Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum race 2 is a serious disease in watermelon that can reduce yields by 80%. As resistance is not available in commercial watermelon, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed on accessions of a wild relative of watermelon, Citrullus amarus. Several loci contributing to Fusarium resistance were identified that may facilitate future breeding efforts.
For further reading…
- Genome-Wide Association Mapping and Genomic Prediction of Fusarium Wilt Race 2 Resistance in the USDA Citrullus amarus Collection
by: Venkata Rao Ganaparthi, Gabriel Rennberger, Patrick Wechter, Amnon Levi, and Sandra E. Branham
Published Online:28 Nov 2023 in Plant Disease, Vol. 107, No. 12.
DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-02-23-0400-RE