Keragaman Genetik dan Heritabilitas pada Keturunan Hasil Persilangan Blewah (Cucumis melo var. Cantalupensis) dan Melon (Cucumis melo L.)

Cantaloupe is a plant that belongs to the genus Cucumis melo, which has the advantage of soft and thick fruit flesh texture but has a low level of sweetness, so it has low economic value. The objective of this study was to improve the quality of cantaloupe through crossbreeding with sweet-tasting melons. The study was conducted using a randomized complete block design with five treatments, each treatment was repeated six times to obtain 30 experimental units. The observed parameters were plant height, stem diameter, plant age, fruit weight, fruit diameter, fruit length, fruit thickness, and fruit sweetness level. Observed data were analyzed using analysis of variance, Duncan Multiple Range Test, coefficient of genetic variance, and heritability analysis. Calculations of genetic variance and heritability of crosses were carried out to see the magnitude of the variation caused by genetic factors and the magnitude of the parents' contrusiveness on their offspring. The results of this research showed that the coefficient of genetic variance and heritability varied between 2.14%-44.57%. The coefficient of genetic variance which was classified as high was in the parameters of fruit weight (44.57%) and fruit length (36.21%). This shows that the variation in fruit weight and fruit length is influenced by genetic factors. The heritability values that were classified as high were the parameters of fruit length (0.74), fruit diameter (0.52), fruit weight (0.50), and fruit sweetness level (0.50). This means that the inheritance of traits from parents to offspring is highest in the parameters of fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight and fruit sweetness level. The average value of the first offspring from crosses of cantaloupe and melon is between the two parents. The characteristics of the first offspring resulting from crosses are a combination of the characteristics of their parents.