CucCAP #1 Watermelon Publications and Presentations

Breeding, Genetics, Genomics, and Pathology Research Publications

• Interference of (Amaranthus palmeri) density in grafted and nongrafted watermelon.
  Bertucci, M.B, K.M. Jennings, D.W. Monks, J.R. Schultheis, F.J. Louws, and D.L. Jordan. 2019.
  DOI: 10.1017/wsc.2018.77
• A GBS‑SNP‑based linkage map and quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Niveum race 2 identified in Citrullus lanatus var. citroides.
  Theor Appl Genet.
  Branham, S.E., A. Levi, M.W. Farnham, and W.P. Wechter. 2016.
  DOI: 10.1007/s00122-016-2813-0
• Genetic mapping of a major codominant QTL associated with β-carotene accumulation in watermelon.
  Branham, S., L. Vexler, A. Meir, G. Tzuri, Z. Frieman, A. Levi, W.P. Wechter, Y. Tadmor and A. Gur. 2017.Mol. Breeding
  DOI: 10.1007/s11032-017-0747-0
• QTL-seq and marker development for resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum race 1 in cultivated watermelon.
  Branham, S.E., W.P. Wechter, S. Lambel, L. Massey, M. Ma, J. Fuave, M.W. Farnham, and A. Levi. 2018.Molec Breed 38:139.
  DOI: 10.1007/s11032-018-0896-9
• QTL mapping of resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum race 2 and Papaya ringspot virus in Citrullus amarus.
  Branham,S.E., W.P. Wechter, K. Ling, B. Chanda, L. Massey, G. Zhao, N. Guner, M. Bello, E. Kabelka, Z. Fei, and A. Levi. 2019.
  Theoretical and Applied Genetics. DOI: 10.1007/s00122-019-03500-3.
• QTL Mapping Identifies Novel Source of Resistance to Fusarium Wilt Race 1 in Citrullus amarus.
  Branham, S.E.,  A. Levi, and W.P. Wechter. 2019.
  Plant Disease 103:984-989. APS Publications: Published Online:11 Mar 2019.
  DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-09-18-1677-RE
• QTL mapping of resistance to bacterial fruit blotch in Citrullus amarus.
  Branham, S.E., A. Levi, M.L. Katawczik, and W.P. Wechter. 2019.
  Theoretical and Applied Genetics.
  DOI: 10.1007/s00122-019-03292-6
• Assay development and marker validation for marker assisted selection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum race 1 in watermelon.
  Fall, L.A., J. Clevenger, C. McGregor. 2018.
  Molec Breed 38:130.
  DOI: 10.1007/s11032-018-0890-2
• Inheritance of resistance to Papaya ringspot virus-watermelon strain in watermelon
  HortScience 53(5): 1-4.
  DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI12944-18
• Inheritance of resistance to Zucchini yellow mosaic virus in watermelon.
  Guner, N., L.A. Rivera-Burgos, and T.C. Wehner. 2018.
  HortScience 53: 1115-1118.
  DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI13169-18
• Screening for resistance to Zucchini yellow mosaic virus in the watermelon germplasm.
  Guner, N., Z. Pesic-VanEsbroeck, L.A. Rivera-Burgos and T.C. Wehner. 2019.
  HortScience 54: 206-211.
  DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI13325-18.
• Resequencing of 414 cultivated and wild watermelon accessions identifies selection for fruit quality traits.
  Nature Genetics 51:1616-1623. DOI: 10.1038/s41588-019-0518-4
  Guo, S., S. Zhao, H. Sun, X. Wang, S. Wu, T. Lin, Y. Ren, L. Gao, Y. Deng, J. Zhang, X. Lu, H. Zhang, J. Shang, G. Gong, C. Wen, N. He, S. Tian, M. Li, J. Liu, Y. Wang, Y. Zhu, R. Jarret, A. Levi, X. Zhang, S. Huang, Z. Fei, W. Liu, Y. Xu. 2019.
• Citrullus lanatus. Trends in Genetics  (Genome of the month)
  Guo, S., H. Sun, Y. Xu, and Z. Fei. 2020.
