A Review on the diversity of Melon

M Lija; S S Beevy

doi:10.14719/pst.1300

Authors

M Lija Department of Botany, University of Kerala, Kariavattom-695581, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0525-7492
S S Beevy Department of Botany, University of Kerala, Kariavattom-695581,Thiruvanathapuram,Kerala, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9775-5351

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.1300

Keywords:

Genetic diversity, homologous, melon, varieties

Abstract

The species Cucumis melo L. (melon) is a polymorphic taxon encompassing many botanical and horticultural varieties. Melon fruits exhibit substantial variability in their form, shape, skin characters, flesh color, flesh thickness, sweetness, seed cavity, seed size, etc., which reflects in the market value of melon. This existing diversity in melon germplasm leads botanists to propose different classifications at the specific and infraspecific levels. The majority of classifications are based on morphological and molecular characteristics. Morphologic traits such as flower and fruit characteristics (sex expression, fruit size and shape, fruit skin color, pH, flesh color, taste, aroma, sugar composition, seed size, and shape) were used in the past centuries for melon diversity analysis. Later on, scientists correlate these phenotypic and biochemical traits (Total Soluble Solids, Ascorbic acid content, Titratable acidity, etc.) with genotypic variability by molecular tools. Molecular tools generally used for melon diversity analysis are RAPD, RFLP, AFLP, SSR markers, and Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP). This article emphasizes the progress of studies in the species Cucumis melo L. and its varieties since 1753. Particular attention has been paid to collect data regarding different horticultural groups of the species, and a recent infraspecific classification of the species has also been outlined. Even though the modern molecular techniques provide new insight to melon classification still there is an existing disparity in these classifications, which could be visible to the scientific world.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

FAOSTAT (2017) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. http://faostat.fao.org Accessed Jan 2019

Malik AA, Vashisht VK, Singh K, Sharma A, Singh DK, Singh H, Monforte AJ, McCreight JD, Dhillon NP. Diversity among melon (Cucumis melo L.) landraces from the Indo-Gangetic plains of India and their genetic relationship with USA melon cultivars. Genetic resources and crop evolution. 2014 Aug; 61(6):1189-208. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-014-0101-x

International Congress on Biosystems Engineering.[Internet].Available from http://icoben2019.mku.edu.tr

Sebastian P, Schaefer H, Telford IR, Renner SS. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and melon (C. melo) have numerous wild relatives in Asia and Australia, and the sister species of melon is from Australia. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2010 Aug 10;107(32):14269-73. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1005338107

Chen JF, Zhou XH. Cucumis. In Wild Crop Relatives: Genomic and Breeding Resources 2011 (pp. 67-90). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-20450-0_6

Pitrat M. Phenotypic diversity in wild and cultivated melons (Cucumis melo). Plant Biotechnology. 2013:13-0813. https://doi.org/10.5511/plantbiotechnology.13.0813a

Taylor & Francis Online: Peer-reviewed journals [Internet].Available from: http//www.tandfonline.com

Schieberle P, Ofner S, Grosch W. Evaluation of potent odorants in cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) and muskmelons (Cucumis melo) by aroma extract dilution analysis. Journal of Food Science. 1990 Jan;55(1):193-5. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2621.1990.tb06050.x

Parente A, Buttaro D, Conversa G, Serio F, Santamaria P. Comparison between carousel cultivation systems and greenhouse barter systems I. Production aspects.2005:19-27

Dildar singh and Sharma. Genetic divergence among melon (Cucumis melo L.) groups for growth,yield and quality traits.Msc [dissertation]. Department of Vegetable Science and School of Agricultural Biotechnology, PAU, Ludhiana; 2006.Available from: http//www.file.scirp.org

Priscilla Moura Rolim, Larissa Mont'Alverne Juca Seabra, Gorete Ribeiro de Macedo. "Melon By-Products: Biopotential in Human Health and Food Processing," Food Reviews International, 2019

Amaro AL, Oliveira A, Almeida DP. Biologically active compounds in melon: Modulation by preharvest, post-harvest, and processing factors. In Processing and Impact on Active Components in Food 2015 Jan 1 (pp. 165-171). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-404699-3.00020-2

Lester G. Melon (Cucumis melo L.) fruit nutritional quality and health functionality. HortTechnology. 1997 Jul 1; 7(3):222-7. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH.7.3.222

Robinson RW, Decker-Walters DS. Cucurbits. New York: CAB International. 1997;226.

