沙漠研究 19-1, 189- 192 (2009 )Journal of Arid Land Studies“Desert Technology IX ”
Refereed Paper

Mineral Analysis of Some Local Cultivars of Melon (Cucumis melo L.)
Leila LAARAYEDH1, Rim LAMARI1, Mokhtar ELBEKEY1, Ali FERCHICHI1
Abstract: Twenty six cultivars of which twenty four local and two introduced (Yellow canary andLobnani) were evaluated. In order to study the physicochemical quality of melon, a mineral analysis
was carried out. This analysis included sodium, potassium, phosphorus and calcium plus magnesium.
Na and K were measured by photometer with flame, phosphorus was determined by spectrophotometerand Ca ++ - Mg ++ were proportioned by a proportioning colorimetric. The result showed that all cultivars
exhibited the highest level for Na. K content was higher than 2% in 60% of cultivars. P content was
higher than 0.1 % in 70 % of cultivars. Ca ++ - Mg ++ content was higher than 1 meq/l in 50% ofcultivars. Analysis of variance and hierarchical classification, according to variations in mineral element
between cultivars, were assured with SPSS 12.0. Analysis of variance confirmed significant differences(p < 0:05) between the different cultivar for every parameter.
Keywords: Cucumis melo L., Cultivar, Melon, Mineral elements

1. Introduction
Melon is one of the first horticultural crops to come to mind for cultivating in arid and semi-arid
regions based on salinity concerns that are becoming or have become a problem (Navarro et al., 1999).
Despite melon is known for its tolerance to salinity. It has been reported that salt tolerance in melons isdependent on the cultivars with sensitive and tolerant cultivars existing (Shannon and Francois, 1978;
Meiri et al., 1982). The symptoms of salt damage in plant change varies among species. Salinity is afactor affecting the whole metabolism of the plant, as well as, its morphology and anatomy (Levitt, 1980).
Some nutritional disturbances are expected under saline conditions, resulting in high ratios of Na/Ca andNa/K. In the presence of excess NaCl in medium, Na and Cl are accumulated in plant organs, and thesesaline ions can affect the uptake of other mineral elements through competitive interactions or by affecting
membrane ion selectivity. This results in nutrient deficiencies in plants (Bohra and Döffling, 1993),
growth inhibition (Franco et al., 1993, 1997; Mendlinger and Fossen, 1993; Carvajal et al., 1998),
metabolic disturbances (Mavrogianopoulos et al., 1999; del Amor et al., 2000), yield and quality losses(Mendlinger, 1994; Meiri et al., 1995; del Amor et al., 2000).
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Plants material
This study was performed using 24 local melon cultivars and 2 introduced cultivars: Yellow canaryand Lobnani, collected from different areas of Tunisia (Table1).
2.2. Mineral analysis
To determine phosphorus, sodium, potassium and calcium plus magnesium concentrations in each plant,
1 g of grinded pulp was ashed for 4 h at 550 ˚C. After cooling, ash was mixed with 4 ml of distilled waterand 1 ml of conc. HCl. The solution was brought to boil, then filtered and brought to 100 ml volume withdistilled water. A Secomam spectrophotometer was used to determine the phosphorus concentration. A
flame photometry was used to analyze the sodium and potassium concentration. Calcium - magnesium wasdetermined for each cultivar using proportioning colorimetric. The element concentration was calculated
according to the equation: % Na, % K and % P = (C × FD) / (100 × m), where C featured value (ppm), FD
factor of dilution, and m mass (g). Finally, Ca - Mg was calculated using the equation: me (Ca2+ - Mg2+)/l =5×(V1 - V0), where V1 was volume in ml of the graduated solution of EDTA used for the extract and V0 was
volume in ml of the graduated solution of EDTA used for the dummy trial.
1 Arid and oasis cropping Laboratory, Institute of Arid Area of Medenine, 4119, Tunisia.
Tel. no. +216 75 633 005, fax. no. +216 75 633 006. E-mail: laarleila@yahoo.fr

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2.3. Statistical analysis
A one-way variance analysis wasdone for each mineral descriptor and themeans separated by performing a
Duncan’s MRT; results were consideredsignificant at the p<0.05 level. A
classification analysis according tomineral element variations between
cultivars was assured with a hierarchicalcluster using SPSS 12.0.

