Correlation and Path Coefficient Analysis in Muskmelon (Cucumis Melo L.)

A set of 35 germplasm lines of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) were evaluated in a randomized block design with 3 replications during rabi (traditionally November–April) 2010 -2011 at the Vegetable Research Station, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India to study the relationships among 18 quantitative traits pertaining to growth, earliness, and yield characters and to help breeders to determine the selection criteria for breeding programmes for fruit yield improvement. The lines RNMM -31, RNMM-32, RNMM-3, and RNMM-12 were promising with respect to fruit yield and quality. Fruit yield had a positive correlation with vine length, the number of primary branches per vine, fruit length, fruit diameter, average fruit weight, number of fruits per vine, fruit cavity length, fruit cavity width, rind thickness, and seed yield, while it had a negative correlation with the node numbers of the first pistillate flower, days to last fruit harvest, and pulp thickness. Direct selection through fruit diameter will be effective. For the number of primary branches per vine, fruit length, fruit cavity length, and fruit cavity width which have a positive correlation with fruit yield and whose direct effects on fruit yield were negative or negligible, the indirect casual factors are to be considered simultaneously for selection. For the node numbers of the first pistillate flower and number of fruits per vine with a high positive direct effect on fruit yield, whose association with fruit yield was negative, a restricted simultaneous selection model is to be followed to nullify the undesirable indirect effects to make use of the direct effect.