Stepansky A, Kovalski I, Perl-Treves R. Intraspecific classification of melons (Cucumis melo L.) in view of their phenotypic and molecular variation. Plant Systematics and Evolution. 1999 Sep; 217(3):313-32.

https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00984373

Looking For A Professional Download PDF. United States (San Francisco, California).[Internet].Available from https:// www.mafiadoc.com

Miller P. The gardeners dictionary. 1835 p.200-210

Naudin C. Essays on a monograph of species and varieties of the genus Cucumis. Ann Sci Nat. 1859; 11: 5-87.

Munger HM, Robinson RW. Nomenclature of Cucumis melo L. Cucurbit Genet Coop Rep. 1991 Jul;14:43-4.

Swamy KR. Origin, distribution and systematics of culinary cucumber (Cucumis melo subsp. agrestis var. conomon). Journal of Horticultural Sciences. 2017 Jun 30;12(1):1-22.

Pitrat M, Hanelt P, Hammer K. Some comments on infraspecific classification of cultivars of melon. InVII Eucarpia Meeting on Cucurbit Genetics and Breeding 510 2000 Mar 19 (pp. 29-36).

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2000.510.4

Kazutoshi Yashiro, Hiroyoshi Iwata, Yukari Akashi, Ken-o Tomita, Maki Kuzuya, Yoshihiko Tsumura, Kenji Kato. "Genetic Relationship among East and South Asian Melon (Cucumis melo L.) Revealed by AFLP Analysis", Breeding Science, 2005. https://doi.org/10.1270/jsbbs.55.197

Martin Ingrouille & Bill Eddie. Plants:Diversity and Evolution [Internet].Availabe from:http://epdf.pub

Li HL. The vegetables of ancient China. Economic Botany. 1969 Jul 1; 23(3):253-60. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02860457

Watson W. Early domestication in China. The domestication and exploitation of plants and animals. 1969.

Stol M. The Cucurbitaceae in the cuneiform texts. Bull Syer Agric. 1987; 3:81-92.

Manniche L. An ancient Egyptian herbal University of Texas Press Austin. TX. 1989; 163:167.

Walters TW. Historical overview on domesticated plants in China with particular emphasis on the Cucurbitaceae. Economic Botany. 1989 Jul;43(3):297-313. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02858729

Decker-Walters DS. Cucurbits, sanskrit, and the Indo-Aryas 1. Economic Botany. 1999 Jan;53(1):98-112

https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02860800

Chadha ML, Nandpuri KS. Hybrid vigour studies in muskmelon. Indian Journal of Horticulture. 1980;37(3):276-82.

Pitrat M. Melon. InVegetables I 2008 (pp. 283-315). Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-30443-4_9

Pangalo KJ. Critical review of the main literature on the taxonomy, geography and origin of cultivated and partially wild melons. Trudy Prikl. Bot. 1929;23:397-442.

Frary A, ??gva HO, Tan A, Ta?k?n T, Inal A, Mutlu S, Haytaoglu M, Doganlar S. Molecular genetic diversity in the Turkish national melon collection and selection of a preliminary core set. Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 2013 Jan 1; 138(1):50-6. https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS.138.1.50

Whitaker TW, Bemis WP, Cucurbits. In: N.W. Symmonds (Ed.), Evolution of Crop Plants , Longman, London and New York, 1976 . 64-69.

