Creation of a watermelon haploid inducer line via -mediated single fertilization of the central cell.

The use of doubled haploids is one of the most efficient breeding methods in modern agriculture. Irradiation of pollen grains has been shown to induce haploids in cucurbit crops, possibly because it causes preferential fertilization of the central cell over the egg cell. Disruption of the gene is known to induce single fertilization of the central cell, which can lead to the formation of haploids. In the present study, a detailed method of creating a watermelon haploid inducer line via mutation is described. The mutant induced haploids in multiple watermelon genotypes at rates of up to 1.12%. These haploids were confirmed via fluorescent markers, flow cytometry, molecular markers, and immuno-staining. The haploid inducer created by this method has the potential to greatly advance watermelon breeding in the future.