Multivariate analysis of morphological diversity in local land races of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) in Andhra Pradesh, India.

A set of 35 germplasm lines of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) collected from Andhra Pradesh, India was evaluated in a randomized block design with three replications at the Experimental Farm, Vegetable Research Station, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India during late rabi season (November 2010 to February 2011). Eighteen morphological traits viz., vine length (cm), number of primary branches per vine, day of appearance of first staminate flower, day of appearance of first pistillate flower, node number of first pistillate flower, day of first fruit harvest, day of last fruit harvest, fruit length (cm), fruit diameter (cm), average fruit weight (g), number of fruits per vine, fruit cavity length (cm), fruit cavity width (cm), rind thickness (mm), pulp thickness (cm), total soluble solids (°Brix), seed yield (g fruit), and fruit yield (kg plant) were considered for multivariate analysis following Mahalanobis D statistics to determine the morphological diversity of the genotypes. Cluster analysis revealed good diversity among 35 genotypes of muskmelon, which were grouped into six distinct clusters. Cluster II was the largest (22 genotypes) followed by cluster I (8 genotypes) and cluster IV (2 genotypes), while cluster III, V and VI were solitary consisting of single genotypes. Intracluster D values ranged from 0.00 (cluster III, V and VI) to 85.514 (cluster IV), while the intercluster D values ranged from 94.56 (clusters I and II) to 753.29 (cluster s I and VI). Maximum divergence was noticed between clusters I and VI (753.29) followed by clusters IV and VI (590.55) and clusters II and IV (529.79). The diverse clusters derived could be used in hybridization programs to generate wide range of transgressive segregants in population to develop high yielding varieties of muskmelon. The characters: total soluble solids, seed yield, day of appearance of first staminate flower and average fruit weight, contributed maximum towards divergence among the muskmelon genotypes.