Visualization of sugar content in the flesh of a melon by near-infrared imaging.

The relationship between the sugar content and absorption spectra was investigated using a near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer to visualize the sugar content of a melon. The absorbance at 676 nm, which is close to the absorption band of chlorophyll, exhibited a strong inverse correlation with the sugar content. A high-resolution cooled charged couple device imaging camera fitted with a band-pass filter of 676 nm was used to capture the spectral absorption image. The calibration method used for converting the absorbance values on the image into the degrees Brix sugar content was developed in accordance with NIR spectroscopy techniques. When this method was applied to each pixel of the absorption image, a color distribution map of the sugar content was constructed.     

Wild melon diversity in India (Punjab State)

We present here the first comprehensive genetic characterization of wild melon accessions from northern India. The genetic diversity among 43 wild melon accessions collected from the six agro-ecological regions of the Punjab State of India was assessed by measuring variation at 16 Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) loci, morphological traits of plant habit and fruit morphological traits, two yield-associated traits, root nematode resistance and biochemical composition (ascorbic acid, carotenoids, titrable acidity). Variation among accessions was observed in plant habit and fruit traits and wild melon germplasm with high acidity and elevated carotenoid content and possessing resistance to Meloidogyne incognita was identified in the collection. A high level of genetic variability in wild melon germplasm was suggested by SSR analysis. Comparative analysis using SSRs of the genetic variability between wild melons from the north and other melons from the south and east regions of India and also reference accessions of cultivated melon from Spain, Japan, Korea, Maldives, Iraq and Israel, showed regional differentiation among Indian melon accessions and that Indian germplasm was not closely related to melon accessions from other parts of the world. A highly drought tolerant accession belonging to var. agrestis Naud. was also identified.     

蜜瓜和西瓜果汁的射频介电特性及其与糖度的关系(简报)

为了解果汁的介电特性与其主要内部品质——糖度之间的关系,该文利用末端开路的同轴探头和阻抗分析仪测量了10 MHz～1.8 GHz的频率范围内不同成熟度的3个品种密瓜汁和4个品种西瓜汁的介电特性,同时测量了反映果汁糖度的可溶性固形物含量和果肉的含水率,分析了介电特性和糖度间的关系。结果显示：密瓜和西瓜果汁的相对介电常数和介质损耗因数皆随频率的增大单调减小,品种间的差异对介电特性有影响;1.8 GHz下密瓜汁的损耗角正切与糖度有较好的线性关系,其决定系数为0.784,但西瓜汁的介电特性与糖度的相关性较差;密瓜和西瓜果汁的糖度与果肉的含水率有很好的线性相关性,其决定系数分别为0.973和0.906。该研究将为基于介电特性的果汁糖度检测仪的开发提供了研究基础。     

不同等级道路运输振动对哈密瓜品质的影响

为探究不同等级道路运输的振动对哈密瓜品质的影响机理,以避免哈密瓜在运输过程中受不同等级道路运输振动的影响而导致其贮藏期间品质下降,试验通过建立半挂车在公路上运输的模拟振动台,比较高速公路、一级公路、二级公路以及三级公路的模拟运输振动对哈密瓜活性氧代谢和膜脂氧化的影响。试验模拟了半挂车在4种公路上运输15 h的运输振动环境,比较经不同道路振动处理与未经振动处理的哈密瓜在室温(23℃)贮藏期间(28 d)呼吸速率,硬度,相对电导率,脂氧合酶活性(1ipoxygenase,LOX),丙二醛(malondialdehyde,MDA),活性氧成分(reactive oxygen species,ROS)的变化情况。研究结果表明:室温贮藏28 d时,不同等级道路振动后的哈密瓜的呼吸速率显著高于未处理对照组(P0.05),显然运输振动加快果实软化,加速细胞膜脂氧化,促进了LOX的活性,加快自由基反应进程,使ROS的含量不断增加,产生更多的MDA,损伤细胞膜,从而使相对电导率上升。其中,三级公路及二级公路较高速公路和一级公路的模拟运输振动对哈密瓜品质的影响更为显著(P0.05),而三级公路模拟运输振动处理哈密瓜的ROS含量较其他等级公路的更为显著(P0.05)。说明哈密瓜的品质受运输振动影响的大小为:三级公路二级公路一级公路高速公路,研究结果为寻找降低运输振动对哈密瓜品质影响方法的建立提供理论基础。     

