Implications of the introgression between Citrullus colocynthis and C.lanatus characters in the taxonomy, evolutionary dynamics and breeding of watermelon.

ASSIS, J. G. de A.; QUEIROZ, M. A. de; ARAUJO, S. M. C. de; BANDEL, G.; MARTINS, P. S.

Implications of the introgression between Citrullus colocynthis and C.lanatus characters in the taxonomy, evolutionary dynamics and breeding of watermelon.

Autores

Descripción

Citrullus colocynthis is a wild species counted among the ancestors of the cultivated watermelon, C.lanatus. Cross-compatibility between species through both natural and artificial hybridization has been widely reported. Watermelon landraces were collected from the Northeast of Brazil and studies showed evidence of introgression from C. colocynthis to C. lanatus, although C.colocynthis is not distributed in Brazil. This paper discusses the implications of this introgression in the taxonomy, evolution dynamics and the improvement of watermelon.