• Inheritance of resistance to gummy stem blight in watermelon.
  Gusmini, G., L.A. Rivera-Burgos and T.C. Wehner. 2017.
  HortScience 52: 1477-1482. DOI: 10.21273/JASHS03834-16
• Haplotype networking of GWAS hits for citrulline variation associated with the domestication of watermelon.
  by Vijay Joshi, Suhas Shinde, Padma Nimmakayala, Venkata Lakshmi Abburi, Suresh Babu Alaparthi, Carlos Lopez-Ortiz , Amnon Levi, Girish Panicker, Umesh K Reddy. Int J Mol Sci 20:5392.
• Utilizing genetic resources and precision agriculture to enhance resistance to biotic and abiotic stress in watermelon.
  Kantor, M., A. Levi. 2018.
  Notulae Scientia Biologicae. 10: 2067-3205. DOI: 10.15835/nsb10110242
• NMR analysis reveals a wealth of metabolites in root-knot nematode resistant roots of Citrullus amarus watermelon plants.
  Kantor, M., A. Levi, J.A. Thies, N. Guner, C. Kantor, S. Parnham, A. Boroujerdi. 2018.
  Journal of Nematology. 50:1-15.
  DOI: 10.21307/jofnem-2018-030
• Diseases and disease management strategies take top research priority in the Watermelon Research and Development Group members survey (2014 to 2015).
  Kousik, C.S., J. Brusca, and W. W. Turechek. 2016.
  Plant Health Progress. 17:53-58.
  DOI: 10.1094/PHP-S-15-0047
• Fungicide rotation schemes for managing Phytophthora fruit rot of watermelon across Southeastern United States.
  Kousik, C.S., P. Ji, D. Egel, and L.M. Quesada-Ocampo.  2017.
  Plant Health Progress 18: 28-34.
  DOI: 10.1094/PHP-RS-16-0059
• Watermelon germplasm lines USVL608-PMR, USVL255-PMR, USVL313-PMR, and USVL585-PMR with broad resistance to powdery mildew.
  Kousik, C.S., J. Ikerd, M. Manda, S. Adkins, W.W. Turechek. 2018.
  HortScience 53:1212-1217.
  DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI12979-18
• Development of Phytophthora fruit rot caused by Phytophthora capsici on resistant and susceptible watermelon fruit of different ages.
  Kousik, C.S., J.L. Ikerd, and W. Turechek. 2018.
  Plant Disease 102:370-374.
  DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-06-17-0898-RE
• Powdery mildew resistant rootstocks that impart tolerance to grafted susceptible watermelon scion seedlings.
  Kousik, C.S., M.K. Mandal, and R. Hassell. 2018.
  Plant Disease. Plant Disease. 102:1290-1298.
  DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-09-17-1384-RE
• Relative susceptibility of commercial watermelon varieties to powdery mildew.
  Kousik, C.S., J.L. Ikerd, and M.K. Mandal. 2019.
  Crop Protection 125:104910.
  DOI: 10.1016/j.cropro.2019.104910
• Detection of Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus infecting watermelon in South Carolina.
  Kousik, C.S. and S. Adkins. 2020.
  Plant Health Progress. 2:133-134.
• Resistance to papaya ringspot virus-watermelon strain (PRSV-W) in the desert watermelon Citrullus colocynthis.
  Levi, A., J. Coffey, L.M. Massey, N. Guner, E. Oren, Y. Tadmor, and K.S. Ling. 2016.
  HortScience 51:4–7.
  DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI.51.1.4
• USVL-370, a Zucchini yellow mosaic virus–resistant Watermelon Breeding Line.
  Levi, A., R.K. Harris-Shultz, and K.S. Ling. 2016.
  HortScience 51:107–109.
  DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI12292-17
• Levi, A. and K. Ling. USVL-380, a Zucchini yellow mosaic virus-resistant watermelon breeding line. 2017.
  HortScience 52:1448–1450.
  DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI12292-17
• Levi, A., A.M. Simmons, L. Massey, J. Coffey, W.P. Wechter, R.L. Jarret, Y. Tadmor, P. Nimmakayala, and U.K. Reddy.  2017.
