UNIVERSITY OF EMBU MARLINE HANNY OWINO (BSc) MASTER OF SCIENCE IN HORTICULTURE THESIS OCTOBER, 2020 AGRO-MORPHOLOGICAL AND NUTRITIONAL CHARACTERIZATION OF HORNED MELON ACCESSIONS FROM SELECTED AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ZONES IN KENYA MARLINE HANNY OWINO A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN HORTICULTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF EMBU OCTOBER, 2020 DECLARATION This thesis is my original work and has not been presented elsewhere for a degree or any other award. Signature………………………………… Date…………………………………. Marline Hanny Owino Department of Agricultural Resource Management A505/1146/2017 This thesis has been submitted for examination with our approval as the University Supervisors: Signature………………………………… Date…………………………………. Dr. Bernard Gichimu (PhD) Department of Agricultural Resource Management University of Embu Signature………………………………… Date…………………………………. Dr. Phyllis Muturi (PhD) Department of Agricultural Resource Management University of Embu DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my family for their unwavering support, patience and true love during my study years. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I am highly indebted to God almighty for granting me success in every point of my life. My gratitude goes to the University of Embu for offering me an opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies. I greatly acknowledge my supervisors; Dr. Bernard Gichimu and Dr. Phyllis Muturi for their consistent advice, encouragement, guidance and correction of my thesis throughout the study period. Special thanks to the Chemistry Department of University of Embu especially Mr. Simon Mukono for their assistance during nutrition analysis. I express my deepest gratitude to my husband Francis for his unlimited support in every aspect of instilling sense of hope and inspiration in my work. Sincerely, you gave me strength towards this dream. Not forgetting my loving daughter Harriette that cheered me up throughout the study period. To my parents, friends and relatives, I thank you for standing with me. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................. vii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................... viii LIST OF APPENDICES ......................................................................................................... ix LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS /ACRONYMS ..........................................................................x LIST OF SYMBOLS ............................................................................................................... xi ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................ 1 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background .......................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem ..................................................................................................... 3 1.3 Justification .......................................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Research Questions .............................................................................................................. 4 1.5 Research Objectives ............................................................................................................. 4 1.5.1 Broad Objective ............................................................................................................ 4 1.5.2 Specific Objectives ........................................................................................................ 4 CHAPTER TWO ........................................................................................................................... 5 LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................................................. 5 2.1 Origin of Horned Melon ....................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Botanical Description of Horned Melon............................................................................... 5 2.3 Uses of Horned melon .......................................................................................................... 6 2.4 Storage of Horned Melon ..................................................................................................... 8 2.5 Nutritional Composition of Horned Melon .......................................................................... 8 2.6 Production Constraints of Horned Melon ........................................................................... 11 2.7 Genetic Potential of Horned Melon .................................................................................... 12 2.8 Importance of Genetic Diversity in Crop Production ......................................................... 13 2.9 Measures of Diversity in plants ......................................................................................... 14 2.10 Phenotypic Variation among crop plants .......................................................................... 14 2.11 Horned Melon Germplasm Collection ............................................................................. 16 CHAPTER THREE ..................................................................................................................... 17 MATERIALS AND METHODS ................................................................................................. 17 iv 3.1 Sampled Regions................................................................................................................ 17 3.1.1 Embu County .............................................................................................................. 17 3.1.2 Meru County ............................................................................................................... 17 3.1.3 Makueni County .......................................................................................................... 18 3.1.4 Kwale County ............................................................................................................. 18 3.1.5 Kilifi County ............................................................................................................... 19 3.1.6 Migori County ............................................................................................................. 19 3.1.7 Machakos County........................................................................................................ 20 3.1.8 Muranga County.......................................................................................................... 20 3.1.9 Homa Bay County ....................................................................................................... 21 3.1.10 Tharaka-Nithi County................................................................................................ 21 3.1.11 Kisii County .............................................................................................................. 21 3.1.12 Narok County ............................................................................................................ 22 3.2 Experimental Materials ...................................................................................................... 22 3.3 Description of the Study Site.............................................................................................. 24 3.4 Preparation of Experimental Materials ............................................................................... 25 3.5 Experimental Design and Layout ....................................................................................... 25 3.6 Data Collection .................................................................................................................. 26 3.7 Data Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER FOUR ........................................................................................................................ 29 RESULTS .................................................................................................................................... 29 4.1 Agro-Morphological Diversity ........................................................................................... 29 4.1.1 Qualitative Traits ......................................................................................................... 29 4.1.2 Quantitative Traits ....................................................................................................... 31 4.1.3 Agronomic Traits ........................................................................................................ 34 4.1.4 Correlation Analysis between Quantitative Agro-Morphological Traits ..................... 37 4.1.5 Cluster Analysis using Agro-Morphological Traits ..................................................... 39 4.1.6 Principal Component Analysis of Agro-Morphological Traits ...................................