Heterosis and combining ability test for fruit traits and quality of ‘Galia’ melon

The development of hybrid melon cultivars requires consideration of the combining ability of inbred lines.
Using ‘Galia’ melon cultivars with orange flesh color, seven inbred lines (B1, B2, B3, B4, B6, B7, B8) were crossed in half diallel cross following Griffing’s method (1956) Model 2, Method 1. The F₁ hybrid seeds were then planted and tested alongside the parental cultivars in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications.
The results indicated that inbred lines B2 and B3 exhibited high general combining ability (GCA) for fruit and yield characteristics.
For F₁ hybrid with specific combining ability (SCA) and heterosis in fruit characteristics and yield in B12, B18, B27, B34, and B78 were identified.
In the study of correlations between components and yield, positive relationships were observed for fruit weight, length-width ratio, flesh thickness, and flesh percentage.
On the other hand, fruit peel thickness showed a negative correlation with flesh percentage.
This information proves beneficial for guiding the development of new hybrid melon cultivars in future melon breeding projects.

EHC2024: International Symposium on Genetic Resources in Horticulture: Screening, Propagation, Use, and Conservation

J. Jenwithee, N. Nitwatthanakul, A. Tira-umphon

half diallel cross, inbred lines, GCA, SCA

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2025.1439.51