In order to assess the contribution of 12 elite muskmelon inbred lines to fruit quality attributes, 34 F1 hybrids and the parents were planted at Uvalde, Texas while a subset was planted at College Station, Texas in 2019. All plants were grown with commercial practices, drip irrigation, black plastic mulch, at 12 inch spacing in the rows. All plots were established by transplanting 5-week old seedlings. Fruit were harvested from 3 replicated plots at full maturity. Fruit size, firmness, abscission zone size, flesh thickness and total soluble solids were recorded. Data was subjected to analysis of variance to determine any significant differences among the hybrids and to high parent heterosis values were calculated for the Uvalde data. At Uvalde, hybrids 19x65, 26x96, 52x96 and 26x65 all had high brix of 11-12 and medium orange flesh color. Hybrids 19x65 and 26x96 also had very firm flesh with 77 N and 91 N, respectively. Hybrids 19x65 and 52x96 had thick flesh, and almost no air space in the seed cavity. Hybrids 19x65 and 26x65 both evinced high parent heterosis for brix, while hybrids 26x96 and 52x136 expressed heterosis for flesh firmness. At College Station, hybrids 19x65, 40x65, 52x70, and 52x136 all had fruits with average brix of 12, while 52x96 fruit averaged 14 brix. Average flesh firmness was greatest in 52x96 (105 N) while 26x96 (95 N) fruit were also very firm. Both of these hybrids also had very good flavor compared to the firm-fleshed commercial check, Infinite Gold. The hybrids 19x65 and 52x70 were early to mature fruit, 7 days before the other entries. All of these hybrids will undergo further trials in multiple regions of the U.S. to determine the top 3 for release as new muskmelon cultivars.

Fruit quality of new melon hybrids from the Texas A&M breeding program

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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