Inheritance of Some Important Characters to Improve Sweet Melon (Cucumis melo L.) Fruits

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out during three years of 2012, 2013 and 2014. These experiments were done at Sabaheya Horticultural Research Station, Alexandria, and Fowa area, Kafer El- Sheikh, Egypt. Type of gene action, correlation coefficient and path analysis among all combinations of some important characteristics of sweet melon were studied. A 5X5 half-diallel cross was performed among five pure lines of sweet melon. Additive gene effects were found to be significant for plant length, number of branches / plant, flowering date, maturity date and flesh thickness indicating that the additive gene action played the main role in the inheritance of these traits. The evaluated characteristics of fruit netting, fruit shape index, total soluble solids % and moisture content exhibited insignificant values for the additive gene action. The dominant gene effect was found to be significant for plant length, number of branches per plant, maturity date, fruit netting degree, Total soluble solids % and moisture content indicating the importance of dominant gene effect in the inheritance of this characters. Total yield per plant, phenotypically, correlated with plant length, average fruit number and average fruit weight. Hence, a lot of attention for such relationships in the improvement program of such characters of sweet melon through selection.