  Genetic diversity in the desert watermelon Citrullus colocynthis and its relationship with Citrullus species as determined by high-frequency oligonucleotides-targeting active gene markers.
  J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 142(1):47–56.
  DOI: 10.21273/JASHS03834-16
• Meru, G. and C. McGregor. 2016. Genotyping by sequencing for SNP discovery and genetic mapping of resistance to race 1 of Fusarium oxysporum in watermelon.
  Scientia Horticulturae 209: 31-40.
  DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2016.06.005
• Natwick, E., M.I. Lopez, W.M. Wintermantel, J.D. McCreight, O. Batuman, and R.L. Gilbertson. 2016. Watermelon whitefly insecticide efficacy trial, 2015. Arthropod Management Tests 41 (1): tsw088
  DOI: 10.1093/amt/tsw088
• Niu, X., X. Zhao, K. Ling, A. Levi, Y. Sun, and M. Fan. 2016. The FonSIX6 gene acts as an avirulence effector in the Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum – watermelon pathosystem. Nature Scientific Reports 6:28146.
  DOI: 10.1038/srep28146
• Ren, Y., S. Guo, J. Zhang, H. He, H. Sun, S. Tian, G. Gong, H. Zhang, A. Levi, Y. Tadmor, and Y. Xu. 2017. A tonoplast sugar transporter underlies a sugar accumulation QTL in watermelon. Plant Physiology
  DOI: 10.1104/pp.17.01290
• Ren, Y., H. Sun, M. Zong, S. Guo, Z. Ren, J. Zhao, M. Li, J. Zhang, S. Tian, J. Wang, Y. Yu, G. Gong, H. Zhang, H. He, L. Li, X. Zhang, F. Liu, Z. Fei, and Y. Xu. 2020. Localization shift of a sugar transporter contributes to phloem unloading in sweet watermelons. New Phytologist
• Saminathan, T., M. García , B. Ghimire, C. Lopez, A. Bodunrin, P. Nimmakayala, V.L. Abburi, A. Levi, N. Balagurusamy, U.K. Reddy. 2018. Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses of diverse watermelon cultivars reveal the role of fruit associated microbiome in carbohydrate metabolism and ripening of mature fruits. Front Plant Sci. 9:4. DOI:  10.3389/fpls.2018.00004
• Simmons, A.M., R.L. Jarret, C.L. Cantrell, and A. Levi. 2019.
  Citrullus ecirrhosus: Wild source of resistance against Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) for cultivated watermelon. Journal of Economic Entomology DOI: 10.1093/jee/toz069
• Simmons, A.M., R.L. Jarret, C.L. Cantrell, and A. Levi. 2019.
  Citrullus ecirrhosus: Wild source of resistance against Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) for cultivated watermelon. Journal of Economic Entomology doi: 10.1093/jee/toz069.
• Effect of rootstock and nitrogen fertilizer on growth and yield in watermelon
  David H Suchoff, Jonathan R. Schultheis, Christopher C. Gunter, Richard L. Hassell & Frank J. Louws. 2019.
  J. Hort. Sci. Biotech. 94(6):798-804.
• Sui, X., R. Li, M. Shamimuzzaman, Z. Wu, and K.S. Ling. 2019.
  Understanding the transmissibility of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus in watermelon seeds and seed health assays.
  Plant Disease. DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-10-18-1787-RE
• Thies, J.A., J.J. Ariss, C.S. Kousik, R.L. Hassell, and A. Levi. 2016.
  Resistance to Southern Root-knot Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) in Wild Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides) Populations.
  Journal of Nematology 48:14–19.
• Wechter, W.P., M.M. McMillan, M.W. Farnham, and A. Levi. 2016.
  Watermelon germplasm lines USVL246-FR2 and USVL252-FR2 tolerant to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum race 2.
  HortScience 51:1065-1067. DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI.51.8.1065
• Heritability and genetic variance components associated with citrulline, arginine, and lycopene content in diverse watermelon cultigens.
