Sources of high seed productivity of melon (Cucumis melo L.)

Abstract

Aim. To assess the melon collection material for seed productivity and to identify sources of a valuable trait for involvement in the breeding process in the northern Steppe of Ukraine. Results and Discussion. Our analysis revealed relationships between the main economic traits, and we established that the productivity of fruits and seeds significantly depended on environmental factors during the study years. There was a strong correlation between these traits (r = 0.71), while the seed productivity more depended on the fruit number per plant (r = 0.62) than on their average weight (r = 0.41). The accessions under investigation differed by fulfillment of their seed yield potential. Among the accessions included in group 4 with high seed productivity, high seed yields were provided by such accessions as Desertnaia 5 (RUS), Ineia (UKR), Delicious 51 (USA), Chaika (UKR), Fortuna (UKR), and Pamiati Pangalo (MDA) (22.3-25.3 g/plant; 0.23-0.26 t/ha). Four accessions from group 5 were identified as the most valuable genetic sources of very high seed productivity: Mistseva 256/98 (UKR), Berehynia (UKR), Victoria (MDA), and Iliyskaya (KAZ) (26.8-29.6 g/plant; 0.27-0.30 t/ha), which exceeded the check variety by 12.8-5.6 g/plant or by 0.13-0.16 t/ha. The seed yield, as a measure of the potential number of seeds depending on the fruit yield, and the 1000-seed weight, as an indicator of the seed size and plumpness, are also important traits in assessing the seed productivity of collection accessions. The highest percentages of seed yield were observed in accessions Pepen golden (ROU), Ananasna 217/06 (RUS), Accession 4596 (USA), Mistseva 256/98 (UKR), Inhulka (UKR), Mistsevyi 5827 (KAZ), and Basarabiya (MDA): 1.23-1.42% (0.33-0.52% higher than from the check variety). As to the 1000-seed weight, the highest values were recorded for accessions Pridnestrovskaya (MDA), Lyleia (UKR), Dumka (UKR), Ineia (UKR), Mistseva 256/98 (UKR), Pamyati Pangalo (MDA), and Berehynia (UKR): 40.4-46.2 g (+3.9-9.7 g to the check variety). Due to the combination of high yield capacity and increased seed productivity, variety Berehynia (UL3800002) originating from Ukraine has been submitted for registration to the National Centre for Plant Genetic Resources of Ukraine as an accession of the gene pool. Conclusions. Assessment of the genetic diversity of melons revealed patterns in levels of seed productivity, depending on the variety; and the relationships between the main economic traits were determined. Sources of valuable economic traits for further use in breeding have been identified: with high seed productivity (10), with increased seed yield (7) and with large seeds (7). Valuable specimen of melon, Berehynia (UL3800002), with high seed productivity has been singled out and submitted for registration to the National Center for Plant Genetic Resources of Ukraine.