Watermelon fruit from ‘Crisby’ (CR) and ‘Crimson Tide’ (CT) grafted onto Ferro, RS841, Argentario and Macisrootstocks and non-grafted CR and CT were compared for their postharvest quality at 7 °C for 21 days. Changes inrind thickness, weight loss, fruit flesh firmness, taste, total soluble solids, juice pH, titratable acidity, chilling injury andfungal decay, flesh color values, hallow heart, ripening, citric and malic acid, glucose, fructose, sucrose, total sugar,β-carotene and lycopene were determined during storage at a weekly interval. Watermelon fruit cv. CT grafted on Ferro,RS841 and Argentario rootstocks had thicker rind, lower ripening score, higher flesh firmness and lycopene content,more intense red color during storage, compared to non-grafted fruit. In comparison to non-grafted fruit, CR fruit graftedon Ferro, RS841 and Argentario rootstocks had thicker rind and higher flesh firmness, but higher lycopene content andC* values with lower ripening scores were observed only in the fruit grafted on Ferro and RS841 rootstocks. Macis andArgentario may lead an over-ripening, softening and less intense flesh color with lower lycopene content for CR and/orCT fruit during storage. Watermelons could successfully be kept for 21 days at 7 °C. Watermelons grafted on Ferro andRS841 rootstocks retained better postharvest quality, compared to the non-grafted fruit for both cultivars.
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