New source material for the creation of perspective varieties of melon

Relevance. The creation of varieties with a complex of economically valuable traits, resistant to biotic and abiotic environmental factors, is the main direction in melon breeding. The market for vegetables and melons and gourds is very dynamic, the demands for varieties are constantly changing, therefore, it is necessary to introduce new varieties with high taste and commercial qualities, as well as capable of producing high yields in a changing climate. The aim of the work is to produce a new melon starting material for use in the breeding process.Materials and methods. At the Bikovskaya cucurbits breeding experimental station – branch of the Federal state budgetary scientific institution "Federal scientific vegetable center", research was carried out from 2018 to 2020. The object of research is samples from the collection of VIR, foreign and domestic selection, hybrid combinations obtained as a result of intervarietal hybridization. Collection samples of melon were studied in the nursery of the source material: 84 samples from the VIR collection, 26 samples of domestic and foreign selection were studied.Results. As a result of the research, samples of melon with economically valuable traits were identified that meet the requirements of selection. Paired crosses with zoned varieties of local selection were carried out with them. As a result of hybridization, hybrid combinations F1 were obtained, from which the best ones were selected for further breeding work. The obtained collection samples and hybrid combinations were evaluated in terms of taste, yield, resistance to environmental abiofactors, dry matter content, large-fruited, attractive color of the fruit and pulp As a result received a new source material for the selection of new varieties and hybrids of melons with valuable economic traits. The resulting hybrid combinations of F1 melon were tested against an infectious background. Hybrid combinations with the best performance will be further studied in a breeding nursery.