COMBINING ABILITY FOR YIELD AND ITS COMBONENTS IN MELON (Cucumis melo L.) DEPENDING ON FULL - DIALLEL CROSS

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe Program of hybridization is depended Four varieties of Melon viz , (1-Alkosey , 2-Al-Mostkabil (Syrian) , 3-Ananas and 4-Hales Best Jumbo) were used in a Complete Diallel Crosses , during growing season 2009. The experiment was carried out in the Field Dept. of Hort. & Landscape Design, College of Agric. & Forestry , Mosul University during growing season 2010 by using Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. To evaluate the performance of Full-Diallel hybrids and parents , general and specific combining abilities were evaluated for estimating their effects and reciprocal effect which are yield and its components according to (Griffing, 1956) first method and fixed model. The results indicated that general combining ability was significant for all the studied characters except no. of branches per plant and no. of seed per fruit , and that specific combining ability and reciprocal effects was significant for most studied characters. The results showed that general combining ability was higher than specific combining ability for no. of nodes pre first male flowering and fruit weight , it can be predicted for an additive gene action for this character. 1-Alkosey and 3-Ananas variety showed high general combining ability for most of the studied characters , and therefore contains the desired gene. The hybrids varied for their specific combining abilities effects , the hybrid 1×3 have a good significant specific combining ability for the most desirable characters , and this due to the wide genetic diversity between their parents.