  Wehner, T.C., R.P. Naegele and P. Perkins-Veazie. 2017.
  HortScience 52: 936-940. DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI11255-16
• Genome of ‘Charleston Gray’, the principal American watermelon cultivar, and genetic characterization of 1,365 accessions in the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System watermelon collection.
  Wu, S., X. Wang, U. Reddy, H. Sun, K. Bao, L. Gao, L. Mao, T. Patel, C. Ortiz, V. Abburi, P. Nimmakayala, S. Branham, P. Wechter, L. Massey, K. Ling, S. Kousik, S. Hammar, Y. Tadmor, V. Portnoy, G. Vitaly, K. Amit; N. Katzir,  N. Guner, Nihat; A. Davis, A. Hernandez, C. Wright, C. McGregor, R. Jarret, X. Zhang, Y. Xu, T. Wehner, R. Grumet, A. Levi, and Z. Fei. 2019.
  Plant Biotechnology J 17:2246-2258.
  DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13136

Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics Presentations

• Adams L, McGregor C. Bulked Segregant Analysis Identification of 5 Gummy Stem Blight Resistance Loci in Wild Watermelon Relatives. Southern Region American Society for Horticultural Science, Louisville, KY. Poster. 2020.
• Adams LF, McGregor CE. Utilizing watermelon wild relatives for gummy stem blight resistance. NAPB Annual Meeting, Pine Mountain, GA. 2019.
• Adams L, McGregor C. Utilizing watermelon wild relatives for gummy stem blight resistance. IPBGG Retreat, Dawsonville, GA. Poster. 2019.
• Branham SE, Levi A, Hernandez AG, Fei Z, Wu S, Wechter WP. Whole-Genome Resequencing Study of the USDA Collection of Citrullus amarus Plant Introductions. Plant and Animal Genome Conference 2019. PE0638. 2019.
• Branham, S.E., A. Levi, and W.P. Wechter. Genetics of Resistance to Fusarium Wilt Races 1 and 2 in Watermelon. Southern Region American Society for Horticultural Science Annual Meeting. Jacksonville, FL. Feb. 3, 2018.
• Branham, S.E., Levi, A., Katawczik, M.L., Fei, Zhangjun and Wechter, W.P. Keynote address. Genomics-enabled genetic mapping and marker development of disease resistance loci in melon and watermelon. CUCURBITACEAE 2018, Davis CA, November 12-15, 2018.
• Branham, S., Patrick, W.W., Mandal, M.K., Ikerd, J.L. and Kousik, C.S. 2018. QTL Mapping of Resistance to Powdery Mildew in Cucumis melo MR-1 Using a Recombinant Inbred Line Population. CUCURBITACEAE 2018, Davis CA, Nov. 12-15, 2018.
• Branham S., A. Levi, M. Farnham, and P. Wechter. Quantitative Trait Loci Mapping of Resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum race 2 in Citrullus lanatus var. Citroides using Genotyping-by- Sequencing (GBS). Plant and Animal Genome Conference XXV , San Diego CA, Jan 15, 2017.
• Daley, J. and T. Wehner.  Screening for bacterial fruit blotch resistance in watermelon fruit. Abstract and Poster. Crop Science Society of America, Tampa, FL. 2017.
• Fei, Z. Genome variation elucidates evolution and domestication of fruit ripening and quality traits in watermelon. PAG. January 15, 2017.
• Fei, Z. Genome sequencing provide insights into watermelon evolution, domestication and important agronomic traits. Texas A&M University. September, 2016
• Fei, Z. Genome sequencing provide insights into watermelon evolution, domestication and important agronomic traits. Nanjing Agricultural University. July, 2016
• Fei, Z. Genome sequencing provide insights into watermelon evolution, domestication and important agronomic traits. College of Food Science and Engineering, Hefei University of Technology. May 4, 2016.
• Fei, Z. Genome sequencing provide insights into watermelon evolution, domestication and important agronomic traits. College of Horticulture, Shandong Agric. Univ. April 2016.
• Fei, Z. Genome sequencing provide insights into watermelon evolution, domestication and important agronomic traits. Dept. of Plant Biology, Cornell University. March 2016.
