Scientists at the USDA, ARS, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory in Charleston, SC evaluated the USDA, ARS citron watermelon germplasm collection for flowering time and fruit yield traits under field conditions over two years. They used a “genome-wide association study (GWAS)” to detect genomic regions and molecular (DNA) markers associated with flowering time and fruit yield traits. The new molecular markers will be useful in improving watermelon varieties for early flowering and maturity and yield performance via marker-assisted breeding.
Levi Lab @ USDA-ARS
Amnon Levi is a geneticist and project leader at the USDA-ARS Vegetable research laboratory in Charleston, SC, the CucCAP Watermelon team leader, and a CucCAP Bioinformatics team member. Sandra Branham is a postdoctoral research scientist in the lab.
CucCAP scientists develop a super-pangenome for watermelon
A super-pangenome was constructed to represent the entire watermelon gene repertoire, uncovering several disease resistance genes that are present in wild watermelons while completely lost in watermelon cultivars.
Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative #47 | call for papers
Editors of the Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative are now accepting reports for CGC #47. Reports or manuscripts should be submitted by February 15th, 2024. The CGC committee seeks assistant editors for future CGC reports.
CucCAP watermelon team | super-pangenome for watermelon
Scientists have constructed a comprehensive ‘super-pangenome’ for watermelon and its wild relatives, uncovering beneficial genes lost during domestication that could improve disease resistance and fruit quality of this vital fruit crop.
Early Career Scientist Spotlight | Anju Biswas
Anju Biswas is a Post Doctoral fellow in the USDA-ARS-ORISE program at the U. S. Vegetable Laboratory at Charleston, SC. Her mentor is CucCAP Watermelon Team leader, Dr. Amnon Levi. The focus of her work is plant breeding, plant pathology, and genomics.
Watermelon Team | 2023 Progress Report
Genomics and Bioinformatics Team | 2023 Progress Report
The CucCAP Genomics and Bioinformatics Team reported on project progress and ongoing research in April 2023.
CucCAP Squash Team | Research Publications
The CucCAP squash team published 6 journal articles in 2022 & 2023, 7 journal articles in 2021, and 5 journal articles in 2020.
