Study on fruit shape at stem end and fruit pubescence in Cucumis melo var. flexuosus L.

Abstract

India hosts a vast diversity of melons ranging from dessert types to salad types. Snake melon (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus L.) is a salad type melon grown in parts of India and is an ancient crop highly appreciated in other Mediterranean, Asia Minor, North Africa and Near and Middle East Countries. In India, it is popular in North India especially in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and adjoining states. It is grown for its long, slender and crisp fruits which are generally consumed raw and can also be cooked. The genotypes vary with respect to fruits traits. Degree of skin pubescence and the shape at stem end of fruit are among these characters which were observed in F2 and F3 generations under this study.