Phenotype, inheritance, and regulation of expression of a new virescent mutant in watermelon: Juvenile albino

Abstract

Juvenile albino, gene symbol ja, is a spontaneous virescent mutant, first observed in 'Dixielee' and an F2 population of 'G17AB' (msms) x 'Dixielee' in 1992. Hypocotyls, new young leaves, shoot tips, tendrils and flowers on the main shoot of the ja mutant are all albino during early spring. The interior portions of albino leaves gradually become green, while the margins remain albino. Fruit rind color of the mutant is variegated. Growth of the ja mutant is severely impaired in the early spring. However, the mutant grows at a rate comparable to wild-type in the summer, and produces fruit of almost normal size. Genetic analysis of F1, F2, and BC1 populations derived from the ja mutant showed that the gene for the ja mutant is inherited as a single, recessive, nuclear gene. Segregation ratios in the F2 and BC1 progenies derived from the cross between the previously reported delayed green virescent mutant and the ja mutant indicate independent inheritance of the genes dg and ja. Temperature and red/far-red light had no differential effect on mutant and the wild-type plants. An increase of daylength from 8 to 15 hours increased fresh weight and chlorophyll content more in the ja mutant than in the wild-type. The mutant had a higher chlorophyll a: b ratio than the wild-type under long days. Chlorophyll synthesis or accumulation in the mutant is severely impaired under short days. This is the only virescent mutant in the family Cucurbitaceae whose expression is regulated by daylength.