Luis Rivera-Burgos worked on breeding watermelon for gummy stem blight resistance with Dr. Todd Wehner on the first CucCAP project. Their research focused on the evaluation of resistance to Gummy Stem Blight in a population of recombinant inbred lines of watermelon x Citron.
CucCAP Watermelon Team
Watermelon Team contributions to the CucCAP grant including, publications, presentations, and updates about the team’s genomic, breeding and disease management efforts.
2021 CucCAP Watermelon Team Publications and Presentations
Watermelon Breeding, Genetics, Genomics, Pathology, and Disease Management Publications & Presentations
Watermelon Team | 2021 Progress Report
CucCAP scientists study effect of genome doubling on gene expression in tetraploid watermelon
Umesh Reddy and team at WVSU and Amnon Levi and team at USDA, ARS used advance genome sequencing technology to study the effect of genome doubling on gene expression in tetraploid watermelon versus their counterpart diploid watermelon parental plants.
Early Career Scientist Spotlight | Samikshya Rijal
CucCAP scientist Samikshya Rijal is working on watermelon breeding and genetics. Her primary goal is to assist in the development of gummy stem blight (GSB) resistant breeding material.
CucCAP scientists identify possible sources of resistance to bacterial fruit blotch in watermelon
Bacterial fruit blotch caused by Acidovorax citrulli is a serious disease of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) in the U.S. Currently, there are no varieties resistant to the disease. In a 3-year study, 1452 accessions and cultivars were tested for resistance to fruit blotch at the immature fruit stage, where resistance is most important for growers.
Watermelon researchers identify metabolic pathways and genome sequence
CucCAP researcher Amnon Levi collaborated with other scientists at the USDA ARS to develop a pioneering concept of using big data and computational biology to identify and catalog all of the phytochemicals that exist in edible fruit.
Meet the CucCAP Watermelon Team
The CucCAP Watermelon team is led by USDA-ARS Research Geneticist Amnon Levi. Co-investigators include Sandra Branham, Cecelia McGregor, Kai-Shu Ling, Shaker Kousik, Umesh Reddy, and Pat Wechter.
