DOMINANCE AND HETEROSIS IN F1 WATERMELON HYBRIDS

Purpose. To evaluate heterosis in new F1 hybrids and to select the best ones with greatest dominance for "growing period length", "yield", "marketability" "mean marketable fruit weight" traits further use breeding heterosis. Object. Twenty-seven watermelon 22 parents. Methods. General scientific, measuring weighing, computational statistical. Results. their parents were screened following characteristics: lengths of interphase periods, total yield, marketability, mean weight. Analysis growing its parts showed that "emergence - ripening" ranged 71 80 days 2021 60 84 2022. The variation limits from 6 24 days. "anthesis male flowers anthesis female flowers" – setting" most stable periods across years both Eleven classed as ultra-early, did not last longer than 63 2022 or 72 2021. On average study years, amplitude (Am) "total yield" trait was 30.9 t/ha; “marketability” 16%; 2.9 kg. In parents, Am 43.1 t/ha, 20% 2.8 kg ‘total yield’, ‘marketability” traits, respectively. (Lim) "yield" wider those hybrids. opposite, "% check accession" 10 hybrids, which significantly superior hybrid, ‘Kazka’, (130-166% hybrid), are practical value. allowed us combinations yield (hp=0.39-3.94; X=101-136), marketability (hp=0.11-7.00; X=101-106) weight (hp=0.26-99.00; X=100-164). Based on high indicators heterosis, selected breeding; they also noticeable a set economically valuable early ripening, evenness, resistance biotic factors, etc. Fruits attractive appearance have excellent palatability. create competitive first-generation Conclusions. determined. ultra-early selected. Ten two High noted X=100-164) breeding, value breeding.