Selection of somaclonal variants with low-temperature germinability in melon (Cucumis melo L.).

Plants were regenerated from adventitious buds and somatic embryos (R0) of melon (Cucumis melo L.), the cultivar Andes. Somaclonal variants of melon with low temperature germinability were selected from the progenies (R1) of R0 plants. Among 5,618 R1 seeds harvested from 23 R0 plants that were regenerated from adventitious buds 4 seeds germinated after 5 days of culture at 15 °C (selection rate; 0.07%). However, among 374 R2 seeds harvested from 2 R1 plants no seed germinated after 7 days of culture at 14 °C. Among 9,181 R1 seeds harvested from 50 R0 plants regenerated from somatic embryos 110 seeds germinated after 5 days of culture at 15 °C (selection rate; 1.20%). Among 3,717 R2 seeds harvested from 17 R1 plants 113 seeds germinated after 7 days of culture at 14 °C (selection rate; 3.04%). R3 seeds were collected from these R2 plants following self-pollination. Forty-five of the 47 lines (R3) originated from 10 R0 plants showed higher germination rates than that of the original cultivar. Selected lines with low-temperature germinability showed greater fruit growth rate than the original cultivar during the middle stage when they were cultivated in a greenhouse under low-temperature conditions. Of fruits harvested from 31 lines, 15 lines showed greater fruit volume than the original cultivar.