Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Report 33-34: 32-35 (2010-2011)
Mohamed T. Yousif
National Institute for Promotion of Horticultural Exports, University of Gezira
Tamadur M. Elamin
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Gezira
Al Fadil M. Baraka
Agri-technical Group-Khartoum
Ali A. El Jack
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Gezira
Elamin A. Ahmed
Faculty of Agric. & Nat. Res.-Abu Haraz, University of Gezira
Experiments were conducted at the research farm of the University of Gezira-Wad Medani -Sudan (Latitude 140 6, N, Longitude 330 38, E, and Altitude 400m absl), in summer season 2004 and winter season 2004-05. The objectives were to study variability in the local germplasm of snake melon (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) and correlation among different morphological, vegetative, fruit and yield parameters of snake melon. Five landraces collected in different locations in central Sudan were used in this study. They were subjected to five cycles of inbreeding and selection prior to use in this study. A Complete Randomized Block Design (CRBD), with three replications, was used in the two experiments. Results showed high variability among these inbred lines with respect to earliness (29-45 days), stem length (80.4-152.5 cm), number of secondary branches (7.0-13.5), fruit length (33-90 cm) and leaf pubescence (153-189 hairs/cm2 ). Results also concluded that yield parameters were much affected by the variation in both genotypes and seasons. Combined analysis of the two seasons indicated positive and significant association for number of primary branches with number of secondary branches (0.43) and stem length (0.35); and number of secondary branches with stem length (0.35), fruit color with sex ratio (0.37); fruit length with groove width (0.43) and female/male ratio (0.42); groove width with stem pubescence (0.43) and sex ratio (0.41). Sex ratio was found to be highly associated with stem pubescence (0.69). In contrast, negative and significant association was found for edible portion with number of primary branches (-0.27) and stem pubescence (-0.38), and groove width with number of straight fruits (-0.28).