Growth Performance, Yield Components, and Consumer Preference of Eleven Muskmelon Varieties in Songkhla Province

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the responses of eleven muskmelon varieties in terms of growth performance, yield components, and consumer preference. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions in Songkhla Province, southern Thailand, using a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications and twelve plants per replication. Results revealed significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) among the musk-melon varieties. Green Shizuoka, Orange Pearl and Takami exhibited superior growth performance, particularly in stem diameter and leaf area index (LAI), and reached harvest maturity earlier than the other varieties, with harvest dates occurring 1.56 to 2.44 days earlier. Orange Pear, Green Rocky and Orange Rocky produced higher yield components, including fruit length, width, and weight. Regarding fruit quality, Green Pearl and Alpha had the highest total soluble solids, with 15.77 ° Brix and 15.31 ° Brix, respectively. Consumer preference, evaluated using a nine-point hedonic scale, indicated that Green Rocky, Orange Rocky and Alpha received higher mean scores for taste (7.40–8.00), texture (7.30–8.00), and overall liking (7.45–8.17) than the other varieties. Therefore, Orange Pearl, Green Rocky, Orange Rocky and Alpha were identified as the most suitable varieties for comercial production in Songkhla Province and surrounding areas of southern Thailand.