• Kousik, C.S., J.L. Ikerd, and M.K. Mandal.  Breadth of resistance of Phytophthora fruit rot resistant watermelon germplasm to Phytophthora capsici isolates from across United States of America.  Phytopathology S4.40.  2016.
• Kousik C.S., D. Egel, P. Ji, and L.M. Quesada-Ocampo. Fungicide rotation schemes and Melcast for managing Phytophthora fruit rot of watermelon in Southeastern United States. Phytopathology. 2016.
• Kozik, E.U., and H.S. Paris (eds).  XIth EUCARPIA Meeting on Genetics and Breeding of Cucurbitaceae, Warsaw, Poland. Cucurbitaceae 2016.
• Levi, A., A. Simmons, K. Ling, Y. Tadmor, P. Nimmakayala, and U.K. Reddy. Utilizing Genetic Diversity in the Desert Watermelon Citrullus colocynthis for Enhancing Watermelon Cultivars for Resistance to Biotic and Abiotic Stress. p. 105-108. In E.U. Kozik and H.S. Paris (eds). Cucurbitaceae 2016, XIth EUCARPIA Meeting on Genetics and Breeding of Cucurbitaceae, Warsaw, Poland. 2016.
• Mandal, M.K., J.L. Ikerd, A. Soorni, and C.S. Kousik. Molecular dissection of resistance signaling in watermelon fruit through transcriptomic approach. Phytopathology S4.153. 2016.
• Miller, N., M. Adams, and L.M. Quesada-Ocampo. Evaluation of Fungicides for Management of Fusarium Wilt of Watermelon. HortScience. 51(9):S41. 2016.
• Gimode, W.R., Y. Xu, Z. Fei and C.E. McGregor. Identification of Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Gummy Stem Blight Resistance in Watermelon. Southern Region American Society for Horticultural Science, Birmingham, AL.  2019.
• Gimode, W.R., J. Clevenger and C.E. McGregor. Effort to Identify Quantitative Trait Locus Associated with Gummy Stem Blight Resistance in Watermelon. IPBGG Retreat 2018, Pine Mountain, GA. 2018.
• Gimode, W.R. and C.E. McGregor. Fine Mapping of a Major Flowering Time Quantitative Trait Locus in Watermelon Using Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, Hudson Alpha, Huntsville, Alabama, CROPS 2017.
• Gimode, W.R., J. Clevenger and C.E. McGregor. Fine Mapping of a Major Flowering Time Quantitative Trait Locus in Watermelon. NAPB, University of California, Davis-CA, 2017.
• Guo, S., Comparative population genomics reveals the evolution of fruit quality traits during watermelon domestication. Plant and Animal Genome XXVII Conference. January 12-16, 2018.
• Hartman, J. and T. C. Wehner. Inheritance of citrulline and lycopene content in two watermelon populations. Watermelon Research Development Group, TX. 2017.
• Katuuramu, D. Branham, S, Levi, A., Wechter WP. Phenotypic variability and genome-wide association analysis of downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) resistance in a pre-breeding watermelon Citrullus amarus collection. Plant and Animal Genome Conference. PE0692. 2020.
• Kousik CS. Developing Sustainable Strategies for Managing Watermelon Diseases in Southeastern United States. Invited Presentation at the Indian Phytopathological Society Annual Symposium in Varanasi, India from February 26-28, 2020.
• Kousik CS. Developing sustainable strategies for managing watermelon diseases in southeastern United States. Abstracts of the National Symposium on Recent challenges and opportunities in sustainable plant health management at the 71st Annual Meeting of the Indian Phytopathological Society. February 26-28, 2019. BHU, Varanasi, India. Pp. 267. 2019.
• Kousik, C.S., Ikerd, J.L., and Mandal, M.K. 2018. Relative susceptibility of commercial watermelon varieties to powdery mildew. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Southern Division, American Phytopathological Society (SD-APS).Fayetteville, AR Feb 16-18, 2018.