Kroon GH, Custers JB, Kho YO, Den Nijs AP, Varekamp HQ. Interspecific hybridization in Cucumis (L.). I. Need for genetic variation, biosystematic relations and possibilities to overcome crossability barriers. Euphytica. 1979 Nov; 28(3):723-8. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00038940

Ramachandran C, Narayan RK. Chromosomal DNA variation in Cucumis. Theoretical and applied genetics. 1985 Mar;69(5):497-502. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00251092

Chen JF, Adelberg J. Interspecific hybridization in Cucumis-progress, problems, and perspectives. HortScience. 2000 Feb 1;35(1):11-5. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.35.1.11

Mallick MF, Masui M. Origin, distribution and taxonomy of melons. Scientia Horticulturae. 1986 Apr 1;28(3):251-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4238(86)90007-5

Dhillon NP, Ranjana R, Singh K, Eduardo I, Monforte AJ, Pitrat M, Dhillon NK, Singh PP. Diversity among landraces of Indian snapmelon (Cucumis melo var. momordica). Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 2007 Sep;54(6):1267-83. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-006-9108-2

Kirkbride JH. Biosystematic monograph of the genus Cucumis (Cucurbitaceae): botanical identification of cucumbers and melons. Parkway Publishers, Inc.; 1993.

Akashi Y, Fukuda N, Wako T, Masuda M, Kato K. Genetic variation and phylogenetic relationships in East and South Asian melons, Cucumis melo L., based on the analysis of five isozymes. Euphytica. 2002 Jun;125(3):385-96. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016086206423

Dane FE. Cytogenetics of the genus Cucumis. Chromosome engineering in plants: Genetics, breeding, evolution. 1991;1:201-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-88260-8.50016-1

Lopez-Sese AI, Staub JE, Gomez-Guillamon ML. Genetic analysis of Spanish melon (Cucumis melo L.) germplasm using a standardized molecular-marker array and geographically diverse reference accessions. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 2003 Dec 1; 108(1):41-52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-003-1404-z

Neuhausen SL. Evaluation of restriction fragment length polymorphism in Cucumis melo. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 1992 Jan; 83(3):379-84. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00224286

Staub JE, Danin-Poleg Y, Fazio G, Horejsi T, Reis N, Katzir N. Comparative analysis of cultivated melon groups (Cucumis melo L.) using random amplified polymorphic DNA and simple sequence repeat markers. Euphytica. 2000 Oct; 115(3):225-41. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004054014174

Luan F, Delannay I, Staub JE. Chinese melon (Cucumis melo L.) diversity analyses provide strategies for germplasm curation, genetic improvement, and evidentiary support of domestication patterns. Euphytica. 2008 Nov;164(2):445-61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-008-9699-0

Nakata E, Staub JE, Lopez-Sese AI, Katzir N. Genetic diversity of Japanese melon cultivars (Cucumis melo L.) as assessed by random amplified polymorphic DNA and simple sequence repeat markers. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 2005 Jun;52(4):405-19 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-005-2258-9

Soltani F, Akashi Y, Kashi A, Zamani Z, Mostofi Y, Kato K. Characterization of Iranian melon landraces of Cucumis melo L. Groups Flexuosus and Dudaim by analysis of morphological characters and random amplified polymorphic DNA. Breeding Science. 2010;60(1):34-45. https://doi.org/10.1270/jsbbs.60.34

Tanaka K, Nishitani A, Akashi Y, Sakata Y, Nishida H, Yoshino H, Kato K. Molecular characterization of South and East Asian melon, Cucumis melo L., and the origin of Group Conomon var. makuwa and var. conomon revealed by RAPD analysis. Euphytica. 2007 Jan;153(1):233-47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-006-9259-4

Garcia-Mas J, Monforte AJ, Arus P. Phylogenetic relationships among Cucumis species based on the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequence and microsatellite markers. Plant Systematics and Evolution. 2004 Sep;248(1):191-203. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-004-0170-y

Monforte AJ, Garcia?Mas J, Arús P. Genetic variability in melon based on microsatellite variation. Plant breeding. 2003 Apr;122(2):153-7. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1439-0523.2003.00848.x

Garcia-Mas J, Oliver M, Gomez-Paniagua H, De Vicente MC. Comparing AFLP, RAPD and RFLP markers for measuring genetic diversity in melon. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 2000 Oct 1;101(5-6):860-4. https://doi.org/10.1007/s001220051553

