The origin and genetic affinities of wild populations of melon (Cucumis melo, Cucurbitaceae) in North America

The origins of wild melon (Cucumis 1100) Populations in the New World have been in question since their initial description in the mid-nineteenth century by Charles Naudin. Typically, these populations live been assumed to represent escaped forms of cultivated vars. chito or dudaim, quid live been labelled accordingly, or more rarely as vir. agrestis. To clarify the origins of New World melons, North American, chito, quid dudaim accessions were Studied with respect to 45 quantitative and 10 qualitative morphological and physiological characters. Also collected were RAPD and SSR data for 42 North American Populations, 10 cultivar accessions of I vars. chito and dudaim, 10 other small-fruited Old World accessions, and 4 other varieties of C. melo vars. conomon, flexuosus, modorus, and cantalupensis. All :data revealed that New World populations lire distinct, and Should be classified as ssp. agrestis, var. texanus Naudin. This variety showed the greatest genetic affinities to var. chito and to cultivars from Eastern Asia, including var. conomon.