• Kousik, C.S., Ikerd, J.L., and Mandal, M.K. Relative Susceptibility of Commercial Watermelon Varieties to Powdery Mildew and Phytophthora Fruit Rot. CUCURBITACEAE 2018, Davis CA, Nov. 12-15, 2018.
• Kousik, C.S., Ikerd, J.L., Mandal, M.K. and Wadl, P. Genetics of Resistance to Powdery Mildew in Watermelon Line USVL608-PMR. CUCURBITACEAE 2018, Davis CA, November 12-15, 2018.
• Kousik, C.S., Mandal, M.K., Ikerd, J.L., Adkins, S., and Turechek, W. 2018. Powdery mildew resistant watermelon germplasm lines USVL608-PMR, USVL278-PMR, USVL313-PMR and USVL585-PMR. Presented at the Watermelon Research and Development Group (WRDG) meeting. Southern Region ASHS, Jacksonville, FL. February 2018.
• Kousik, C.S. Presented an invited seminar on “Progress and challenges in managing watermelon diseases”. Department of Plant Pathology, >50 attendees, University of Georgia Athens, GA, Aug. 2017.
• Kousik, C.S., Ikerd, J.L. and Mandal, M.K. Long term monitoring of cucurbit powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii) races in Charleston, South Carolina. Presented at the Annual meeting of the American Phytopathological Society, San Antonio, TX August 2017. 503-P, 2017.
• Kousik, C.S., J. Pingsheng, and L.M. Quesada-Ocampo.  Fungicide rotation schemes for managing Phytophthora fruit rot of watermelon across Southeastern United States (NC, SC, GA). International soilborne Oomycete conference, Duck Key, FL. December 2015.
• Lonnee M., W.R. Gimode, and C.E. McGregor. Evaluation of Gummy Stem Blight Resistance in Watermelon Using Stagonosporopsis spp. Isolates. CAES, Young Scholars Athens, GA. 2018.
• Mandal, M.K., Suren, H. and Kousik, C.S. Transcriptomic profiling of watermelon-powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii) interactions. Presented at the Annual meeting of the American Phytopathological Society, 361-P, San Antonio, TX August 2017.
• McGregor, C.E.Out of Africa: The Story of Watermelon Disease Resistance. Georgia Association of Plant Pathologists annual meeting. Savannah, GA. 2019.
• Patel, T. and T. Wehner. Identification of new resistance sources and SNPs markers in watermelon for anthracnose (Colletotrichum orbiculare). Abstract and Poster. National Association of Plant Breeders, Davis, CA. 2017.
• Reyes, J.A., Villari, C., Brewer, M.T., Dutta, B., and McGregor, C.E. Detection of the Gummy Stem Blight Pathogens in Watermelon Using Quick Field-Adapted Technologies. Southern Region American Society for Horticultural Science, Louisville, KY. 2020.
• Reyes J, Villari C, Brewer M, McGregor C. Detection of the Gummy Stem Blight-causing Pathogens (Stagonosporopsis spp.) in Watermelon Using Species-specific LAMP Assays In Southern Region American Society for Horticultural Science, Birmingham, AL. 2019.
• Reyes, J., Villari, C., Brewer, M. and C.E McGregor. 2018. Detection of the Gummy Stem Blight-Causing Pathogens (Stagonosporopsis spp.) in Watermelon Using Species-Specific LAMP Assays. CUCURBITACEAE 2018, Davis CA, Nov. 12-15, 2018.
• Schultheis, J.R. and K.D. Starke. 2018 North Carolina triploid watermelon standard size cultivar evaluation trial. ASHS-SR, Birmingham, AL, Feb. HortScience. 2019.
• Schultheis, J.R. and W.B. Thompson. Watermelon cultivar yield and quality results, North Carolina, 2015. HortScience. 51(9):S37. 2016.
• Schultheis, J.R. and W.B. Thompson. Watermelon yield and fruit size response to grafted versus non-grafted transplants in plasticulture and bare ground production systems. HortScience. 51(9):S38. 2016.
• Shan W, Gao L, Branham SE, Wechter PW, Kousik C, Levi A, Xu Y, Fei Z. De novo genome assembly of sweet watermelon relatives and a pan-genome of Citrullus species. Plant and Animal Genome Conference W322. 2020.