基于气象条件的巴彦淖尔市河套蜜瓜的品质区划

河套蜜瓜属农业部确定的优质产品,近年来被盲目扩种,既扰乱了市场又影响了该品牌的声誉。为确定该品牌的适宜种植范围,利用磴口河套蜜瓜含糖率资料与相应年代气象资料进行相关分析,筛选出影响含糖率的农业气象指标,采用逐步回归方法建立含糖率综合评估模式,利用细网格推算模型,在CtityStar4.0平台上进行了河套蜜瓜品质的区划,为当地蜜瓜发展提供参考。     

基于BMV特征的西瓜成熟度无损检测方法

针对西瓜成熟度无损测定的难度较大这一问题,提出了一种基于音频响应频带幅值向量（BMV）特征的西瓜成熟度无损检测方法。搭建了一套简单的音频采集平台,检验了BMV音频特征与西瓜成熟度的相关性,并与4种已用于西瓜无损检测的音频特征进行了比较;测定了不同打击力度对音频响应和BMV的影响;使用PNN算法对2个品种西瓜的BMV样本进行了成熟度检测。试验结果表明：经过音频特征间的比较,BMV与西瓜成熟度相关性最高,并且打击力度对特征的影响较小,整套算法对2个品种的成熟度检测准确度较高。     

Acetyl-coa: alcohol acetyltransferase activity and aroma formation in ripening melon fruits

Melon varieties (Cucumis melo L.) differ in a range of physical and chemical attributes. Sweetness and aroma are two of the most important factors in fruit quality and consumer preference. Volatile acetates are major components of the headspace of ripening cv. Arava fruits, a commercially important climacteric melon. In contrast, volatile aldehydes and alcohols are most abundant in cv. Rochet fruits, a nonclimacteric melon. The formation of volatile acetates is catalyzed by alcohol acetyltransferases (AAT), which utilize acetyl-CoA to acetylate several alcohols. Cell-free extract derived from Arava ripe melons exhibited substantial levels of AAT activity with a variety of alcohol substrates, whereas similar extracts derived from Rochet ripe melons had negligible activity. The levels of AAT activity in unripe Arava melons were also low but steadily increased during ripening. In contrast, similar extracts from Rochet fruits displayed low AAT activity during all stages of maturation. In addition, the benzyl- and 2-phenylethyl-dependent AAT activity levels seem well correlated with the total soluble solid content in Arava fruits.     

Carotene and novel apocarotenoid concentrations in orange-fleshed Cucumis melo melons: determinations of β-carotene bioaccessibility and bioavailability

Muskmelons, both cantaloupe (Cucumis melo Reticulatus Group) and orange-fleshed honeydew (C. melo Inodorus Group), a cross between orange-fleshed cantaloupe and green-fleshed honeydew, are excellent sources of β-carotene. Although β-carotene from melon is an important dietary antioxidant and precursor of vitamin A, its bioaccessibility/bioavailability is unknown. We compared β-carotene concentrations from previously frozen orange-fleshed honeydew and cantaloupe melons grown under the same glasshouse conditions, and from freshly harvested field-grown, orange-fleshed honeydew melon to determine β-carotene bioaccessibility/bioavailability, concentrations of novel β-apocarotenals, and chromoplast structure of orange-fleshed honeydew melon. β-Carotene and β-apocarotenal concentrations were determined by HPLC and/or HPLC-MS, β-carotene bioaccessibility/bioavailability was determined by in vitro digestion and Caco-2 cell uptake, and chromoplast structure was determined by electron microscopy. The average β-carotene concentrations (μg/g dry weight) for the orange-fleshed honeydew and cantaloupe were 242.8 and 176.3 respectively. The average dry weights per gram of wet weight of orange-fleshed honeydew and cantaloupe were 0.094 g and 0.071 g, respectively. The bioaccessibility of field-grown orange-fleshed honeydew melons was determined to be 3.2 ± 0.3%, bioavailability in Caco-2 cells was about 11%, and chromoplast structure from orange-fleshed honeydew melons was globular (as opposed to crystalline) in nature. We detected β-apo-8'-, β-apo-10', β-apo-12'-, and β-apo-14'-carotenals and β-apo-13-carotenone in orange-fleshed melons (at a level of 1-2% of total β-carotene). Orange-fleshed honeydew melon fruit had higher amounts of β-carotene than cantaloupe. The bioaccessibility/bioavailability of β-carotene from orange-fleshed melons was comparable to that from carrot (Daucus carota).     

