Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology : HEB

Korean Society of Horticultural Science (한국원예학회)
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Characteristics of Triploid Seedless 'Mudeungsan' Watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris) Compared to Its Diploid and Tetraploid Counterparts

Koh, Gab-Cheon

  • Published : 20040000
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Abstract

This study was conducted to compare the growth and fruit characteristics of diploidy (2N = 22), triploidy (3N = 33), and tetraploidy (4N = 44) ‘Mudeungsan’ watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris). Seedlings and rooted cuttings of diploid grew earlier than those of triploid and tetraploid in the early growth stage. The higher the ploidy level, the larger the plant organs in general. The conspicuous differences among diploid, triploid, and tetraploid were on leaf length, width, area, and chlorophyll content, and tendril size. The DNA content per cell measured by flow-cytometry was 1.5- and 2-times higher in triploid and in tetraploid, respectively, than that in diploid. Diploid bore the first male flower at lower node than triploid and tetraploid. There was only a little difference in fruit set between diploid selfings and triploid pollinated with diploid. Fruit set of tetraploid was very low at 12.5% when selfed, while when pollinated with diploid it was comparatively high at 60%. The width/length ratio of fruits from diploid selfings, from triploid pollinated with diploid, and from tetraploid pollinated with diploid was 0.84, 0.92, and 1.02, respectively. The self-pollinated tetraploid fruits were mostly malformed and relatively small. The fruits from diploid selfings contained about 380 seeds per fruit, while those from triploid pollinated with diploid contained about 162 embryoless, but tough seed coats.

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