Identification and Characterization of 'superfruiter' - a New Melon Type

Phenotypic screening of an EMS mutation library identified a unique recessive mutant that produces five times more fruit than the wild-type. Fruit were small, third of the wildtype size, and seedless. We called this mutant superfruiter (sf). We analyzed the effect of sf in several genetic backgrounds and in all cases sf decreased fruit size, increased fruit number and on the average significantly increased yield. We identified sf plants and wild-type plants from several F₂ segregating populations. We extracted RNA from shoot meristems, stems, leaves, female flower and young fruit of these plants, bulked the RNA according to the phenotypes and conducted RNA-sequencing of these bulks. This approach identified the sf gene and suggested mechanism for its mode of action. With sf gene in our hands we can now develop custom made sf melon varieties.