Genetic Advance, Heritability and Correlation Estimate in Some Melon Genotypes for Yield Improvement

Four melon genotypes P1 (Line 00-1108), P2 (Line 00-1103), P3 (Line 00-1118) and P4 (Line 00-1110) were collected from Cornell University and crossed in a partial diallel mating fashion at Kaha Research Farm, Horticultural Research Institute, Agriculture Research Centre, Kalyobiya Governorate, Egypt, during the summer seasons of year 2021, and all genotypes (4 parents and 6 crosses) were evaluated during 2022 summer season. The results exhibited that the mean square for all genotypes had extremely significant influence on all examined characteristics. P3 and P4 had the greatest means for most characters, whereas P3×P4 and P1×P4 had the highest means. The values of the GCA and SCA effects were significantly, indicating that both additive and dominant gene actions controlled all of the examined attributes. Higher GCA/SCA ratio than one was found for all traits expect for early yield, fruit length and diameter traits. None of the parents were discovered to be suitable combiners for all characters. Overall, the two parents P3 and P4 were the good combiners for breeding to most characteristics. P3×P4 and P1×P4 had substantial SCA effects for most characteristics. Heritability in the broad sense was greater than heritability in the narrow sense. In all analyzed characteristics except early yield, fruit diameter, number of fruits, and total yield, the degree of dominance was more than one. Early yield, number of fruits, fruit weight and total yield demonstrated a high heritability paired with high genetic advance. The magnitudes of the correlation coefficients between the various pairings of attributes were positive or negative and extremely significant.