The plant hormone ethylene plays a major role in the ripening of climacteric fruit. We have generated transgenic cantaloupe Charentais melons expressing an antisense ACC oxidase gene; ACC oxidase catalyzes the last step of ethylene biosynthesis. Ethylene production of transgenic fruit was < 1% of control untransformed fruit, and the ripening process was blocked both on and off the vine. The antisense phenotype could be reversed by exogenous ethylene treatment. Analysis of antisense ACC oxidase melons indicated that the ripening process includes ethylene-dependent and ethylene-independent pathways. Because the transgenic line we generated displays extended storage life and improved quality, it has a promising potential for commercial development.