Browsing by Author "Maphosa, Mcebisi"

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    Citron watermelon characterisation and trait analysis in Kalahari sands
    (AOSIS Publishing, 2025-06-13) Tembo, Lenon; Maphosa, Mcebisi
    Background: Citron watermelon, a drought-tolerant and nutrient-dense crop requiring low input, holds potential for enhancing food security under climate change conditions. However, it remains under-researched, with low productivity levels. Aim: To agro-morphologically characterise citron watermelon accessions and identify trait relationships relevant for variety development. Setting: The experiment was carried out at a Lupane State University Farm with Kalahari sands in Zimbabwe. Methods: A randomised complete block design field experiment, with three replications, was conducted over two consecutive seasons. Results: The accessions displayed wide diversity in fruit shape, skin colour and seed colour. Fruit yield ranged from 18.5 t/ha to 190.2 t/ha, exhibiting a strong positive correlation with the number of fruits per plant (R = 0.99) and individual fruit weight (R = 0.98). Path analysis confirmed that these traits exerted the highest direct effects on yield. Principal component analysis revealed that the first three components explained 89.85% of the total variation between accessions. Conclusion: The significant variation and trait correlations observed offer opportunities for effective parental selection and early genetic gains in breeding programmes. There is scope to improve yield-determining traits, such as the number of fruits per plant and individual fruit weight, forming a strong basis for initiating a breeding programme for this crop. Contribution: Promising accessions identified in this study can be utilised as parental lines for citron watermelon improvement.