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Combining Ability Analysis in Complete Diallel Cross of Watermelon (citrullus Lanatus (thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai)

M. Bahari
Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute, Bukit Tangga, 06050 Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah, Malaysia

M. Y. Rafii
Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

G. B. Saleh
Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

M. A. Latif
Plant Pathology Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI), Gazipur-1701, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The experiments were carried out in two research stations (MARDI Bukit Tangga, Kedah, and MARDI Seberang Perai, Penang) in Malaysia. The crossings were performed using the four inbred lines in complete diallel cross including selfs and reciprocals. We evaluated the yield components and fruit characters such as fruit yield per plant, vine length, days to fruit maturity, fruit weight, total soluble solid content, and rind thickness over a period of two planting seasons. General combining ability and its interaction with locations were statistically significant for all characteristics except number of fruits per plant across the environments. Results indicated that the additive genetic effects were important to the inheritance of these traits and the expression of additive genes was influenced greatly by environments. In addition, specific combining ability effect was statistically evident for fruit yield per plant, vine length, days to first female flower, and fruit weight. Most of the characters are simultaneously controlled by additive and nonadditive gene effects. This study demonstrated that the highest potential and promising among the crosses was cross P2 (BL-14) × P3 (6372-4), which possessed prolific plants, with early maturity, medium fruit weight and high soluble solid contents. Therefore this hybrid might be utilized for developing high yielding watermelon cultivars and may be recommended for commercial cultivation.

Keywords: Combining Ability Analysis, Complete Diallel Cross, Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai)

Location:

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Socio-economic and Policy

Commodity: Water melon

Objectives:

The main aim of the research was to identify breeding lines having good ability effects for yield components and fruit characters. Hence, the present study was to estimate the combining ability of four watermelon inbred lines and identify the important characters to support the breeding program of watermelon in the country.

Methodology:

The materials for this study consisted of four watermelon inbred lines and their F1 hybrids including the reciprocals. The four inbred lines used as parents were CS-19-S7 (P1), BL-14-S7 (P2), 6372-4-S7 (P3), and CH-8-S7 (P4). Four parents were crossed in complete diallel mating scheme in greenhouse at Bukit Tangga MARDI station in the second half of 2008. Two varieties, C1 and C2, were used as check. The 18 genotypes (4 parents, 6 F1 hybrids (P1 × P2, P1 × P3, P1 × P4, P2 × P3, P2 × P4, and P3 × P4), 6 F1 reciprocal hybrids (P2 × P1, P3 × P1, P4 × P1, P3 × P2, P4 × P2, and P4 × P3), and two check varieties) were evaluated in a randomized block design with 4 replications at Bukit Tangga MARDI Research Station and Seberang Prai MARDI Research Station, over a period of two planting seasons. Each plot consisted of 7 plants spaced 1.2 m apart in rows and 2.5 m between rows.

The seeding was carried out in trays, and the seedlings were transplanted 14 days after sowing. Fertilization was performed by applying, in the foundation, the rates of 500 kg/ha of NPK Green. Cultural practices were conducted according to technical recommendations for the culture in the country. The identification of ripe fruit was based on observation of drying of the tendril adjacent to the stalk and the sound emitted by woody fruit when struck by his fingertips. Plants were evaluated on the yield components (fruit yield, number of fruits per plant, vine length, number of days for the appearance of the first female flowers, and days to fruit maturity) and fruit characters (fruit weight, total soluble solids and rind thickness). To obtain the means of the variables in each plot, we sampled five plants and five fruits, taken at random during the harvest. Estimates of the general and specific combining ability effects were obtained using the methodology proposed by Griffing for analysis of diallel with parents, F1 and F1 reciprocal (Method I), considering fixed effect of treatments. The analysis of variance of diallel was performed according to the scheme presented by Zhang and Kang. This program is considered as an effective method in analyzing and interpreting diallel cross data which are conducted in a number of environments.

Source of Information: The Scientific World Journal Volume 2012, Article ID 543158, 6 pages

Article Link (Online Journal): doi:10.1100/2012/543158

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Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Reciprocal effects (R) showed that significant effect was found for yield components, that is, fruit yield, number of fruit, and days to maturity. Similar results were reported by Feyzian et al. and pointed out that reciprocal effects were significant for fruit yield and fruit maturity on melon.The interaction of reciprocal effects and environment (R × E) was nonsignificant for all traits measured except days to maturity and total soluble solids content. Therefore, extra chromosomal inheritance or maternal effects may be involved in gene control of these characters. The study of this type of gene interaction is important in breeding programs that allow the determination of parents to be used as donors or recipients of pollen.

This study strongly suggests that those with strong SCA effects such as P2 × P3 could be advanced for hybrid variety release after other yield stability factors have been considered.

Knowledge Management: Journal