Determining the Heterosis Effect on Orange Fleshed Kirkagac Melon Genotypes Developed by F-1 Breeding

28th International Horticultural Congress on Science and Horticulture for People (IHC) / International Symposium on New Developments in Plant Genetics and Breeding -- AUG 22-27, 2010 -- Lisbon, PORTUGALWOS: 000314772100027Melon is an important vegetable crop in Turkey with approximately 1.7 million tonnes of production. Mainly the production is conducted with inodorus type of melons in open field while cantaloupe F-1 cultivars are used in greenhouses. The aim of this study was to determine the heterosis effect on melon genotypes which were developed by F-1 breeding in order to obtain Kirkagac (Cucumis melo var. inodorus) genotypes with orange flesh color. For this purpose 3 Kirkagac genotypes as female parent (green fleshed) were crossed with 3 male parent genotypes (orange fleshed). After obtaining F-1, BC1 generations were developed. The experiment was performed in greenhouse with a total of 24 genotypes (3 female parents, 3 male parents, 9 F-1 genotypes and 9 BC1 genotypes) with 3 replications containing 8 plants in each replication according to randomized complete blocks. Heterosis effect was investigated in 11 characters: plant height, number of nodes on main stem, diameter of main stem, fruit weight, fruit diameter, fruit length, flesh thickness, rind thickness, total soluble solids and color of fruit internal and external part of flesh. Different level of heterosis was determined among genotypes for some of the characters.Int Soc Hort Sci (ISHS