Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Morphological characterization of snake melon (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) populations from Palestine

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Genetic diversity in 50 snake melon accessions collected from Palestine (West Bank) was assessed by examining variation in 17 phenotypic characters. These accessions belonged to four important landraces of Cucumis melo var. flexuosus: Green “Baladi” (GB), white Baladi (WB), green Sahouri (GS), and white Sahouri (WS). Principal component analysis (PCA) and a dendrogram were performed to determine relationships among populations and to obtain information on the usefulness of those characters for the definition of cultivars. PCA revealed that secondary fruit skin color, flesh color, primary fruit skin color, and secondary skin color pattern were the principal characters to discriminate melon accessions examined in the present study. According to the scatter diagram and dendrogram, landraces of C. melo var. flexuosus: GB, WB, GS, and WS formed different clusters. However, based on Euclidean genetic coefficient distances, GB and WB had the least degree of relatedness with GS and WS, indicating distantly related landraces (Baladi and Sahouri). On the other hand, the highest degree of relatedness was detected between WS on one hand, and both GS and WB on the other indicating closely related cultivars. Fruit traits variability among the different snake melon landraces was evaluated and discussed in this study. This evaluation of fruit trait variability can assist geneticists and breeders to identify populations with desirable characteristics for inclusion in cultivars breeding programs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdel-Ghani AH, Mahadeen A (2014) Genetic Variation in Snake Melon (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) populations from Jordan using morphological traits and RAPDs. Jordan J Agric Sci 10(1):96–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali-Shtayeh MS, Jamous RM (2005) Establishing a community seed bank for semi-arid agriculture in Palestine: structure, management, and function. Biodivers Environ Sci Stud Ser 3: 1–42 ISSN: 1818-3751

  • Ali-Shtayeh MS, Jamous RM (2006) Field guide on the production and storage techniques of seeds of indigenous (baladi) varieties of vegetables. Til, Nablus: Biodiversity and Environmental Research Center (BERC)

  • Decker-Walters DS, Chung SM, Staub JE, Quemada HD, López-Sesé AI (2002) The origin and genetic affinities of wild of wild populations of melon (Cucumis melo, Cucurbitaceae) in North America. Plant Syst Evol 223:183–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dhillon NPS, Ranjana R, Singh K, Eduardo I, Monforte AJ, Pitrat M, Dhillon NK, Singh PP (2007) Diversity among landraces of Indian snapmelon (Cucumis melo var. momordica). Genet Resour Crop Evol 54:1267–1283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fanourakis N, Nanou E, Tsekoura Z (2000) Morphological characteristics and powdery mildew resistance of Cucumis melo landraces in Greece. Acta Hortic 510:241–245

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fergany M, Kaur B, Monforte AJ, Pitrat M, Rys C, Lecoq H, Dhillon NPS, Dhaliwal SS (2011) Variation in melon (Cucumis melo) landraces adapted to the humid tropics of southern India. Genet Resour Crop Evol 58:225–243

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forouzandeh S, Akashi Y, Kashi A, Zamani Z, Mostofi Y, Kato K (2010) Characterization of Iranian melon landraces of Cucumis melo L. Groups flexuosus and Dudaim by analysis of morphological characters and random amplified polymorphic DNA. Breed Sci 60:34–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gillman JH, Dirr MA, Braman SK (1999) Gradients in susceptibility and resistance mechanisms of Buddleia L. Taxa to the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae Koch). J Am Soc Hortic Sci 124:114–121

    Google Scholar 

  • Grebenshchikov I (1986) Cucurbitaceae. In: Schultze-Motel J (ed) Rudolf Mansfelds Verzeichnis landwirtschaftlicher und gärtnerischer Kulturpflanzen. Akademie-Verlag, Berlin, pp 914–951

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammer K, Gladis T (2014) Notes on infraspecific nomenclature and classifications of cultivated plants in Compositae, Cruciferae, Cucurbitaceae, Gramineae (with a remark on Triticum dicoccon Schrank) and Leguminosae. Genet Resour Crop Evol 61:1455–1467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Henane I, Mezghani N, Tlili I, Rhim Th, Ghezal I, Arfaou K, Jebari H (2013). Agro-morphological characterization and assessment of variability in local germoplasm of Cucumis melo L. in Tunisia. JBES 3(12):198–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Hutchenson K (1970) A test for comparing diversities based on the Shannon formula. J Theor Biol 29:151–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) (2003) Descriptors for Melon (Cucumis melo L.). Rome. ISBN 92-9043-597-7

  • Jose MA, Iban E, Silvia A, Pere A (2005) Inheritance mode of fruit traits in melon: heterosis for fruit shape and its correlation with genetic distance. Euphytica 144:31–38

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaçar YA, Simsek O, Solmaz I, Sari N, Mendi YY (2012) Genetic diversity among melon accessions (Cucumis melo) from Turkey based on SSR markers. Genet Mol Res 11(4):4622–4631

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Katzir N, Danin-Poleg Y, Tzuri G, Karchi Z et al. (1996) Length polymorphism and homologies of microsatellites in several Cucurbitaceae species. Theor Appl Genet 93:1282–1290

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kristkova E, Lebeda A, Vinter V, Blahousek O (2003) Genetic resources of the genus Cucumisand their morphological description (English-Czech version). Hortic Sci 30:14–42

    Google Scholar 

  • López-Sesé AI, Staub JE, Katzir N, Gómez-Guillamón ML (2002) Estimation of between and within accessions variation in selected Spanish melon germplasm using RAPD and SSR markers to assess strategies for large collection evaluation. Euphytica 127:41–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McCreight JD, Staub JE, López-Sesé AI, Chung S (2004) Isozyme variation in Indian and Chinese melon (Cucumis melo L.) germplasm collection. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 129:811–818