Yashiro K, Iwata H, Akashi Y, Tomita KO, Kuzuya M, Tsumura Y, Kato K. Genetic relationship among East and South Asian melon (Cucumis melo L.) revealed by AFLP analysis. Breeding science. 2005;55(2):197-206. https://doi.org/10.1270/jsbbs.55.197

Jung J, Park G, Oh J, Jung JK, Shim EJ, Chung SM, Lee GP, Park Y. Assessment of the current infraspecific classification scheme in melon (Cucumis melo L.) based on genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphisms. Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology. 2020 Jun;61(3):537-47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-020-00230-0

Kishor DS, Song WH, Noh Y, Lee GP, Park Y, Jung JK, Shim EJ, Chung SM. Development of SNP markers and validation assays in commercial Korean melon cultivars, using Genotyping-by-sequencing and Fluidigm analyses. Scientia Horticulturae. 2020 Mar 15;263:109113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2019.109113

Jeffrey C. A review of the Cucurbitaceae. Botanical Journal of the Linnean society. 1980 Oct 1; 81(3):233-47. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8339.1980.tb01676.x

Jeffrey C (2001) Cucurbitaceae. In: Hanelt P, Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (eds) Mansfeld's Encyclopedia of agricultural and horticultural crops, vol 3. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp 1510-1557

Poland, J. A., and Rife, T. W. (2012). Genotyping-by-sequencing for plant breeding and genetics. Plant Genome 5, 92-102. doi: 10.3835/plantgenome2012.05.0005 https://doi.org/10.3835/plantgenome2012.05.0005

Diego Sabato, Cristina Esteras, Oscar Grillo, LeonorPena-Chocarro et al. "Molecular and morphological characterization of the oldest Cucumis melo L. seeds found in the Western Mediterranean Basin", Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 201

Burger Y, Paris HS, Cohen R, Katzir N, Tadmor Y, Lewinsohn E, Schaffer AA. 3 Genetic Diversity of Cucumis Melo. Horticultural reviews. 2010 Jan 26;36(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470527238.ch3

Brickell CD, Baum BR et al. International code of nomenclature for cultivated plants. Acta Hortic, 2004 647,9-12:28-30. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2004.647.5

Blanca J, Esteras C, Ziarsolo P, Perez D, Collado C, de Pablos RR, Ballester A, Roig C, Canizares J, Pico B. Transcriptome sequencing for SNP discovery across Cucumis melo. BMC genomics. 2012 Dec;13(1):1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-13-280

Esteras C, Formisano G, Roig C, Díaz A, Blanca J, Garcia-Mas J, Gomez-Guillamon ML, Lopez-Sese AI, Lazaro A, Monforte AJ, Pico B. SNP genotyping in melons: genetic variation, population structure, and linkage disequilibrium. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 2013 May 1;126(5):1285-303. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-013-2053-5

Pitrat M. Phenotypic diversity in wild and cultivated melons (Cucumis melo). Plant Biotechnology. 2013:13-0813. https://doi.org/10.5511/plantbiotechnology.13.0813a

Hammer K, Gladis T. Notes on infraspecific nomenclature and classifications of cultivated plants in Compositae, Cruciferae, Cucurbitaceae, Gramineae (with a remark on Triticum dicoccon Schrank) and Leguminosae. Genetic resources and crop evolution. 2014 Dec;61(8):1455-67. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-014-0148-8

Pitrat M. Melon genetic resources: phenotypic diversity and horticultural taxonomy. In Genetics and genomics of Cucurbitaceae 2016 (pp. 25-60). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/7397_2016_10

Anjula Pandey, S. Rajkumar. "A new potential variety of cultivated melon (Cucumis melo L.) from north western India", Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-020-00997-2

Liu L, Kakihara F, Kato M. Characterization of six varieties of Cucumis melo L. based on morphological and physiological characters, including shelf-life of fruit. Euphytica. 2004 Mar;135(3):305-13. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:EUPH.0000013330.66819.6f

S.H. Manohar, H.N. Murthy. "Estimation of phenotypic divergence in a collection of Cucumis melo, including shelf-life of fruit", Scientia Horticulturae, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2012.09.025

Fergany M, Kaur B, Monforte AJ, Pitrat M, Rys C, Lecoq H, Dhillon NP, Dhaliwal SS. Variation in melon (Cucumis melo) landraces adapted to the humid tropics of southern India. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 2011 Feb;58(2):225-43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-010-9564-6

Koli SP, Murthy HN. Estimation of phenotypic divergence in a collection of Cucumis melo from Kerala State, Southern India.

