Genetic parameters of resistance to Meloidogyne incognita in melon

ABSTRACT: In order to assess the genetic control of resistance in the melon ‘Gaúcho Redondo’ to the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita, an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three blocks and six treatments using the parental lines ‘Gaúcho Redondo’ (P1 resistant) and JAB 20 (P2 susceptible), as well as F1, F2, and backcross generations (RC1P1 and RC1P2). Seventy days after inoculation, individual plants were evaluated for resistance using the nematode reproduction factor (RF). The hypothesis of monogenic inheritance was rejected by the chi-square test (χ2), and results indicated that resistance is controlled by more than one gene locus, as confirmed by the quantitative analysis that revealed the presence of six genes