猕猴桃品质光谱无损检测技术研究进展

光谱无损检测技术正越来越广泛地应用在水果内部品质检测中。该文从猕猴桃光谱特性差异及光谱无损检测技术影响因素对比分析等方面出发，对目前光谱分析技术在猕猴桃品质检测中应用的研究现状进行综述。分析了猕猴桃与其它水果光谱吸收特性和散射特性的差异以及不同温度、硬度、成熟度、部位及生长期管理措施对猕猴桃光谱特性的差异。对猕猴桃样品采集、光谱检测及数据处理等方面的不同方法进行了对比分析。指出采用500～2500 nm的可见光及近红外光谱对不同产地、不同生长环境和管理条件、不同储藏期、不同成熟度猕猴桃的果肉颜色、硬度、干物质含量、可溶性固形物含量、含糖量以及水果密度等内部品质进行检测是可行的。数据处理和定标模型建立方面的研究正在从传统多元回归和数值优化方法到包括人工神经网络技术、遗传算法、小波分析和自组织理论等先进数据分析技术的非线性模式识别方向发展。今后研究重点应进一步提高定标模型预测可靠性、通用性和实用性，建议今后对不同猕猴桃品种及不同仪器之间定标模型的通用性、猕猴桃在运动条件下的光谱检测技术等方面进行研究。     

基于深度学习与图像处理的哈密瓜表面缺陷检测

针对传统人工检测哈密瓜表面缺陷效率低等问题,提出利用卷积神经网络(Convolutional Neural Networks, CNN)对哈密瓜表面缺陷进行快速检测。对原始图像进行主成分分析(Principal Components Analysis,PCA)、奇异值分解(Singular Value Decomposition, SVD)和二值化等预处理操作,通过数据扩充得到正常、霉菌、晒伤和裂纹的哈密瓜图像各2 500幅。构建一种改进的类似VGG卷积神经网络模型,将预处理后的图像输入模型,并使用随机梯度下降(StochasticGradient Descent,SGD)优化器进行算法优化,为探究CNN模型的特征提取原理,将改进的类似VGG模型每层卷积的特征进行可视化,最后利用开发的哈密瓜表面缺陷检测软件对模型进行试验验证。研究结果表明:图像预处理算法提高了模型的鲁棒性和泛化能力,改进的类似VGG模型优于Alex Net和VGG-16模型,其训练集和测试集准确率分别为100.00%和97.14%;对比预处理前后4类哈密瓜卷积特征可视化结果表明,随着卷积层层数的增加,哈密瓜表面缺陷特征越来越明显,图像预处理后卷积层特征提取效果优于原始图像提取效果。软件测试结果表明:静态下哈密瓜缺陷检测速率达到0.7 s/幅,识别准确率达到93.50%。研究结果可为哈密瓜表面缺陷在线检测技术提供理论依据和技术参考。     

Effects of Anaerobic Digestate on Chinese Melon (Cucumis melo L.) Yield Components,Soil Properties,and Microbial Communities under Saline Irrigation Condition

ABSTRACT

Digestate is increasingly utilized as a fertilizer, and earlier research was dedicated to plant growth and soil properties, with simple little information available regarding the effects of digestate on soil, plant, and microbial communities under saline irrigation. For this reason, a pot experiment with Chinese melon was conducted in a greenhouse, and digestate (1100 L ha^?1) and a full recommended dose of NPK fertilizer were used. The melons were irrigated with normal water 0.25 (SL0) and 2 dS/m (SL1) using sodium chloride (NaCl). Application of digestate increased the melon plant height and leaves number significantly (p < 0.05) compared to control and treatments that received full NPK dose, under both water treatments (SL0 and SL1). The maximum plant height (SL0: 161 cm and SL1: 85.5 cm) and leaves number (SL0: 156.33 and SL1: 69.67) were observed when digestate used with NPK fertilizer. Plant fruit length, fruit diameter, sugar content, and yield increased significantly by digestate addition. The melon fruit sugar content values were 12% (SL0) and 9.83% (SL1). Soil electrical conductivity values increased when digestate combined with NPK fertilizer (1.4 dS m^?1) particularly, under saline water, while the soil pH is not affected by digestate treatments. Digestate increased bacteria and decreased the number of fungi in the soil. Our results indicated that the usage of digestate could be more effective than NPK fertilizer on plant growth and soil properties. And there is a need to confirm these results in soils more realistic for agricultural field conditions and pay attention to use of digestate with saline irrigation water.     

