The CucCAP teams presented recent progress to project stakeholders. The meeting was hosted by the CucCAP melon breeding team at the USDA-ARS Research center in Salinas California.
CucCAP Project
Contributions to the CucCAP project by the Bioinformatics Team, Cucurbit Crop Breeding Teams, and the Integrated Disease Management Team.
CucCAP scientists identify resistance loci for Fusarium wilt race 2 in wild watermelon
Genome-Wide Association Mapping and Genomic Prediction of Fusarium Wilt Race 2 Resistance in the USDA Citrullus amarus Collection
CucCAP scientists study pathogen resistances to watermelon fungicides
Watermelon is affected several pathogens and pests that are frequently controlled by SDHI compounds. Scientists from North Carolina State University compared the sensitivity of the different pathogens to various SDHIs.
Early Career Scientist Spotlight | Hunter Collins
As a Research Assistant and Field Technician in Lina Quesada’s Vegetable Pathology lab at NC State, Hunter Collins finds great value in helping to find methods to better manage diseases in vegetable crops.
CucCAP researchers identify QTL associated with resistance to Phytophthora fruit rot in cucumber
Phytophthora fruit rot is a major disease impacting pickling cucumber production for which there are no resistant varieties. Genomic approaches were performed on the cucumber core collection leading to identification and verification of several quantitative trait loci associated with resistance. The results from this work can be applied to future disease resistance studies and to assist marker-assisted selection in breeding programs.
UF/IFAS plant breeders to release squash cultivars
Geoffrey Meru at UF IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center in Florida and his team have been researching Calabaza’s qualities as a sustainable crop to grow commercially in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Puerto Rico.
CucCAP leader receives award
Grumet’s lab most recently focused on fruit development and disease resistance in cucumber and melon crops using molecular genetic, genomic and transgenic approaches. This centered on early stages of fruit growth and factors influencing fruit size, shape, cuticle and surface properties and resistance to Phytophthora capsici.
