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. 2016 Dec 21:3:16066.
doi: 10.1038/hortres.2016.66. eCollection 2016.

Stability of fruit quality traits in diverse watermelon cultivars tested in multiple environments

Mahendra Dia  1 , Todd C Wehner  1 , Penelope Perkins-Veazie  2 , Richard Hassell  3 , Daniel S Price  4 , George E Boyhan  5 , Stephen M Olson  6 , Stephen R King  7 , Angela R Davis  8 , Gregory E Tolla  9 , Jerome Bernier  9 , Benito Juarez  10
Affiliations

Stability of fruit quality traits in diverse watermelon cultivars tested in multiple environments

Mahendra Dia et al. Hortic Res. .

Abstract

Lycopene is a naturally occurring red carotenoid compound that is found in watermelon. Lycopene has antioxidant properties. Lycopene content, sugar content and hollowheart resistance are subject to significant genotype×environment interaction (G×E), which makes breeding for these fruit quality traits difficult. The objectives of this study were to (i) evaluate the influence of years and locations on lycopene content, sugar content and hollowheart resistance for a set of watermelon genotypes, and (ii) identify genotypes with high stability for lycopene, sugar, and hollowheart resistance. A diverse set of 40 genotypes was tested over 3 years and 8 locations across the southern United States in replicated, multi-harvest trials. Lycopene was tested in a subset of 10 genotypes. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate stability statistics (BLUP-GGE biplot) using SASGxE and RGxE programs. There were strong effects of environment as well as G×E interaction on watermelon quality traits. On the basis of stability measures, genotypes were classified as stable or unstable for each quality trait. 'Crimson Sweet' is an inbred line with high quality trait performance as well as trait stability. 'Stone Mountain', 'Tom Watson', 'Crimson Sweet' and 'Minilee' were among the best genotypes for lycopene content, sugar content and hollowheart resistance. We developed a stability chart based on marketable yield and average ranking generated from different stability measures for yield attributes and quality traits. The chart will assist in choosing parents for improvement of watermelon cultivars. See http://cuke.hort.ncsu.edu/cucurbit/wmelon/wmelonmain.html.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Hollowheart defect in watermelon.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The polygon (which-won-where) view of BLUP-genotype main effects plus genotypic×environment interaction effect (BLUP-GGE) biplot for lycopene (mg kg−1) (a) of 10 watermelon genotypes, and sugar (°Brix) (b) and hollowheart resistance (c) of 40 watermelon genotypes tested in 3 years and 8 locations. The biplots were based on Scaling=0, Centering=0, and SVP=2. Key to the labels of genotype is presented in Supplementary Table S1 and location is CA, Woodland, CA; CL, Clinton, NC; FL, Quincy, FL; GA, Cordele, GA; KN, Kinston, NC; OK, Lane, OK; SC, Charleston, SC; TX, College Station, TX.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The mean versus stability view of BLUP-genotype main effects plus genotypic×environment interaction effect (BLUP-GGE) biplot for lycopene (mg kg−1) (a) of 10 watermelon genotypes, and sugar (°Brix) (b) and hollowheart resistance (c) of 40 watermelon genotypes tested in 3 years and 8 locations. The biplots were based on Scaling=0, Centering=2, and SVP=1. The ideal genotype is represented by a circle on average environment coordinate (AEC)-abscissa which passed through biplot origin. For hollowheart defect, high trait value represent no or minimum hollowheart defect present (c). Key to the labels of genotype is presented in Supplementary Table S1 and location is CA, Woodland, CA; CL, Clinton, NC; FL, Quincy, FL; GA, Cordele, GA; KN, Kinston, NC; OK, Lane, OK; SC, Charleston, SC; TX, College Station, TX.
Figure 4
Figure 4
The genotypes comparison with ideal genotype view of BLUP-genotype main effects plus genotypic×environment interaction effect (BLUP-GGE) biplot for lycopene (mg kg−1) (a) of 10 watermelon genotypes, and sugar (°Brix) (b) and hollowheart resistance (c) of 40 watermelon genotypes tested in 3 years and 8 locations. The biplots were based on Scaling=0, Centering=2, and SVP=1. An ideal genotype is represented by circle within innermost concentric circles on average environment coordinate (AEC)-abscissa which passed through biplot origin. Key to the labels of genotype is presented in Supplementary Table S1 and location is CA, Woodland, CA; CL, Clinton, NC; FL, Quincy, FL; GA, Cordele, GA; KN, Kinston, NC; OK, Lane, OK; SC, Charleston, SC; TX, College Station, TX.
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