Muskmelon

For a reference amount of 100 g (3.5 oz), a raw cantaloupe melon provides 34 calories and is a rich source (defined as at least 20% of Daily Value, DV) of both vitamin A and vitamin C; other micronutrients are at a negligible level. A raw melon is 90% water and 9% carbohydrates, with less than 1% each of protein and fat.

The melon is an annual, trailing herb. It grows well in subtropical or warm, temperate climates. It can be found as a weed around sites of recently built airports in American Samoa. Melons prefer warm, well-fertilized soil with good drainage that is rich in nutrients, but are vulnerable to downy mildew and anthracnose. Disease risk is reduced by crop rotation with non-cucurbit crops, avoiding crops susceptible to similar diseases as melons. Cross pollination has resulted in some varieties developing resistance to powdery mildew. Arthropod pest species attracted to melons include the cucumber beetle, Aphis gossypii, melonworm moth and the pickleworm.

Melon were domesticated independently in Northeast Africa, twice in India and in China. Over time many cultivars developed with variety in shape and sweetness. Iran, India, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and China became centers for melon production. Melons were consumed in Ancient Greece and Rome. Debate exists among scholars whether the abattiach in The Book of Numbers 11:5 refers to a melon or a watermelon. Both types of melon were known in Ancient Egypt and other settled areas. Some botanists consider melons native to the Levant and Egypt, while others place the origin in Persia, India or Central Asia, thus the origin is uncertain. Researchers have shown that seeds and rootstocks were among the goods traded along the caravan routes of the Ancient World. Several scientists support an African origin, and in modern times wild melons can still be found in several African countries in East Africa such as Ethiopia, Somalia and Tanzania.