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Melón de Torre Pacheco-Murcia PGI
‘Melón de Torre Pacheco-Murcia’ is a melon of the Saccharinus Naud. variety and ‘Piel de Sapo’ type. It is the fruit of a plant of the Cucurbitaceae family with the botanical name Cucumis melo L.
Tasting notes
Sweet, with a consistent texture.
Other notes
Physico-chemical characteristics:
Minimun Brix: 12º
Minimum Flesh Firmness: 2,5 kg/cm2
Production / Processing method
Growing. The steps involved are as follows: cultivation of plants in a nursery, transplantation, cultivation techniques without the use of heating, pollination by introducing bee hives, harvesting by hand.
Handling and/or marketing centres, which may or may not be located within the geographical area covered by the ‘Melón de Torre Pacheco-Murcia’ PGI, affix a numbered label and/or secondary label to the fruit to certify the product and allow it to be traced during marketing. These must bear the following information: the number, the mandatory text Indicación Geográfica Protegida or I.G.P. ‘Melón de Torre Pacheco-Murcia’, the EU symbol and the PGI logo.
Geography / Relief and climate
Climate: The specific characteristics of the product derive from the natural characteristics of the area. The production area is characterised by a sub-arid Mediterranean climate with maritime influences (higher relative humidity) and has an annual average temperature of 17-18 °C, with hot summers, but without clear continental features, owing to its proximity to the sea and the fact that there are no coastal mountains. Average potential evapotranspiration levels are high, reaching as much as 170 mm in the area in July and August. Annual temperature variations are small, amounting to around 15 °C. These factors, together with very low average rainfall of less than 350 mm are characteristic of the area’s ecology and affect the characteristics of the soil.
The mild climate, influenced by the proximity of the sea, is frost-free during the growing season, which means that it is possible to plant the melons early, thus ensuring a long growing season and producing melons that have developed slowly, have a more consistent flesh and keep longer after harvesting. Furthermore, the melons ripen during a period when there is a maximum amount of light and little difference between daytime and night-time temperatures, which promotes the development of netting and produces fruit of a better organoleptic quality. Ripening coincides with a period of low rainfall and sunny days, which contributes to the quality of the fruit, as it makes it sweeter. Moreover, temperatures never exceed 35 °C, which could damage the melons, as it would cause burns and make them age more quickly.
Regulatory Council
Consell Regulador IGP Melón de Torre Pacheco - Murcia
Carretera de Elche a Dolores, km. 1
03290 Elche (Alicante)
T: +34 633 111 228
http://melondetorrepacheco.com/
Mollar variety was obtained by the local farmers selecting over decades those plants which gave the best quality fruit and which best adapted to the area’s climate and soil conditions, which were propagated by grafting or cuttings.