“CucCAP2: Harnessing genomic resources for disease resistance and management in cucurbit crops – bringing the tools to the field”, will focus on the development of advanced genomic, bioinformatic and breeding tools; disease resistant materials; disease management strategies and economic analyses for critical diseases threatening cucurbit production.
CucCAP Featured Articles
The CucCAP website features recently published articles from the four crop teams, (Cucumber, Melon, Squash, and Watermelon) and the Bioinformatics, Breeding, & Genomics group. Extension and outreach activities, articles and reports are also featured.
CucCAP researchers identify watermelon root traits to improve tolerance to stress and diseases
In a recent study, CucCAP researchers used a digital imaging technology to evaluate the root systems in 335 watermelon accessions.
CucCAP scientists uncover QTL associated with sulfur tolerance in melon, facilitating disease control options
CucCAP researchers identified a major QTL associated with sulfur tolerance in a melon mapping population. Genetic markers were developed for the major QTL and can be used to incorporate sulfur tolerance in melon breeding programs.
CucCAP Research and Extension progress highlighted in the 2020 Team Report
CucCAP researchers perform economic analysis on production costs and disease control for cucurbit crops
CucCAP economists developed models showing potential for economic returns for cucurbit crops in multiple production regions. Economic variables such as interest rates, input costs, production windows and existing crop budgets were collected to develop representative farms for production of cucurbit crops
CucCAP scientists uncover the genetic basis of unique horticultural traits in the multi-disease resistant cucumber germplasm line WI2757
The cucumber line WI2757 has been an important sources of disease resistances for cucumber breeding, but it has some drawbacks including later flowering and poor growth under field conditions. The genetic basis for these traits is not known. CucCAP researchers conducted molecular mapping using populations involving WI2757, and uncovered a large paracentric inversion of about 10 megabases in length on cucumber chromosome 1 of WI2757. They found that inversion region harbors genes or quantitative trait loci for fruit length, diameter, fruit shape, fruit number, and flowering time.
CucCAP researchers provide updated disease control information for cucurbit growers
CucCAP Vegetable Pathology and Crop Production Extension Specialists published plant disease management reports and Cucurbit cultigen evaluations from recent field trials. These reports provide valuable information for cucurbit crop producers, seed companies and other CucCAP stakeholders.
CucCAP scientists provide inventory of genes and QTL for cucumber breeding and genetics community
CucCAP scientists and collaborators provide an extensive review of the literature to systematically document genes for simply inherited traits, QTL for 130 quantitative traits, and develop recommendations for QTL nomenclature in cucumber. In a separate study, researchers conducted comparative analysis on the genetic basis of fruit size and shape variation among cucumber, melon and watermelon, and revealed both conserved and unique genetic architecture of fruit size/shape variation among cucurbit crops.
