| The quality characters, combining ability and heritability of watermelon(Citrulluss lunatus Thunb.) were studied using 7 cultivars,8 inbred lines and their 28 cross combinations based on diallel cross method 2 in the experiment. The main results listed:(1) The organoleptic evaluation is an important index to evaluate watermelon quality. The comprehensive evaluation, sweetness, flavor, texture, juiceness and color of section of 43 material showed that there were 1 inbred line and 3 cultivars in excess of cv.JX1. The soluble solid content, sugar content, water content and fibre were main characters for watermelon quality.(2) The sweetness, flavor, texter, juiceness and colour of section were significant positive correlated with comprehensive evaluation. Total sugar content was significant positive correlated with comprehensive evaluation, central soluble solid content, fringe soluble solid content. Direct path coefficient of total sugar content was first in all characters and than was central soluble solid content, this result showed that they have positive effect on comprehensive evaluation. The total sugar content and central soluble solid content could represented watermelon quality, they were important for breeding of improve watermelon quality.(3) The former 2 principal components contribute 80.03% to the genetic information of watermelon quality. In component I, the factor pattern of total sugar content, water content, central soluble solid content, fringe soluble solid content, sucrose, glucose, fructose content, fibre and pectic were higher than others. In component II, the factor pattern of total acid was the highest, than was tartaric acid.(4) Inbred lines of fine quality group can be used as parents for high quality watermelon cultivars. The general combining ability and special combining ability have no necessary relation. Total combining ability could directly reflect the value of cross combinations, it is good at evaluate combining ability.(5) The broad sense heritability and narrow sense heritability of main quality characters such as soluble solid, total sugar, sucrose, glucose, fructose, fibre, pectic and lycopene content are all high, it is said that the additive genetic effect was the main, it is good to select directly in early days. |
