facilitating inventory management and reducing food waste.

The research team has described their latest development as a “major step” towards increasing demand for domestic fruit and boosting exports.