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mliki A, Staub JE, Sun Z, Ghorbel A (2001). Genetic diversity in melon (Cucumis melo L.): An evaluation of African germplasm. Genet Res Crop Evol 48:587–597

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammed AM (2009) Genetic studies on resistance to powdery mildew disease in snake melon (Cucumis melo L. var. flexuosus). M.Sc. thesis, Sudan Academy of Science, Khartoum, Sudan

  • Nakata E, Staub JE, López-Sesé AI, Katzir N (2005). Genetic diversity of Japanese melon cultivars (Cucumis melo L.) as assessed by random amplified polymorphic DNA and simple sequence repeat markers. Genet Resour Crop Evol 52:405–419

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nasrabadi HN, Nemati H, Sobhani A, Sharifi M (2012) Study on morphologic variation of different Iranian melon cultivars (Cucumis melo L.). Afr J Agric Res 7(18):2764–2769

    Google Scholar 

  • Nhi PTP, Akashi Y, Hang TTM, Tanaka K, Aierken Y, Yamamoto T, Nishida H, Long C, Kato K (2010) Genetic diversity in Vietnamese melon landraces revealed by the analyses of morphological traits and nuclear and cytoplasmic molecular markers. Breed Sci 60:255–266

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) (2009) Agricultural statistics, 2008/2009. Ramallah—Palestine: PCBS

  • Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) (2010) Agricultural statistics, 2008/2009. Ramallah—Palestine: PCBS

  • Pitrat M, Hanelt P, Hammer K (2000) Some comments on infraspecific classification of cultivars of melon. Acta Hortic 510:29–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raman H, Raman R, Nelson MN, Aslam MN, Rajasekaran R, Wratten N, Cowling W A, Kilian A, Sharpe A G, Schondelmaier J (2011) Diversity array technology markers: genetic diversity analyses and linkage map construction in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). DNA Res 1–15

  • Sensoy S, Bϋyϋkalaca S, Abak K (2007) Evaluation of genetic diversity in Turkish melon (Cucumis melo L.) based on phenotypic characters and RAPD markers. Genet Resour Crop Evol 54:1351–1365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silberstein L, Kovalski I, Huang R, Anagnostou K et al. (1999) Molecular variation in melon (Cucumis melo L.) as revealed by RFLP and RAPD markers. Sci Hortic 79:101–111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Simmonds NW (1993) Introgression and incorporation strategies for the use of crop genetic resources. Biol Rev 68(539):562

    Google Scholar 

  • Soltani F, Akashi Y, Kashi A, Zamani Z, Mostofi Y, Kato K (2010) Characterization of Iranian melon landraces of Cucumis melo L. Groups Flexuosus and Dudaim by analysis of morphological characters and random amplified polymorphic DNA. Breed Sci 60:34–45

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Staub JE, López-Sesé AI, Fanourakis N (2004) Diversity among melon landraces (Cucumis melo L.) from Greece and their genetic relationship with other melon germplasm of diverse origin. Euphytica 136:151–166

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stepansky A, Kovalski I, Perl-Treves R (1999) Intraspecific classification of melons (Cucumis melo L.) in view of their phenotypic and molecular variation. Plant Syst Evol 217:313–333

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tanaka K, Nishitani A, Akashi Y, Nishida H et al. (2007). Molecular characterization of South and East Asian melon, Cucumis melo L., and the origin of group conomon var. makuwa and var. conomon revealed by RAPD analysis. Euphytica 153:233–247

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Trimech R, Zaouali Y, Boulila A, Chabchoub L, Ghezal I, Boussaid M (2013) Genetic variation in Tunisian melon (Cucumis melo.L) germplasm as assessed by morphological traits. Genet Resour Crop Evol 60:1621–1628

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tzitzikas NE, Monforte AJ, Fatihi A, Kypriotakis Z et al. (2009). Genetic diversity and population structure of traditional Greek and Cypriot melon cultigens (Cucumis melo L) based on simple sequence repeat variability. HortScience 44:1820–1824

    Google Scholar 

  • Walters TW, Thieret JW (1993) The snake melon (Cucumis melo; Cucurbitaceae). Econ Bot 47:99–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yashiro K, Iwata H, Akashi Y, Tomita K, Kuzuya M, Tsumura Y, Kato K (2005) Genetic relationship among East and South Asian melon (Cucumis melo L.) revealed by AFLP analysis. Breed Sci 55:197–206

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng XY, Wolff DW, Baudracco-Arnas S, Pitrat M (1999) Development and utility of cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences (CAPS) and restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) linked to the Fom-2 Fusarium wilt resistance gene in melon (Cucumis melo L.). Theor Appl Genet 99:453–463

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by MIDDLE EAST REGIONAL COOPERATION Program (MERC)-USAID, Grant No. M32-016. Authors are grateful to Mr. Issa Zboun, Applied Research Institute, Beithlehem, Palestine, for help with map preparation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biodiversity and Environmental Research Center, BERC, Til, Nablus, Palestine

    Mohammed S. Ali-Shtayeh, Rana M. Jamous, Munqez J. Shtaya, Omar B. Mallah, Imad S. Eid & Salam Y. Abu Zaitoun

  2. Department of Plant Production and Protection, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, An-Najah N. University, Nablus, Palestine

    Munqez J. Shtaya

Authors
  1. Mohammed S. Ali-Shtayeh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rana M. Jamous
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Munqez J. Shtaya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Omar B. Mallah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Imad S. Eid
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Salam Y. Abu Zaitoun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammed S. Ali-Shtayeh.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ali-Shtayeh, M.S., Jamous, R.M., Shtaya, M.J. et al. Morphological characterization of snake melon (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) populations from Palestine. Genet Resour Crop Evol 64, 7–22 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-015-0329-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-015-0329-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation