IDENTIFICATION OF CLIMATE RESILIENT WATERMELON GENOTYPES AT EARLY AND LATE SOWING WITH YIELD AND YIELD RELATED TRAITS

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a valuable vegetable crop with a flesh that is consumed by millions of people throughout the world. Climate change significantly effecting fruit yield of watermelon. An experiment conducted in Vegetable Research Station Sahiwal, Pakistan for identification of climate resilient genotypes. Ten different genotypes were selected and planted at two different sowing dates with the interval of 18 days. The first date of sowing designated as early and 2nd date of sowing was late sowing. Significant variation confirmed by analysis of variance among all genotypes. The study of yield and yield related traits indicated that out of ten genotypes five genotypes indicated climate resilience and remains less effected to climate change. The genotype LR235NO remained at top of the list had minimal delay of flowering and maturity, maintained no of leaves in heat and had highest fruit weight and fruit yield per ha among all other selected genotypes in both early and late sowing. The identified genotypes can be further used in breeding program for development of climate resilient open pollinated varieties and hybrids.