CROSSING AMONG SOME EGYPTIAN MELON LANDRACES FOR OBTAINING NEW HYBRIDS WITH GOOD YIELD AND QUALITY

Abstract

This study was conducted during the period from 2012 to 2014 at Kaha vegetable research farm (KVRF), Qalubia Governorate to evaluate five melon landraces [Quena 2(1), BeniSwif 1(2), Fayoum(3), Ismailawi(4), Giza- Berkash 2(5) ] and diallel cross toproduce hybrids in the summer planting date . The results showed significant differences among the evaluated melon landraces and hybrids and revealed a wide range of variation for this trait. The two F1 hybrids (2x3 and 2x4) had the lowest significant number of days to flowering (i.e flowering earliness) across significant number of days to ripening in 2014 among the evaluated ecotypes was produced by the melon landraces and hybrids 1 , 3, 2 , and 1x4) without across over all evaluated melon landraces and hybrids The lowest significant differences among them.F1 hybrids (4x1, 4x2, 3x2 and 3x4)produced the highest significant total yield/ plant across all evaluated melon landraces and hybrids. In contrast, there were no significant differences among them with respect to total yield. In 2014, Three F1 hybrids (2x3, 5x1 and 4x5) produced the highest significant TSS value (13.5, 13.4 and 12.0%, respectively) across all evaluated entries. Besides, Hybrids 2x3, 5x3, 2x5 and 3x5 produced the highest significant values for netting but without significant differences among these three F1 hybrids. In brief, F1 hybrid (2x3) could be recommended as the best for several desired traits.