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Identity & Botany
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Canonical name | Charentais Melon |
| Scientific name | Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis |
| Family / Genus | Cucurbitaceae / — |
| Produce category | Melon |
| Produce subcategory | Cantaloupe |
| FSMA 204 covered? | No |
| AGROVOC URI | c_1393 |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s01_identity. External: FAO AGROVOC.
Varieties
Estimated commercial varieties: 25.
| Variety | Market share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Savor | 25% | Highly regarded for intense aroma and sweet, orange flesh. Good disease resistance (Fusarium wilt). Vigorous plants, good yield. Classic Charentais appearance with smooth, ribbed skin. |
| Passport | 20% | Excellent flavor and aroma, similar to traditional Charentais. Known for good fruit set and yield. Resistant to powdery mildew and Fusarium wilt. Slightly larger than some other Charentais types. |
| Alienor | 15% | Early maturing with very sweet, aromatic orange flesh. Good disease resistance (Fusarium wilt, powdery mildew). Produces uniform, well-ribbed fruits. Good choice for cooler climates. |
| Escamillo | 10% | Very early maturing, making it suitable for shorter growing seasons. Produces small, highly aromatic fruits with deep orange, sweet flesh. Good disease resistance. |
| Charentais (Classic/OP) | 8% | The original open-pollinated type, prized for its intensely sweet, aromatic, salmon-orange flesh and smooth, lightly ribbed skin. Can be less disease resistant and have a shorter shelf life than moder |
| Vedrantais | 5% | An heirloom French cantaloupe, very similar to the classic Charentais. Known for its rich, sweet flavor and aromatic orange flesh. Typically smaller fruits with smooth, light green skin that ripens to |
| Petit Gris de Rennes | 3% | A very old French heirloom melon, often grouped with Charentais due to similar gourmet qualities. Distinctive gray-green skin that turns golden-tan at maturity, with sweet, fragrant orange flesh. Exce |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s04_varieties.variety_summaries.
Post-Harvest Handling
Temperature
- Chilling injury threshold: 41°F.
- Freezing point: 30.5°F. Hard limit.
- Handling urgency: 4 / 5.
Ethylene
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Production class | high |
| Production rate (20°C) | 50 uL/kg*h typical (10–100) |
| Sensitivity class | moderate |
| Sensitivity threshold | 0.1 ppm |
| Climacteric? | Yes |
Agent note: Charentais melons are climacteric and produce significant ethylene, which can accelerate their own ripening and senescence, as well as affect other ethylene-sensitive commodities.
Mixed-load compatibility
Ethylene producer, chilling sensitive
Operational flags
- Can be top-iced? No
- Light-sensitive? No
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s07_harvest_post_harvest.
Market Intelligence
Demand
Increasing niche demand, driven by culinary interest and specialty markets
Elasticity
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Price elasticity | -0.8 |
| Income elasticity | 0.6 |
| Organic premium elasticity | -0.5 |
Market share by variety
| Variety | Share |
|---|---|
| Charentais | 0.5% |
| Other Specialty Melons | 4.5% |
| Cantaloupe (Standard) | 70% |
| Honeydew | 20% |
| Other Melons | 5% |
Pack sizes
- 9 count
- 12 count
- 15 count
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s09_market_intelligence.
Rendered by commodity_profile_renderer v1.0.0 on 2026-05-15T23:50:00.000Z.