不同变种甜瓜糖分积累及蔗糖代谢酶活性动态变化

为了解不同类型甜瓜糖分积累及糖代谢特点,选用厚皮甜瓜品种X228、普通甜瓜品种B154及越瓜品种H227为材料,定期取样测定果实成熟过程中的葡萄糖、果糖、蔗糖含量和蔗糖代谢相关酶活性,研究不同变种甜瓜果实发育过程中糖分积累及相关酶动态变化差异。结果表明,授粉15 d至果实成熟期间,3个甜瓜品种的果实葡萄糖与果糖含量的变化均较小,品种间差异不显著。3个甜瓜品种果实蔗糖含量存在显著性差异,其中H227果实几乎无蔗糖积累,葡萄糖和果糖是果实的主要糖组分;B154和X228果实蔗糖含量随着果实发育而快速增加,蔗糖积累存在明显的转折点,蔗糖是B154和X228这2个品种成熟果实中最主要的糖组分,且果实蔗糖含量提高的同时蔗糖磷酸合成酶(SPS)活性上升、酸性转化酶(AI)活性降低,蔗糖合成酶(SS)合成方向的活性与蔗糖含量关系不显著。根据蔗糖含量的差异,可将甜瓜分为蔗糖积累型和低蔗糖积累型两类,前者果实蔗糖含量的上升被认为是SPS活性上升与转化酶(特别是AI)活性下降共同作用的结果,后者果实内极低的蔗糖含量被认为是SPS活性较低导致的。本研究结果为甜瓜种质资源创新利用和甜瓜果实糖分积累调控研究奠定了理论基础。     

Diversity among melon (Cucumis melo L.) landraces from the Indo-Gangetic plains of India and their genetic relationship with USA melon cultivars

We report here the first broad genetic characterization of farmer-developed landraces of melon (Cucumis melo L.) from the Indo-Gangetic plains of India, an area overlooked in previous melon genetic diversity analyses of Indian melon germplasm. Eighty-eight landraces from three melon Groups in two subspecies (C. melo subsp. agrestis Momordica Group, and C. melo subsp. melo Cantalupensis Group and Reticulatus Group) were collected from the four agro-ecological regions (six sub-regions) of two northern states of the Indo-Gangetic plains of India, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Significant differences were found among the landraces and eight USA Reticulatus Group reference cultivars for 18 plant and fruit traits: no. of primary branches per plant, days to marketable maturity, sex expression, fruit shape, flesh colour, netting, no. of fruit per plant, fruit weight, shelf life, total soluble solids (°Bx), ascorbic acid (mg/100 g), titratable acidity (%), fruit length and diameter, seed cavity length and diameter, flesh thickness, and resistance to Cucumber mosaic virus. The three melon groups differed significantly for 10 of the plant and fruit traits. Cantalupensis Group and Reticulatus Group accessions were andromonoecious, and the Momordica Group was monoecious. Neighbour-joining (NJ) tree and factorial correspondence analysis (FCA) of simple sequence repeat loci also revealed a high level of genetic variability in this germplasm. The 96 melon genotypes clustered into five groups in the NJ tree analysis: the 16 Indian Reticulatus Group accessions and eight USA reference cultivars formed a distinct group; and the 60 Cantalupensis Group accessions clustered in four other groups with the 12 Momordica Group accessions in a distinct subgroup of one of the Cantalupensis groups. The FCA plot largely confirmed the NJ tree with three distinct groups, one for each melon group. The close affinity of the Indian and USA Reticulatus melons was not unexpected, but it is not clear whether it was inherent in the group and maintained as Reticulatus melons moved from India through Central Asia and Europe to North America, or the result of recent intercrossing of Indian landraces with the USA-derived cultivars and selection for a broad range of Reticulatus type melons.     

