Genetic diversity assessment and gene expression analysis of prolonged shelf-life genes in Mangalore melon (Cucumis melo ssp. agrestis var. acidulus)

Mangalore melon (Cucumis melo ssp. agrestis var. acidulus) is a non-dessert melon, extensively grown in the coastal districts of South India, but hardly known to rest World. Immature or mature fruits are used preparation delicious dishes such as vegetable stew, chutneys and curries. They appreciated for nutritional values, long shelf life biotic stress resistance. Seventy-nine accessions were collected from five states India their genetic diversity was assessed using inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Putative candidate genes extended studied by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction comparison with cantaloupe L.). Shelf varied 65 300 days at room temperature. Six ISSR primers amplified 142 fragments ranging 80 2380 bp an average 23.66 bands per marker on high-resolution capillary electrophoresis system. Neighbor joining phylogenetic tree construction allele similarity based distance revealed two major clusters 46 33 each cluster. Expression fruit ripening related ethylene biosynthesis (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase) cell wall metabolism (polygalacturonase, xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase expansin) melons significantly lower than 180 after harvest. promising resource enhancing melons. The putative identified here useful cantaloupe.