The success of most crop improvement program largely depends on the understanding of relationship among characters and magnitude of this relation help to breeder to determine the selection criteria for breeding program. An investigation was carried out to assess the character association and path analysis for sixteen quantitative traits in F2 segregating generation of Haramadhu × MS-78 cross. Association studies revealed that, six out of sixteen traits exhibited highly significant positive correlation with fruit yield per vine. However, the traits average fruit weight (0.721), number of fruits per vine (0.569), fruit length (0.340), fruit width (0.272), fruit shape index (0.231) and TSS (0.142) were found to possess significant association in desirable direction with fruit yield per vine at phenotypic level. Path analysis studies revealed that average fruit weight exhibited the highest positive direct effect (0.756) on fruit yield per vine followed by number of fruits per vine (0.609), fruit shape index (0.292), fruit width (0.135), sex ratio (0.011), TSS (0.019) and seed cavity width (0.009) showed true relationship by establishing significant positive association and direct effect on fruit yield per vine.

Melon, character association, path analysis, yield

Low fruit yield in intraspecific segregating generations derived from muskmelon and Mangalore melon is due to the interaction of many genes with environment and linkage drag, it may not be desirable for direct selection. The selection criterion in breeding to improve a crop plant's inherent producing capacity may be yield or some of the morphological factors that affect yield. Effective crop improvement programmes require a knowledge of the method of inheritance of the yield and yield components. Yield is dependent on various characters which are mutually related. These will in turn impair the true association existing among the components and fruit yield. A change in any one factor is likely to disturb the whole network of cause and effect. Average fruit weight showed high positive direct effect at both levels on fruit yield per vine. This trait showed positive significant correlation and had high positive direct effect on yield per vine and hence direct selection through this character would be effective.

Virupakshi Hiremata, Ratnakar M. Shet, Raghavendra Gunnaiah, Prashantha A., Mahantesh Naika B.N., Dadapeer A. Peerjade, Shivanand Hongal, Sandhyarani Nishani and Ashok (2022). Character Association and Path Analysis of Fruit Yield and Yield Components in F2 Population of Intraspecific Hybrid derived from Muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) and Mangalore Melon (Cucumis melo var. acidulus). Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(4a): 180-184.