Genetic analysis of parthenocarpic ability in melon

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Parthenocarpy, the ability to set fruits without pollination, is one of the promising agronomic traits since it has potential to achieve labor saving and cost reduction in melon cultivation. This study performed genetic analysis of parthenocarpic traits, such as fruit set ratio and fruit size, in weedy melon, in order to acquire knowledge of the inheritance for the efficient breeding. In addition, we start to breed a near isogenic line from a weedy melon accession with parthenocarpic ability by successive backcrossing with a musk melon cultivar 'Earls Favorite Harukei 3'. Genetic analysis indicated the parthenocarpic ability may be controlled by at least two recessive genes, and parthenocarpic ability is stable throughout the year. These results indicated the parthenocarpic genes of the weedy melon is useful in breeding of parthenocarpic melon cultivars.