Dhillon NPS, Singh J, Fergany M, Monforte AJ, Sureja, AK (2009) Phenotypic and molecular diversity among landraces of snapmelon (Cucumis melo var. momordica) adapted to the hot and humid tropics of eastern India. Plant Genetic Resources, 7, 3 : 291-300. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1479262109990050

Hazara P, Chattopadhyay A, Karmakar K, Dutta S. Modern technology in vegetable production. New India Pub. Agency; 2011.

Pareek OP, Samadia DK. Promising indigenous cucurbit varieties.2002.

FAOSTAT(2007) Food and agriculture Organization of the United Nations. http://faostat.fao.org Accessed Jan 2018.

Kitamura S. Notes on Cucumis of far East. Acta Phytotaxonomica et Geobotanica. 1950 Feb 28; 14(2):41-4.

Robinson RW, Decker-Walters DS. Cucurbits. Cab international; 1997.

Kitamura S. The origin of the cultivated plants of China. Acta Phytotaxonomica et Geobotanica. 1951 Jul 30; 14(3):81-5.

.Kato K, Akashi Y, Tanaka K, Wako T, Masuda M. Genetic characterization of east and south Asian melons, Cucumis melo, by the analysis of molecular polymorphisms and morphological characters. In II International Symposium on Cucurbits 588 2001 Sep 28 (pp. 217-222). https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.588.33

Walters TW, Thieret JW. Notes on economic plants. Economic Botany. 1993 Jan; 47(1):99-100.

https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02862210

Lin DP. Classification of melon. Chinese Melon. Popular Science Press, Beijing (In Chinese). 1991:9-21.

Verzera A, Dima G, Tripodi G, Condurso C, Crino P, Romano D, Mazzaglia A, Lanza CM, Restuccia C, Paratore A. Aroma and sensory quality of honeydew melon fruits (Cucumis melo L. subsp. melo var. inodorus H. Jacq.) in relation to different rootstocks. Scientia Horticulturae. 2014 Apr 16;169:118-24.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2014.02.008

McCreight JD, H Nerson, R Grumet , Melon, Cucumis melo L. In: G. Kallos & B.O. Bergh (Eds.), Genetic Improvement of Vegetable Crops, Pergamon Press, New York, 1993. 267-294

https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-040826-2.50024-2

Ali-Shtayeh MS, Jamous RM, Shtaya MJ, Mallah OB, Eid IS, Zaitoun SY. Morphological characterization of snake melon (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) populations from Palestine. Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 2017 Jan 1; 64(1):7-22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-015-0329-0

Aubert C, Pitrat M. Volatile compounds in the skin and pulp of Queen Anne's pocket melon. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2006 Oct 18; 54(21):8177-82. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf061415s

Laghetti G, Accogli R, Hammer K. Different cucumber melon (Cucumis melo L.) races cultivated in Salento (Italy). Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution. 2008 Jun; 55(4):619-23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10722-008-9341-y

Terroir Seeds LLC P O Box 4995 Chino Valley AZ 86323. [Internet]. Available from: www.store.underwoodgardens.com

Siddeeg A, Xu Y, Jiang Q, Xia W. Physicochemical and functional properties of flour and protein isolates extracted from seinat (Cucumis melo var. tibish) seeds. Food Science and Biotechnology. 2014 Apr 1; 23(2):345-53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-014-0048-x

Azhari S, Xu YS, Jiang QX, Xia WS. Physicochemical properties and chemical composition of Seinat (Cucumis melo var. tibish) seed oil and its antioxidant activity. Grasas y aceites. 2014 Jan 1; 65(1).

https://doi.org/10.3989/gya.074913