Table 1. Local melon cultivars studied with their origin.
Numberof cultivar

3. Results and Discussion
3.1. Pulp nutrients
K content was higher than 2% ofthe pulp weight in 61 (53%) of thestudied cultivars and Na content higher
than 0.2% in 38 (46%) of the cultivars
and P content higher than 0.1% in 69(23%) of cultivars.
Ca plus Mg
content was higher than 2 meq/l in 30(76%) of cultivars. The differences
between all cultivars was statisticallydifferent at the (p<0.05) level ofsignificance (Fig. 1).
The results obtained from thisstudy show that the different local
cultivars contain a high concentration ofNa+. This increase of Na+ was also
observed at both introduced cultivars(Lob and J.C) which yielded Na+concentrations of 0.418% and 0.405%,respectively.

Code ofcultivar

Place of collection

Origin

1M3

Lbness Elgataya

Kébili

2M5

Lsteftimi

Kébili
Kébili3

M6

Hniche4

M9

ElrabtaKébili5

M 15

ElrabtaKébili6

M 16

ElrabtaKébili7

M 17

ElrabtaKébili8

M 18

Elmenchia, Souk Elahed

Kébili9

M 19Elmenchia, Souk Elahed

Kébili

10

M 20

Rabta

Kébili11

M 24

DgacheTozeur12

M 26

Elmenchia, Souk Elahed

Kébili

13

M 29

Rogba

Tataouine

14

M 31Ferche

15

M 35

16

M50

Eljazira souk Elahed

Kébili17

M58

Ganouche

Gabès

Tataouine
Gabes

18

M61

Bir Amir

19

M97

Oum
Elsoumaa
ElahedTataouine
souk

Kébili20

M116

Azmour Dar Alouch

21

M120

Galeet Elandalouss

NabeulBizert22

M122

Gar Elmelh

Bizert23

M125

Hammet Tozeur

Tozeur24

M135

ElrabtaKébili6.00000%Na *5.00000
4.00000%K *3.00000%P *2.00000
1.00000

Ca-Mg(mé/l) *b

512

Lo0
M

97

58

12
M

M

M

35
M

29
M

24
M

1719
M

M

15
M

6M

M

30.00000

Cultivars

Fig. 1. Variation in Na, K, Ca-Mg and P contents for the different cultivars. Error bars represent
standard deviation between three essays. * Significant variation (ANOVA).

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Many studies have showed that the increase in salinity ratios is a result of salt accumulation in
irrigated soils from both irrigation and groundwater sources (Cengiz et al., 2007). In fact, the highconcentrations of Na+ disturbs intracellular ion homeostasis which leads to membrane dysfunction,
attenuation of metabolic activity, and secondary effects that cause growth inhibition thereby leading to cell
death (Rus et al., 2001, 2004; Ashraf, 2004). The ability of plant cells to maintain sodium concentrations
low in the cytosol is a vital process associated with the ability of plants to grow under high salt regimes(Blumwald, 2000; Ashraf and Harris, 2004). Sodium enters leaf cells and is then pumped into the vacuole
before its concentrations are built up in the cytoplasm. The pumping of Na+ into the vacuole is catalyzed
by vacuolar Na+/H+ antiporter (Blumwald et al., 2000) and the plasma membrane Na+ transporter AtHKT1(Rus et al., 2004). However, Lacan and Durand (1996) proposed that under high Na+ concentration, aNa+/H+ antiporter worked in reverse, to pump Na+ into the cytosol.
Thus, overcoming salt stress is a main issue in arid and semi-arid areas to ensure agricultural
sustainability and continued food production (Heuer, 2003).
3.2. Hierarchical classification
The hierarchical classification of the different cultivars, based on the set of the pulp contents of K, Na,
P, and Ca-Mg, allows for the grouping of cultivars into four groups. The 1st group consists of cultivars
M3, M29, M97, M26, M16, M35, M20, M61, M58, M15, M17, M6, M9, M5 and M18. This group ischaracterized by the higher concentrations of K, Na and an average level of P. The 2nd group includes
cultivars M116 and M120 which are characterized by low concentrations of the majority of mineralelements analyzed, especially P. The 3rd group is consists of cultivars M19, M24, M31, M50, M122, Lob
and J.C. These cultivars are distinguished, contrary to the second group, by the higher concentrations of P.
The 4th group contains two cultivars M125 and M135 which are characterized by the higher concentrationsof Ca-Mg (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Dendrogram of K, Na, P and Ca-Mg contents of the different cultivars: (G1) Group 1,(G2) Group 2, (G3) Group 3, (G4) Group 4.

4. Conclusions
Summarizing the results it could be clarified that the mineral elements studied and concenrtaions ofelements determined is dependent on farming conditions and the quality ground and irrigation water.
Indeed, it was noticed that variability in observations can be contributed to the geographical origin (placeof culture) of different local cultivars studied.
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