The objective of this research was to study the genotype x environment effect on the selection of melon families. It was evaluated 144 melon families at four sites of Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil. The experiments were carried out in a design of simple lattice 12x12 in Mossoró, Baraúna, Assu and Alto do Rodrigues sites. The traits assessing were yield, average of weight fruit, intern cavity proportion, pulp thickness, pulp firmness and content solids soluble. It was observed effect of families in all sites and the join analysis for all traits. The family x site interaction was high and the estimation of the interaction variance component was higher than the genetic variance among families. The complex interaction was higher than the simple one. The family x site interaction reflected in the selection, as the correlated response to selection in one environment observed in another was always lower than the gain of direct selection. The estimates of the genetic variation coefficient and genetic variance were overestimated by family x site interaction, consequently, the evaluation should be carried out in different sites. The selection based on the mean over sites was effectiveness because the genetic expected that gains were more expressive than gains based in the individual environment.
Cucumis melo; genetic expected gain; selection; adaptability
