Genomic and bioinformatic platforms
The CucCAP team is building upon the Cucurbit Genomics Database website. This website serves as the basis for development and dissemination of genomic tool kits for accelerated cucurbit crop improvement including: sequencing and bioinformatic platforms for GBS; sequence data processing and analysis; gene mapping and identification of QTL. It also provides publicly accessible databases for sequences, maps, markers, population and accession phenotyping data, and gene/trait descriptors developed by the CucCAP project.
GBS analysis of PI collections and resequencing of core populations
The U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) maintains seeds of cucumber, melon, watermelon and squash (Cucurbita pepo, C. moschata and C. maxima) accessions. An objective of the CucCAP project is to develop genome-informed core collections to represent diversity of the species, provide a common set of material for research, and help streamline maintenance of seed supplies for distribution. These core collections and their associated publically available sequence data, will create a germplasm resource for genome wide association studies (GWAS), both for traits of interest within the context of this project, as well as any traits that may be studied in the future (e.g., fruit quality).
Access to cucurbit genomics tools and databases
Data obtained through the CucCAP project will be publically available via the Cucurbit Genomics Database. Access also will be facilitated by genomics and bioinformatics workshops open to all members of the cucurbit scientific and breeding communities.
