Morpho-agronomic diversity and botanical identification of melon accessions from northeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT Melon (Cucumis melo L.) crops are grown in the Semiarid region of Brazil by small, medium, and large farmers, focused on domestic international markets. However, melon is also family farmers using their own seeds, which important germplasm for breeding programs. Samples these seeds were collected stored Active Germplasm Bank Cucurbitaceae from Northeast Region at Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa Semiarid), require more thorough studies a better understanding existing variability. Thus, objective this work was to characterize sub-accessions respective endogamic progenies assess genetic variability between among accessions. Two experiments conducted randomized complete block design, with three replications, 11 quantitative 8 qualitative descriptors: first 17 accessions natural pollination, second S1 progenies. Morphological data used comparisons generations. The evaluated originated 24 sub-accessions, denoting sub-accessions. A dendrogram developed based Unweighted Pair Group Method Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) showed and, according newest classification, groups identified were: makuwa, subgroup nashi-uri; momordica cantalupensis, prescott. results probable existence introgression alleles different botanical groups, some not regarding group presenting variations morphological characteristics, indicating presence new groups.