Heterotic effects in triploid watermelon hybrids
Flávio de França Souza, Manoel Abilio de Queiroz, and Rita de Cássia Souza Dias
Twelve experimental triploid hybrids were evaluated to estimate heterotic effects for some plant and fruit traits in triploid watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). Tiffany, a triploid hybrid was used as standard cultivar. The experiment in a randomized block design was carried out in three replications at the Experimental Station of Embrapa Semi-Árido in Petrolina, state of Pernambuco. The following traits were evaluated: earliness, prolificacy, main stem length, fruit weight, soluble solid content, rind thickness, flesh color, and hollow heart disorder. All evaluated traits presented significant variability among the hybrids. Mid-parent heterosis effects were found as well as the standard cultivar ranging from negative to positive values attaining up to 300% prolificacy in some cases. The tetraploid lines should be improved for several traits in order to produce earlier triploid hybrids with more compact plants and fruits without the hollow heart disorder.