Variation in melon (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucumis melo</Emphasis>) landraces adapted to the humid tropics of southern India

We present here the first comprehensive genetic characterization of melon landraces from the humid tropics of southern India. The genetic diversity among 50 melon landraces collected from 3 agro-ecological regions of southern India (6 agro-ecological sub-regions) was assessed by variation at 17 SSR loci, morphological traits of plant habit and fruit, 2 yield-associated traits, pest and disease resistance, biochemical composition (ascorbic acid, carotenoids, titrable acidity) and mineral content (P, K, Fe, Zn). Differences among accessions were observed in plant and fruit traits. Melon germplasm with high titrable acidity, higher than average amounts of mineral content and resistance to Cucumber mosaic virus, Zucchini yellow mosaic virus, powdery mildew (races 1, 2, 3, 5), Fusarium wilt (races 1, 2), Aphis gossypii and leafminer was recorded in the collection. A high level of genetic variability in melon germplasm was suggested by the SSR analysis. Comparative analysis using SSRs of the genetic variability between Indian melons from north, south, and east regions and reference accessions of melon from Spain, France, Japan, Korea, Iraq, Zambia showed regional differentiation between Indian melon accessions and that Indian germplasm was weakly related to the melon accessions from other parts of the world, suggesting that an important portion of the genetic variability found within this melon collection has not been used yet for the development of new cultivars. Additional collections of acidulus melon germplasm should be made in southern India and adequate management of this important genetic resource is clearly a necessity.     

瓜类细菌性果斑病菌群体感应信号分子的检测及其对致病性的影响

瓜类细菌性果斑病是国内外西瓜和甜瓜上危害最为严重的病害之一,目前除了严格的检疫措施之外,尚无十分有效的控制措施。随着细菌群体感应（Quorum sensing,QS）系统的发现和研究进展,利用“信号干扰技术”控制植物细菌病害已经成为研究热点并取得了成功应用。本文利用生物测定技术首次从瓜类细菌性果斑病菌（Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli）检测到群体感应信号分子（AHL）,并将能够降解细菌信号分子的aiiA基因转化到瓜类细菌性果斑病菌NJF10菌株中,室内接种试验表明该转化菌株的致病性明显的减弱,证明其对果斑病菌的致病性具有调控作用。研究结果为利用信号干扰技术控制瓜类细菌性果斑病奠定了基础。     

钼对含甲基营养型芽孢杆菌基质栽培甜瓜产量及氮磷钾吸收的影响

  【目的】  甲基营养型芽孢杆菌常接种于基质中以解决甜瓜生产过程中土传病害严重的问题。然而，甲基营养型芽孢杆菌对基质中微量元素的含量十分敏感，为此，我们研究了钼酸铵的适宜添加浓度，以期为甜瓜优质高效生产提供合理有效的技术参考和理论依据。  【方法】  试验于2019年5—8月在陕西省杨凌农业示范区进行，以薄皮甜瓜品种‘千玉6号’为材料，营养液中 (NH₄)₂MoO₄·4H₂O含量设置0、0.02 和0.04 mg/L 3个水平。测定甜瓜结果各时期器官干物质和全氮、全磷、全钾含量，分析结果中期甜瓜各器官对果实的养分贡献率、果实品质和果实全钼含量，统计产量并计算氮磷钾元素养分利用效率。  【结果】  甜瓜果实全钼含量随施钼水平增加而增加，而游离氨基酸、硝态氮含量、单果重及产量均在钼酸铵 0.02 mg/L水平最高，可溶性蛋白质含量在不施钼处理最高。除结果初期和中期甜瓜茎干物质量在3个施钼处理之间没有显著差异外，甜瓜各器官干物质、植株总干物质、全氮、全磷、全钾的积累量和转运量均以钼酸铵0.02 mg/L处理显著高于0和0.04 mg/L处理。0.02 mg/L钼酸铵处理通过提高营养器官中积累的氮磷钾对果实养分的贡献率，进而提高果实产量和氮磷钾养分利用效率；与钼酸铵0.02 mg/L处理相比，0和0.04 mg/L处理的果实产量及氮、磷及钾素养分利用率分别降低48.63%和17.50%、16.58%和22.44%、2.39% 和13.84%及27.34%和25.28%。  【结论】  在含有甲基营养型芽孢杆菌的基质栽培中，施用含0.02 mg/L (NH₄)₂MoO₄·4H₂O的营养液可显著提高甜瓜结果期干物质量和养分积累、转运及产量和品质。     

Accurate Technique for Measuring Color Values of Grain and Grain Products Using a Visible‐NIR Instrument