• Starke, K.D., B. Thompson, C. Jiang, and J. Schultheis. Planting density influences mini-watermelon yield and quality. VII International Symposium on Seed, Transplant and Stand Establishment of Horticultural Crops, Pretoria, South Africa, September 2016.
• Taylor J, Boroujerdi A, Pikes T, Harris R, Kousik CS, Mandal MK. Environmental bacteria as potent biocontrol agents for controlling Phytophthora fruit rot on watermelon. Southern division APS Annual Meeting Charleston, SC. 2020.
• Trandel, M.A., P. Perkins-Veazie, and J. Schultheis. Tissue firmness and hollow heartdevelopment in 2012, 2013, and 2014 triploid watermelon variety trials. ASHS-SR, Birmingham, AL, Feb. HortScience 54(9):S399. 2019.
• Wu S. De novo genome assembly of sweet watermelon relatives and construction of Citrullus pan-genome. Plant & Animal Genomes XXVIII Conference. January 2020.

Disease Management Publications

• Adams, M., C.H. Parada, and L.M. Quesada-Ocampo. 2017.
  Evaluation of fungicides for control of Phytophthora fruit rot of watermelon. Kinston 2016. PDMR 11:V111.
• Kousik, C.S., Ikerd, J.L. and Mandal, M.K. 2018.
  Evaluation of fungicide rotations and Melcast for management of Phytophthora fruit rot of watermelon, 2016. PDMR 12:V074.
• Kousik, C.S., Ikerd, J.L. and Mandal, M.K. 2018.
  Evaluation of watermelon varieties for tolerance to powdery mildew, 2016. PDMR 12:V075.
• Kousik, C.S., Ikerd, J.L. and Mandal, M.K. 2018.
  Evaluation of watermelon varieties for tolerance to powdery mildew and Phytophthora fruit rot, 2015. PDMR 12:V076.
• Kousik, C.S. and J.L. Ikerd. 2016.
  Evaluation of watermelon varieties for tolerance to powdery mildew and Phytophthora fruit rot. 2014.  PDMR 10:V082.
• Kousik, C.S. and J.L. Ikerd. 2016.
  Evaluation of fungicide rotations for management of Phytophthora fruit rot of watermelon, 2015.  PDMR 10:V083.
• Miller, N.F. and L.M. Quesada-Ocampo. 2017.
  Evaluation of fungicides for control of Fusarium wilt of watermelon, Salisbury, NC, 2015. PDMR 11:V134.
• Miller, N.F. and L.M. Quesada-Ocampo. 2017.
  Evaluation of fungicides for Fusarium wilt of watermelon, Salisbury, NC, 2016. PDMR 11:V135.
• Noël, N.A. and L.M. Quesada-Ocampo. 2018.
  Tolerance of watermelon cultivars to cucurbit anthracnose, 2017. PDMR 12: V135.
• Noël, N., and L.M. Quesada-Ocampo. 2017.
  Tolerance of watermelon lines to cucurbit anthracnose, 2016. PDMR 11:V062.
• Stahr, M.N., H. Collins, and L.M. Quesada-Ocampo. 2019.
  Evaluation of fungicides for control of Fusarium wilt on watermelon, Clayton 2018. PDMR 13: V056.
• Stahr, M.N., H. Collins, and L.M. Quesada-Ocampo. 2019.
  Evaluation of programs combining host resistance with fungicides for control of Fusarium wilt of watermelon, Clayton 2018. PDMR 13: V076.
• Stahr, M.N., H. Collins, and L.M. Quesada-Ocampo. 2019.
  Evaluation of programs combining host resistance with fungicides for control of Fusarium wilt of watermelon in Clayton, North Carolina, May 2017. PDMR 13: V149.
• Stahr, M.N. ,H. Collins, and L.M. Quesada-Ocampo. 2019.
  Evaluation of programs combining host resistance with fungicides for control of Fusarium wilt of watermelon in Clayton, North Carolina, July 2017. PDMR 13: V150.