With a wide variety of options to choose from, researchers are working with technology in order to grow better cucurbits. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS), marker assisted selection and genomic selection have been used to improve specialty crops like squash, pumpkins and watermelons.
CucCAP Project Partners
News from the Cucurbit industry including updates from commodity groups, the seed industry, and the USDA.
2018 Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Annual Report
The Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative (CGC) was established in 1977 to develop and advance the genetics of economically important cucurbits. CucCAP Team members have contributed many articles to the Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative throughout the years. Members of the CucCAP Team contributing to CGC report#41 for 2018 include authors Todd Wehner and Jim McCreight along with editors, Amnon Levi and Linda Wessel-Beaver.
UNH Squash Breeding Program
The squash breeding work by Dr. Brent Loy, emeritus professor of plant genetics at UNH has resulted in the commercial release of several new cucurbit varieties that exhibit intermediate resistance to powdery mildew disease. Three new pumpkins, a summer squash, a butternut squash and a melon have been released and are available in 2019 seed catalogues.
CucCAP researchers develop high-density map and identify QTL for resistance to Fusarium in melon
CucCAP researchers at the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, SC collaborated with the Boyce Thompson Institute in Ithaca, NY to generate the highest density genetic map to date for melon.
Complete resistance to powdery mildew and partial resistance to downy mildew in a Cucumis hystrix introgression line of cucumber were controlled by a co-localized locus
An article published in Theoretical and Applied Genetics was cited by CucCAP vegetable pathologists. Key message A single recessive gene for complete resistance to powdery mildew and a major-effect QTL for partial resistance to downy mildew were co-localized in a Cucumis hystrix introgression line of cucumber. Read More
Secretary Perdue Issues USDA Statement on Plant Breeding Innovation| VSC news
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued a statement providing clarification on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) oversight of plants produced through innovative new breeding techniques which include techniques called genome editing. Read More at VSC news
Texas A&M AgriLife vegetable breeding program to develop better cultivars | Produce Grower
He said watermelon germplasm and advanced lines will be screened for anthracnose resistance in the greenhouse at Uvalde to identify their respective levels of resistance. In addition, mapping populations of watermelon germplasm from the University of Georgia will be evaluated for anthracnose resistance. “Diagnostic molecular markers for each anthracnose resistant gene will be identified and […]
Genetics and Genomics of Cucurbitaceae
This book provides an overview of the current state of knowledge of the genetics and genomics of the Cucurbitaceae plant family.
