Release of New Cultivar: Semsoori 88, A New High Yielding Cantaloupe Cultivar for Arid and Semi-Arid Areas of Iran

Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo var. cantalopensis) is an important vegetable crop and is grown on 35000 hectares in Iran, mostly in Tehran, Markazi, Qom, Esfahan, Khorasan, Semnan, Booshehr and Hormozgan provinces. To improve local Semsoori population for concentrated yielding, a breeding program was initiated in 2000 in Varamin Agricultural Research Center, Varamin, Iran. In the first step a mass selection was carried out for number of fruit plant-1, and then the program continued following S1 recurrent selection. S1 full-sib family breeding scheme continued for three generations. Traits under selection included days to initiation of lateral branches on main stem, number of female flowers and number of fruit plant-1. Derived plants from each generation were selfed by hand and isolated to avoid cross-pollination. Selection in each generation carried out on previous inbred generations and continued for three generations. After three generations, the concentrated yielding showed homogeneity. The improved population was compared with local Semsoori population as original population and Niagara cultivar as check in randomized complete block design with three replications. Analysis of variance showed significant differences (P < 0.05) for yield, early ripening and number of female flowers. Also a highly significant difference (P < 0.01) was observed in sugar content of fruit. The improved population had the highest yield, early ripening, number of female flowers and fruit sugar content. Significant difference was observed between local population and improved population of Semsoori cantaloupe. Improved population had no difference with Niagara cultivar in the number of female flowers and early ripening. The highest and lowest yield belonged to improved population (Semsoori 88) and local population of Semsoori, respectively.