Development and evaluation of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) hybrid(s) for fusarium wilt resistance
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Date
2017
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Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana
Abstract
The present investigation entitled ‘Development and evaluation of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) hybrid(s) for fusarium wilt resistance’ was undertaken in the Department of Vegetable Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (India). The experimental materials comprised of 50 melon accessions and were subjected to artificial screening and validation of Fom genes. Nine accessions showed high and three moderate level of resistance to local Fusarium isolate. The resistant differentials; Hemed and F-65 were found susceptible against local Fom isolate which was confirmed from mycelium growth under Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The gene specific markers confirmed presence of Fom-1 and Fom-2 gene in 23 and 9 accessions respectively. The resistant lines were involved in development of 45 F1’s through diallel fashion and evaluated for yield, quality and disease resistance during spring summer season of 2015 and 2016. Pooled ANOVA for experimental design revealed significant mean squares due to environments except for β-carotene and TSS of juice and, treatment × environment except for fruit shape index and TSS of juice. The mean squares due to GCA and SCA effects were significant for all the characters and the non- additive gene effects predominated over the additive for traits fruit yield, number of fruits per vine, average fruit weight, days to first pistillate flower opening, days to first fruit ripening, flesh thickness, firmness, titrable acidity, ascorbic acid content and dry matter content. The GCA estimates showed that parents Punjab Sunehri, SM-2012-12 and KP4HM-15 were good combiners for most of the traits. The crosses KP4HM-15 × Kajri Sel 1 and KP4HM-15 × MM-202 have either of the parents with high GCA for fusarium wilt incidence and TSS and thus pursued further for the development of resistant inbred lines with high TSS content. The checks showed severe infection with 3.75 disease incidence under field condition. Hybrids KP4HM-15 × Kajri Sel. 1, Kajri Sel. 1 × MM-202 and MM-314 × KP4HM-15 were identified as promising on the basis of phenotypic performance, SCA effects and resistance to fusarium wilt disease. These hybrids can be evaluated further at multilocations to assess their suitability for commercial release.
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