Suman Poonia, Aastik Jha, C.N. Ram, R.B. Singh, Anil Kumar, A.K. Singh, Akhil Kumar Chaudhary and Nimit Singh
Abstract
Long melon (Cucumis melo var. utilissimus Duthie and Fuller), a genetically diverse yet underutilized cucurbit, holds significant potential for enhancing productivity and nutritional quality under tropical and subtropical agro-climatic conditions. This study evaluated 39 genotypes, comprising nine inbred lines, three testers, and their 27 hybrids developed through line à tester mating design, to assess variability in earliness, growth, yield, and quality traits under the Middle Gangetic Plain conditions. The experiment, conducted over two seasons in a randomized complete block design, recorded significant differences among genotypes for 21 physico-chemical traits. The hybrids NDLM-23-8à Kashi Vidhi and NDLM-23-6 à Punjab Long Melon consistently exhibited early flowering, early fruiting, and high yield potential, with NDLM-23-8 à Kashi Vidhi emerging as the best performing hybrid. It recorded maximum vine length (2.80 m), fruit length (38.53 cm), fruit weight (115.12 g), fruit number per plant (31.37), and fruit yield (220.66 q/ha), along with superior quality attributes such as total soluble solids (4.99%), dry matter (6.00%), and total sugar (4.64%). NDLM-23-8 and NDLM-23-6 were identified as elite parental lines contributing significantly to hybrid vigor. The findings underscore the value of exploiting genetic diversity through strategic hybridization for developing early maturing, high-yielding, and nutritionally rich long melon hybrids suited for cultivation in the Middle Gangetic Plains