PARENT LINES OF NEW PROMISING HYBRID OF THE COMMON WATERMELON ‘BORIS F1’

Article language

українська

Print date

23.12.2025

Date posted online

19.03.2026

Institution

Institute of Vegetable and Melon Growing of NAAS

Bibliography

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Section

SOURCES AND DONORS

Abstract

Aim. To develop a new, competitive heterotic watermelon hybrid by utilizing breeding-valuable parental lines capable of delivering consistently high yields, with improved fruit quality, and adaptability to current agroclimatic conditions in Ukraine.

Results and Discussion. The experiments were conducted at the Institute of Vegetable and Melon Growing of NAAS in 2021–2025. Hybridization combined with individual and mass selections served as the primary breeding methods. The research subjects included new lines and F₁ hybrid combinations. The Ukrainian watermelon hybrid ‘Kazka F₁’ was used as a check hybrid. Based on the results of breeding using new fertile parental lines identified by genes controlling the expression of marker morphological traits, a new hybrid, ‘Borys F₁’, was developed. The maternal component is the monoecious line ‘Sich’; its novel characteristics include high monoeciousness (80%) and a low node position for the first female flower (nodes 3–5), combined with high disease resistance (7–9 points) and a set of economically valuable traits. Its combining ability ranges from 1.4 to 2.5. The paternal component is the line ‘Skarbnytsia0; its novel characteristics are monoeciousness and high disease resistance (9 points) alongside a set of economically valuable traits; its combining ability ranges from 2.5 to 4.7. Their hybridization resulted in the early-ripening, high-yielding hybrid ‘Borys F₁’, which outyields analogues by 21–40% and demonstrates a 3- to 5% improvement in quality indicators. The hybrid exhibits high disease resistance. In 2025, the hybrid was submitted for state qualifying evaluation; following its completion, it is recommended for growing in the forest-steppe and steppe zones of Ukraine.

Conclusions. The watermelon hybrid ‘Borys F₁’ was developed through the implementation of new lines with specific morphological markers. The hybrid demonstrates a significant advantage over the check hybrid, ‘Kazka F₁’, in terms of both yield and profitability. Specifically, the profitability of the new hybrid exceeds that of the check hybrid by 62.9%, with an additional economic return of 88,100 UAH/ha.

Keywords

watermelon, breeding, hybrid, breeding trait, parental form, yield, marketability, early maturity, economic efficiency