Identification and confirmation of RAPD markers and andromonoecious associated with quantitative trait loci for sugars in melon

Our objectives were to identify randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers associated with quantitative trait loci (QTL) for sucrose, total soluble solids (TSS), and sucrose percentage of total sugars (SPTS) using bulked segregant analysis in an F, population from the melon (Cucumis melo L.) cross of 'TAM Dulce' (high sugars) x TGR1551 (low sugars) in a greenhouse experiment, and confirm the associations of RAPD markers with QTL for these sugar traits in an F, population from the different cross of 'Deltex' (high sugars) x TGR1551 in a field experiment. Continuous distributions for sucrose, TSS, and SPTS were observed in the F-2 populations indicating quantitative inheritance for the traits. Significant positive correlations were found between sucrose and TSS or SPTS. Nine RAPD markers were detected to be significantly associated with QTL for sucrose in the F-2 population of the 'TAM Dulce' x TGR1551 cross in the greenhouse based on simple linear regression. Five unlinked markers associated with QTL were significant in a stepwise multiple regression analysis where the full model explained 39% of the total phenotypic variation for sucrose. Five and seven of the nine RAPD markers associated with QTL for sucrose were also observed to be significantly associated with QTL for TSS and SPTS, respectively, suggesting that in this cross three sugar traits are controlled by the same QTL. Five RAPD markers were confirmed in the F2 population of the 'Deltex' x TGR1551 cross in the field to be consistently associated with QTL for three sugar traits. Significant associations of andromonoecious (a) with both sucrose and TSS were consistently expressed in our populations under greenhouse and field environments. These RAPD and floral markers associated with the sugar synthesis QTL identified and confirmed here could be useful in melon breeding for improving the mature fruit sweetness.