Measuring color is important when assessing grain and grain products as this has a major influence on the end‐product quality. To objectively measure color, grain processors and plant breeding programs use colorimeters to measure L*a*b* values as defined by the Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE). In addition to color, most laboratories undertake other tests, often utilizing NIR (near infrared reflectance) technology. It is possible to improve laboratory efficiencies and remove double handling of samples by using one instrument, a visible‐NIR spectrophotometer (400–2,500 nm), to measure color and other quality traits such as protein. In this study, we compared two techniques for measuring color of flour, barley, and lentils with a visible‐NIR instrument. The first technique involved calibrating the visible‐NIR instrument with colorimeter values using calibration models. However, calibrations are product‐specific and require the development and maintenance of specific equations for each product analyzed. For the second technique, we calculated the color values from the visible reflectance spectra using the standard practice (E308) based on the CIE system. Our study showed the most accurate, efficient method for measuring the color of products with a visible‐NIR instrument is to apply calculations using the standard practice based on the CIE system.     

Use of near-infrared spectroscopy and feature selection techniques for predicting the caffeine content and roasting color in roasted coffees

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), combined with diverse feature selection techniques and multivariate calibration methods, has been used to develop robust and reliable reduced-spectrum regression models based on a few NIR filter sensors for determining two key parameters for the characterization of roasted coffees, which are extremely relevant from a quality assurance standpoint: roasting color and caffeine content. The application of the stepwise orthogonalization of predictors (an "old" technique recently revisited, known by the acronym SELECT) provided notably improved regression models for the two response variables modeled, with root-mean-square errors of the residuals in external prediction (RMSEP) equal to 3.68 and 1.46% for roasting color and caffeine content of roasted coffee samples, respectively. The improvement achieved by the application of the SELECT-OLS method was particularly remarkable when the very low complexities associated with the final models obtained for predicting both roasting color (only 9 selected wavelengths) and caffeine content (17 significant wavelengths) were taken into account. The simple and reliable calibration models proposed in the present study encourage the possibility of implementing them in online and routine applications to predict quality parameters of unknown coffee samples via their NIR spectra, thanks to the use of a NIR instrument equipped with a proper filter system, which would imply a considerable simplification with regard to the recording and interpretation of the spectra, as well as an important economic saving.     

籽西瓜挖瓤机的研究

目前籽西瓜的生产主要是以收取瓜籽为目的,这不仅造成很大的浪费,而且其废弃物还污染了环境。因此,其综合加工利用是一项急待解决的课题。在籽西瓜综合加工利用中,挖瓤工序是一个薄弱环节,现大多采用手工完成。作者根据共轭切削原理设计出新型挖瓤机,具有高效、工作平稳、机械化程度高等特点,每小时可处理6000kg籽西瓜,为手工挖瓤工效的12倍。     

Semitic-language records of snake melons (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cucumis melo</Emphasis>, Cucurbitaceae) in the medieval period and the “piqqus” of the “faqqous”

The snake melon, Cucumis melo subsp. melo Flexuosus Group, is a cucurbit crop that was grown and esteemed in Mediterranean lands in antiquity and classical times. Images of snake melons appear in ancient Egyptian wall paintings and sculptures and in mosaics from the Roman Empire. The sikyos of Greek, the cucumis of Latin, and the qishu’im of Hebrew, thought by many to be cucumbers, Cucumis sativus, have now been identified as snake melons. Less iconographic and written evidence exists concerning the appreciation of snake melons during the medieval period. The present work focuses on some philologically based evidence of the importance of snake melons leading into and including the medieval period, with two specific objectives. One was to trace the records of the Hebrew epithet piqqus, which applied to removal of the hairs of young cucurbit fruits, and the Arabic epithet faqqous, used historically and to the present day to designate snake melons. Another objective was to re-affirm how piqqus was actually conducted, as mandated in the second-century code of Jewish Oral Law known as the Mishna. Various conjugational forms of the Hebrew word piqqus were found in writings dating from 200 CE to approximately 600 CE. Evidence is presented that further establishes the exact meaning of piqqus as the rubbing off of the hairs of young cucurbit fruits. The Arabic word faqqous was found in writings dating from the beginning of the tenth century and through to the end of the medieval period in the fifteenth century, the writers hailing from Andalusia in the west to Iraq in the east. These writings suggest that the snake melon was a familiar vegetable across a wide geographic belt throughout the medieval period.