Watermelon crops are increasingly threatened by infection by cucurbit downy mildew (CDM), caused by Pseudoperonospora cubensis. While there are limited sources of disease resistance within cultivated watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), a related species, C. amarus, can be a valuable source of resistances. CucCAP scientists at USDA, ARS, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory and Clemson University Coastal Research and Education Center (CREC) at Charleston, SC performed CDM disease resistance screening and whole genome resequencing of 122 C. amarus accessions. Genome wide association analysis (GWAS) of these materials identified several marker-trait associations and candidate genes, providing potential resources for genomics-assisted breeding for resistance to CDM in watermelon.
For further reading:
- Genome-Wide Association Analysis of Resistance to Pseudoperonospora cubensis in Citron Watermelon
by: Dennis N. Katuuramu, Sandra E. Branham, Amnon Levi, and W. Patrick Wechter
Published Online in Plant Disease, Vol. 106, pages 1952-1958 on June 13, 2022
DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-08-21-1611-RE
