The Genetic Divergence among Pumpkin Segregates (Cucurbita moschata) For Some Economic Traits

Gomaa, Sara E; Abou Kamer, Mohamed Essa; Khatab, Enas S.

doi:10.21608/asejaiqjsae.2023.308369

The Genetic Divergence among Pumpkin Segregates (Cucurbita moschata) For Some Economic Traits

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Aromatic and medicinal plants research department- Horticulture Research Institute (HRI) – Agriculture Research Center (ARC), 12619, Egypt.

² Cross-Pollinated Vegetable Research Dept. – Horticulture Research Institute (HRI) – Agriculture Research Center (ARC), 12619, Egypt.

³ Cross-Pollinated Vegetable Research Dept. - Horticulture Research Institute (HRI) – Agriculture Research Center (ARC).

10.21608/asejaiqjsae.2023.308369

Abstract

Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) is considered an alternative food source required nowadays to fill in the gap of domestic and international demand among developing countries. It is a staple all-purpose edible plant with high nutritional value and low calories urgently needed for therapeutic nutritional patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the genetic divergence of two newly introduced F₁ pumpkin hybrids under Egyptian climate conditions. Two generations of self-pollination took place to investigate some economic traits during 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 growing seasons. Results showed that, vegetative traits and flowering dates were negatively affected by the two generations as their means decreased. Also, Fruit yield /plant (g) and number of fruits /plant traits were negatively affected. Fruit characteristics under study, except for fruit moisture content, were affected by selfing. Data of genetic parameters, phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variations as well as heritability values, showed that; total fruit yield/plant (g) and average fruit weight (g) were significantly affected by the environmental factors, so, selection for these two traits would be difficult. Data clearly detected that; self-pollination in pumpkins for two successive generations revealed inbreeding depression (ID) for some economic traits such as; fruit yield/plant (g) and average fruit weight (g). Yet, correlation results confirmed that; the fruit yield /plant (g) trait was positively correlated with each of; plant length (m), number of nodes/plant, days to the first female flower, sex ratio, number of fruits/plant, and average fruit weight (g).

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