Genetic Stability Analysis Based on Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat and β-Carotene Content Analysis in Melon (Cucumis melo L. ‘GAMA Melon Parfum’)

Abstract

The ‘Gama Melon Parfum’ (GMP) melons is a variety of plant breeding resulting from the Faculty of Biology's genetics and breeding laboratory, Universitas Gadjah Mada. GMP melons have a unique phenotypic character of a bitter taste and a strong aroma that has the potential to be used for cosmetics and medicine. Stability and genetic variation test are necessary to ensure the quality control of ‘GMP’ melons for industrial raw materials. The content of carotenoids is also important to reveal in utilizing metabolites compounds. Phenotypic character analysis was performed by comparing fruit grown conventionally and hydroponically grown on ‘GMP’ melons. The molecular observation method is genetic variation using the PCR-ISSR method with 5 primer ISSR and comparison with other varieties, namely ‘Hikapel’, ‘Sky Rocket’, and ‘PI371795’. The data analysis used the UPGMA method, and genetic similarity was estimated using Jaccard Coefficient with MVSP 3.1 program. The method for observing β-carotene content is the UV-Vis spectrophotometric method. The results obtained showed that hydroponically grown ‘GMP’ melons had a relatively smaller size and faded fruit color. However, phenetically, ‘GMP’ melons grown both hydroponically and conventionally are in one cluster with a similarity level of 80.9%. Genetic analysis on ‘GMP’ melons and comparison melons showed a high level of polymorphism of 58.97%. While the results of β-carotene analysis on ‘GMP’ melons were 140,829 g/100 gr. It can be concluded that GMP melon has a stable genetic character. Cultivation methods and environmental factors cause changes that occur in GMP melons