Multivariate analysis to determine relationship between phenological traits with yield components in native melon population (Cucumis melo. L)

Canonical correlation analysis (CCA), factor analysis and simple correlation analysis were used to estimate relationships between plant characters [X set- days number for flowering, fruit formation, fruit maturity, harvesting, number of seeds per fruit, thousand seeds weight, seed length, seed width, plant length], and yield components [Y set- fruit weight (F.WE), fruit length(F.L), fruit width (F.WI) and number of fruits per plant (N.F.P)] of 41 native melons (Ghandak) collected from the Sistan region in the south eastern of Iran. The results of the canonical analysis showed that a high canonical correlation is observed between yield components and plant characters in first pairs of canonical variables (0.78). The findings obtained from the CCA indicate that fruit width (F.WI) had the largest contribution for the explanatory capacity of canonical variables estimated from yield components of the melon population. Thousand seeds weight and number of days to fruit formation had the largest contribution to explain the canonical variables estimated from X-set when compared to other characters. The correlation coefficient analysis indicated that number of days to fruit ripening had the most significant positive effect on fruit length. Factor analysis results revealed that six factors could explain approximately 77% of total variation; those factors were strongly influenced by number of seed per fruit, thousands seed weight, fruit width, number of days to flowering, fruit length, number of days to fruit ripening and seed width.