A phenetic analysis of morphological variation in Citrullus lanatus in Namibia

Morphological data recorded from field trials using Citrullus lanatus germplasm collected in Namibia were used to analyse and compare the various morphotypes of this species. The experiment comprised wild types and local landraces as well as commercial cultivars. Cluster analysis supported the indigenous classification system used in Namibia, in which Citrullus types are distinguished based on gross morphology, ecology and usage and grouped into seed, cooking and fresh-eating (watermelon) types. Commercial watermelon cultivars formed a distinct cluster. Wide variation was found within the local types whereas the genetic basis of the commercial type appears to be narrow. The commercial cultivars were most closely related to local watermelon types and more distantly related to the wild types, whereas the cooking melons form an intermediate group.