Studies on seed protein profiling in snapmelon (Cucumis melo var momordica L.) genotypes of Northeast India.

Abstract

North eastern region of India exhibits wide variability in fruit morphology, sweetness, bearing habit and cropduration of snapmelon. In the present study, twenty snapmelon (Cucumis melo L. var momordica) genotypes from differentareas of NEH region and other parts of India were collected and evaluated for genetic diversity by using morphologicalcharacters and SDS-PAGE analysis. Estimation of protein was done in seeds of twenty genotypes of Snapmelon collected forthe study. The analysis showed considerable variation in banding pattern of total protein which ranged from 19 to 31 numbersof bands. On the basis of presence ( + ) or absence ( - ) of bands, similarity index was calculated and genotypes were groupedin three major clusters which were further sub divided in 6 sub-clusters. The genotype CHFSM2 was most distantly relatedto CHFSM19. Hence, it was recommended that genotype CHFSM 2 and CHFSM19 could be utilised for crossing programmeto create more genetic diversity or segregants of desired characteristics through snapmelon breeding programmes. Hence,overview of diversity of snapmelon genotypes from NEH region and other part of India paves the way for conservation andutilization of genotypes and contributes to the development of systematic breeding programme