Evaluation of physiological and yield performance for some melon genotypes (Cucumis milo, L.) under infection of fusarium wilt disease [electronic resource].

Includes reference.

A field screening of melon cuItivars and plant introductions .was conducted in the experimental Farmof El-Kassasien Horticulture Research Station during the autumn season of 2006 until the season of 2007 to identify potential sources of hostplant resistance to Fusarium wilt disease. seeds were sown in pots with inoculated or non-uninoculated media. The pots were arranged in a complete randomize block design with 3 replications in each treatment. The results indicated that, There were highly significantly differences for the studied traits, except for plant height, number of male flowers and fruit weight, indicating the existence genetic variability between melon genotypes under study. Vegetative growth parameters had been strongly influnced with artificial infection. Plant height and number of male fIowers/plant were• significantly decreased by artificial infection. The plant introduction PI 266955 gave the highest mean values under healthy and infected conditions. The artificial infection with Fusarium wilt disease led also to significantly decrease In both number of perfect fIowers, crop growth rate, meanwhile the highest values were t1COrded by the plant introduction PI 124111. Regarding earliness in opening male and f8rnale flowers, the data revealed That, Refegal and PI 124111 were earlier than the other genotypes in healthy and infection conditions. For leaf area/ leaf, the data declared that. the plant introduction PI 183227 gave the highest values, while Ideal gave the lowest values under both conditions. As for leaf pigments, chlorophyll (a, b) and carotinoids, data revealed that, artificial infection had suppression effect on the contents of pigments and the plant introduction PI 183227 gave the highest values of chlorophyll a and b under infection severity, while PI 124111 gave the highest value for carotinoids. As for phenolic compounds, data showed that, the plant introduction PI 140471 gave the highest values of total phenols under infection condition, followed by Honeydew orange flesh, then Charantaize type, while Galia type melon were poorly. Meanwhile, the conjugated phenols had increased in Charantaize type melon, while decreased in Galia type melons. For yield and quality, data revealed that. there were significant differences between healthy and infected genotypes, and the plant introduction PI 140471 did not &!9nificantly influnced by the infection. PI 140471, Honeydew orange flesh , Cinco and Charantaize could be utilized in breeding programs as sources of resistance against Fusrium wilt in melon.

Summary in Arabic.

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