Location-Dependent Variation in Volatile Composition of Pineapple Melon (Cucumis melo var.) Cultivated in the Mediterranean Region of Türkiye

Dilan Heletel; Pembe Evci Çürük; Doğan Ergün; Mesut Ada; Nesibe Ebru Kafkas

doi:10.66598/ijafls.1907527

Location-Dependent Variation in Volatile Composition of Pineapple Melon (Cucumis melo var.) Cultivated in the Mediterranean Region of Türkiye

Abstract

The present study investigated the influence of cultivation site on the volatile composition and basic physicochemical properties of pineapple melon (Cucumis melo) grown in four Mediterranean locations of Türkiye (Hatay–Kırıkhan, Osmaniye–Kadirli, Adana-1, and Adana-2). Volatile compounds were extracted using headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Total soluble solids (TSS) and pH values were also determined. Volatile profiles were predominantly composed of alcohols and esters, with variable contributions from aldehydes and ketones. A pronounced location-dependent restructuring of major chemical classes was observed. Alcohols were dominant in Kırıkhan (60.84%) and Adana-2 (51.55%), whereas esters predominated in Adana-1 (53.16%) and Kadirli (50.12%). Aldehydes were particularly elevated in Kadirli samples (20.69%), while ketones were detected in Kırıkhan (5.99%), Adana-1 (4.52%) and Adana-2 (2.19%). Additionally, acid was detected only in Adana-2 (9.69%) location. TSS values ranged from 5.3 to 10.1 °Brix and pH values varied between 5.87 and 6.23 among locations. The results indicate that the volatile structure of pineapple melon is not fixed chemically but shows high environmental plasticity. This research offers compositional proof that geographical context alone can alter the dominance hierarchy among major volatile classes, thus aiding in a better understanding of spatial variability in forming melon aromas under Mediterranean growing conditions.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

This study was supported by the Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Osmaniye Korkut Ata University under project number OKÜBAP-2022-PT2-049.

Project Number

OKÜBAP-2022-PT2-049

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Pomology and Treatment

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Dilan Heletel
0000-0001-9749-9298
Türkiye

Pembe Evci Çürük ^*
0000-0003-4764-7242
Türkiye

Doğan Ergün
0009-0009-1747-4396
Türkiye

Mesut Ada
0000-0003-1495-9311
Türkiye

Nesibe Ebru Kafkas
0000-0003-3412-5971
Türkiye

Publication Date

May 22, 2026

Submission Date

March 12, 2026

Acceptance Date

April 28, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 10 Number: 1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.66598/ijafls.1907527

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA52TS64HZ

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Heletel, D., Evci Çürük, P., Ergün, D., Ada, M., & Kafkas, N. E. (2026). Location-Dependent Variation in Volatile Composition of Pineapple Melon (Cucumis melo var.) Cultivated in the Mediterranean Region of Türkiye. International Journal of Agriculture Forestry and Life Sciences, 10(1), 49-56. https://doi.org/10.66598/ijafls.1907527

AMA

1.Heletel D, Evci Çürük P, Ergün D, Ada M, Kafkas NE. Location-Dependent Variation in Volatile Composition of Pineapple Melon (Cucumis melo var.) Cultivated in the Mediterranean Region of Türkiye. Int J Agric For Life Sci. 2026;10(1):49-56. doi:10.66598/ijafls.1907527

Chicago

Heletel, Dilan, Pembe Evci Çürük, Doğan Ergün, Mesut Ada, and Nesibe Ebru Kafkas. 2026. “Location-Dependent Variation in Volatile Composition of Pineapple Melon (Cucumis Melo Var.) Cultivated in the Mediterranean Region of Türkiye”. International Journal of Agriculture Forestry and Life Sciences 10 (1): 49-56. https://doi.org/10.66598/ijafls.1907527.

EndNote

Heletel D, Evci Çürük P, Ergün D, Ada M, Kafkas NE (May 1, 2026) Location-Dependent Variation in Volatile Composition of Pineapple Melon (Cucumis melo var.) Cultivated in the Mediterranean Region of Türkiye. International Journal of Agriculture Forestry and Life Sciences 10 1 49–56.

IEEE

[1]D. Heletel, P. Evci Çürük, D. Ergün, M. Ada, and N. E. Kafkas, “Location-Dependent Variation in Volatile Composition of Pineapple Melon (Cucumis melo var.) Cultivated in the Mediterranean Region of Türkiye”, Int J Agric For Life Sci, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 49–56, May 2026, doi: 10.66598/ijafls.1907527.

ISNAD

Heletel, Dilan - Evci Çürük, Pembe - Ergün, Doğan - Ada, Mesut - Kafkas, Nesibe Ebru. “Location-Dependent Variation in Volatile Composition of Pineapple Melon (Cucumis Melo Var.) Cultivated in the Mediterranean Region of Türkiye”. International Journal of Agriculture Forestry and Life Sciences 10/1 (May 1, 2026): 49-56. https://doi.org/10.66598/ijafls.1907527.

JAMA

1.Heletel D, Evci Çürük P, Ergün D, Ada M, Kafkas NE. Location-Dependent Variation in Volatile Composition of Pineapple Melon (Cucumis melo var.) Cultivated in the Mediterranean Region of Türkiye. Int J Agric For Life Sci. 2026;10:49–56.

MLA

Heletel, Dilan, et al. “Location-Dependent Variation in Volatile Composition of Pineapple Melon (Cucumis Melo Var.) Cultivated in the Mediterranean Region of Türkiye”. International Journal of Agriculture Forestry and Life Sciences, vol. 10, no. 1, May 2026, pp. 49-56, doi:10.66598/ijafls.1907527.

Vancouver

1.Dilan Heletel, Pembe Evci Çürük, Doğan Ergün, Mesut Ada, Nesibe Ebru Kafkas. Location-Dependent Variation in Volatile Composition of Pineapple Melon (Cucumis melo var.) Cultivated in the Mediterranean Region of Türkiye. Int J Agric For Life Sci. 2026 May 1;10(1):49-56. doi:10.66598/ijafls.1907527