Developmental genetic analysis of fruit shape traits under different environmental conditions in sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrical (L) Roem. Violales, Cucurbitaceae)

Abstract

Analysis of genetic main effects and genotype × environment (GE) interaction effects for the fruit shape traits fruit length and fruit circumference in the sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrical (L) Roem. Violales, Cucurbitaceae) was conducted for diallel cross data from two planting seasons. A genetic model including fruit direct effects and maternal effects and unconditional and conditional variances analysis was used to evaluate the development of the fruit at four maturation stages. The variance analysis results indicated that fruit length and circumference were simultaneously affected by fruit direct genetic effects and maternal effects as well as GE interaction effects. Fruit direct genetic effects were relatively more important for both fruit shape traits during the whole developmental period. Gene activation was mostly due to additive effects at the first maturation stage and dominance effects were mainly active during the other three stages. The fruit shape trait correlation coefficients due to different genetic effects and the phenotypic correlation coefficients varied significantly for the various maturation stages. The results indicate that it is relatively easy to improve the two fruit shape traits for market purposes by carefully selecting the parents at the first maturation stage 3 days after flowering instead of at fruit economic maturation

Combining Ability for Yield and Fruit Quality inLuffa

“…Developmental genetic analysis of fruit shape traits in sponge gourd. It was found that fruit length and circumference were simultaneously affected by fruit direct genetic effects (S. Zhang et al, 2008). Increases in fruit/plant and fruit size was affected in muskmelon by location (Chadha and Nandpuri, 1980) and in bottle gourd (Ligenaria ciceraria L.; Sirohi et al, 1986;Sivakami et al, 1987).…”

Correlations Between Fruit’s Yield With Horticultural Traits and Inheritance of Morphological Traits of Sponge Gourd (Luffa Cylindrica)

“…However, in this study,only two colors: [7]. Fruit shape is a trait built fromfruit length and fruit circumference [34]. In this study,fruit shape shows a large variation and segregates into four types in F2:45 plants with elliptical fruits, 20 plants with elongate elliptical fruits, 14 plants with elongate slim fruits, and 7 plants with elongate blocky fruits.…”

“…The analysis indicates that the fruit yield per plant is highly positively correlated with the number of fruits per plant (r=0.901**), fruit weight (0.521**), and fruit diameter (0.317). The fruit yield is produced by yield attributing components and is a convoluted character influenced by genetic and environmental effects [21,34]. The phenotypic coefficient variation is higher than the corresponding genotypic coefficient variation, indicating that environment plays an important role in the expression of various characters in sponge gourd [16].…”

“…Previously, fruit length is considered as an important character for enhancing the yield potential [16]. Zang et al report that both the genotype and growing environment affect the fruit length and fruit diameter [34].…”

“…The elliptical fruits are more decorative than the other shapes. Zang et al (2008) point out that the fruit shape of sponge gourd is determined by the maternal gene effects and they suggest that it is necessary to carefully select the parents at the first maturation stage, 3 days after flowering, to improve fruit shape traits for the gourd markets [34]. The presence of stripe on tested sponge gourd landraces in Nepal is reported, but their color is not mentioned [9].…”