Evaluation of morpho-agronomic characterization Apple cucumber: a new variety of melon from Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract The Cucurbitaceae has been known to many farmers as a plant that has beneficial for agriculture industries. For decades plants that belong to Cucurbitaceae such as cucumber (Cucumis sativus), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), and melon (Cucumis melo) has been cultivated to meet consumer needs. In Indonesia, a new variety of melon has been discovered namely apple cucumber. This new variety has blurred the difference between melon and cucumber due to the vegetative resemblance. This research was conducted to clarify the different characters and to study the morpho-agronomic characteristic in qualitative and quantitative-based on IPGRI descriptors. Important and significant diagnostic characters were observed to developed good cultivar in quality and quantity. 16 qualitative and 15 quantitative characters from 120 characters of apple cucumber were observed to determine the specific characters for good cultivar. Principal Analysis Component (PCA) using Python was used to showed discriminative character and also to distinguished apple cucumber to melon and cucumber based on 120 characters of apple cucumber. Morphological differences existing among melon, cucumber, watermelon, and apple cucumber, in particular, are presented.