A procedure for the regeneration of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) cv. Topmark via shoot organogenesis from cotyledon explants is described. The best induction medium for a morphogenic response was MS salts and vitamins medium with BA at 1.0 mg·liter-1. Further vegetative bud development was completed by transferring organogenic tissue to MS medium containing BA at 0.05 mg·liter-1 . The shoots were rooted in MS medium containing NAA at 0.01 mg·liter-1. Morphologically normal plantlets were obtained. Chemical abbreviations used: 6-benzylaminopurine (BA); indoleacetic acid (IAA); naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA).
Abstract
‘Edisto’ and ‘Saticoy Hybrid’ muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) were grown at 2 soil moisture levels. Soil moisture was negatively correlated with soluble solids content (SSC) in the fruit of both cultivars and negatively correlated with dry matter, ascorbic acid, β-carotene, and sucrose content in ‘Edisto’ and with ascorbic acid content in ‘Saticoy’. In both cultivars, SSC was highly correlated with ascorbic acid, sucrose, and dry matter content. The SSC, a commonly used measure of fruit quality, may be misleading unless the effect of soil moisture is considered.
A common practice for the irrigation management of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L. reticulatus group) is to restrict water supply to the plants from late fruit development and through the harvest period. However, this late fruit development period is critical for sugar accumulation and water stress at this stage is likely to limit the final fruit soluble solids concentration (SSC). Two field irrigation experiments were conducted to test the idea that maintaining muskmelon plants free of water stress through to the end of harvest will maximise sugar accumulation in the fruit. In both trials, water stress before or during harvest detrimentally affected fruit SSC and fresh weight (e.g., no stress fruit 11.2% SSC, weight 1180 g; stress fruit 8.8% SSC, weight 990 g). Maintaining plants free of water stress from flowering through to the end of harvest is recommended to maximise yield and fruit quality.
Abstract
The muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) breeding population Wisconsin (Wl) 998 was developed jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the University of Wisconsin, and Michigan State University to provide breeders and seedsmen with a source from which gynoecious inbreds can be developed for use in the production of hybrid cultivars. In addition to a high incidence of gynoecious plants, WI 998 provides other useful plant and fruit characteristics.
Abstract
Natural cross pollination was studied with virescent (v), yellow-green (yg), glabrous (g) and halo (h) muskmelon mutants. The average percent crossing was 8.9,7.6,5.1, and 6.0, respectively. The variation was from 0.0 to less than 20%, except for one fruit with 30%.
A protocol for high-frequency somatic embryogenesis in Cucumis melo L. was developed using `Male Sterile A147 as a model cultivar. Basal halves of quiescent seed cotyledons were cultured on embryo induction (EI) medium containing concentration ranges of the auxin 2,4-D and the cytokinins BA, Bin, TDZ, or 2iP before transfer to embryo development (ED) medium. Medium with 2,4-D at 5 mg·liter-1 and TDZ at 0.1 mg·liter-1 was superior, with 49% of explants responding and an average of 3.3 somatic embryos per explant (6.8 somatic embryos per responding explant). More explants produced embryos when incubated on EI medium for 1 or 2 weeks (30% and 33%) than for 3 or 4 weeks or with no induction. However, 2 weeks was 2.9 times better than 1 week in terms of number of embryos per explant. One week of initial culture in darkness, followed by a 16 hour light/8 hour dark photoperiod, produced more responding explants (26%) than two or more weeks in darkness or no dark period at all; but 1 and 2 weeks of darkness resulted in a similar number of embryos per explant (2.1 and 2.8). Sucrose concentration in EI and ED media had a highly significant effect on embryo induction and development. EI medium with 3% sucrose resulted in more embryogenic explants than EI medium with 1.5% or 6% sucrose. However, treatments with 3% sucrose in EI medium and 3% or 6% sucrose in ED medium produced significantly more embryos per explant (8.5 and 11.9) than other treatments. Treatments did not affect embryo induction directly and regeneration per se but, instead, frequency and efficiency of somatic embryo development. The optimal treatments were tested with 51 other commercial varieties. All varieties underwent somatic embryogenesis, exhibiting a response of 5% to 100% explant response and 0.1-20.2 embryos per explant. Chemical names used: N-(phenylmethyl)-lH-purin-6-amine (benzyladenine or BA); N-(2-furanylmethyl)-lH-purin-6-amine (kinetin or BIN); N-phenyl-N'-1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-ylurea (thidiazuron or TDZ); N-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)-lH-purin-6-amine (2iP); (2,4-dichlorophenoxy) acetic acid (2,4-D).
Abstract
A 6-parent diallel was established in 1981 at Excelsior, Minn, and at Santa Paula, Calif, to analyze combining ability and heterosis for fruit quality of traits in bush muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.). GCA variance exceeded SCA variance for all traits. Minnesota breeding lines were superior in GCA for most interior quality traits, but inferior to Florida and California lines in exterior quality. Correlations between the performance of parents and the average of their hybrids were consistently positive, and often significant. Favorable heterosis over the midparent was shown for soluble solids, net density, and net rope, and, to a lesser extent, for flesh amount, rind thickness, cavity amount, and cavity dryness. A 3 × 10 design II at Excelsior showed estimates of additive variance exceeding those of dominance variance for all traits except fruit weight, shape index, and vein tract. The large estimates of additive variance provided for moderately high (40–70%) estimates of heritability for most traits.