Obtaining hybrids seed of melo (Cucumis melo L.) in greenhouse

Abstract

This research was carried out in Puerto La Boca, Manabí province, Ecuador, in 2019. The objective was to obtain hybrid F1 melon seed under greenhouse conditions. For the development of this research, a plot was implemented in a 500 m2 greenhouse in a randomized complete block experimental design with three repetitions and two treatments (A1: Plants with pruning and A2: Plants without pruning). The response variables were: plant height (m), stem diameter (mm), number of nodes before fruit, number of nodes after the fruit, fruit volume (cm3), fruit weight (g), number of live seeds, number of dead seeds, the weight of seeds with the embryo (g), and a cost/benefit estimate using partial budgets. The results showed that the best average fruit weight, number of live seeds, and viable seed weight was for the pruning treatment. The partial budget analysis showed that seed production was highly profitable for the treatments evaluated with a cost-benefit ratio B/C> 1, with the pruning treatment being the best. Pruning improved melon F1 hybrid seed production, as well as fruit quality.

Keywords

• production
• tolerance
• resistance
• volume
• weight
• lines
• f1
• quality
• fruits.