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Identity & Botany
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Canonical name | Santa Claus Melon |
| Scientific name | Cucumis melo var. inodorus |
| Family / Genus | Cucurbitaceae / — |
| Produce category | Melon |
| Produce subcategory | Winter Melon |
| FSMA 204 covered? | No |
| PLU — conventional | 4393 |
| PLU — organic | 94393 |
| AGROVOC URI | c_1996 |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s01_identity. External: FAO AGROVOC.
Varieties
Estimated commercial varieties: 15.
| Variety | Market share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Piel de Sapo (Traditional) | 30% | The original ‘toad skin’ melon. Oblong shape, dark green mottled skin, firm white flesh, very sweet. Excellent natural long shelf life, a hallmark of the Santa Claus melon type. |
| Don Quixote | 20% | A widely grown commercial hybrid known for high yield, uniform fruit size, excellent flavor, and good post-harvest handling. Classic Piel de Sapo appearance with improved consistency. |
| Sancho | 15% | Another popular hybrid, valued for its consistent quality, sweet flavor, and robust growth. Good disease resistance and extended shelf life, making it reliable for commercial growers. |
| Ricura | 10% | Known for its exceptional sweetness and aromatic white flesh. Good fruit set and uniformity, with strong post-harvest performance and good disease resistance. |
| Majestic | 8% | A high-yielding hybrid producing large, uniform fruits with excellent internal quality and a long shelf life. Well-suited for commercial shipping due to its firmness. |
| Snow Leopard | 5% | A distinctive hybrid with a unique mottled white and green skin, resembling a snow leopard. Offers sweet, crisp white flesh and a slightly different flavor profile, gaining popularity in specialty mar |
| Tendral | 4% | A traditional Spanish winter melon, similar to Piel de Sapo but often with a darker, rougher skin and sometimes a more elongated shape. Renowned for its exceptionally long storage potential, often las |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s04_varieties.variety_summaries.
Post-Harvest Handling
Temperature
- Chilling injury threshold: 45°F.
- Freezing point: 30.5°F. Hard limit.
- Handling urgency: 3 / 5.
Ethylene
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Production class | very_low |
| Production rate (20°C) | 0.05 µL/kg·h typical (0.01–0.1) |
| Sensitivity class | low |
| Sensitivity threshold | 1 ppm |
| Climacteric? | No |
Agent note: Non-climacteric, does not ripen further after harvest. Sensitive to exogenous ethylene, which can cause accelerated senescence and quality loss.
Mixed-load compatibility
Compatible with other non-ethylene producing, chilling-sensitive commodities. Avoid strong odor producers.
Operational flags
- Can be top-iced? No
- Light-sensitive? No
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s07_harvest_post_harvest.
Market Intelligence
Demand
Stable to slightly increasing for specialty melons
Elasticity
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Price elasticity | -0.7 |
| Income elasticity | 0.3 |
| Organic premium elasticity | -1 |
Pack sizes
- 4s
- 5s
- 6s
- 7s
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s09_market_intelligence.
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