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.
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.
The Science Behind a Favorite Summertime Treat | USDA
In a long-term study, a research team led by ARS geneticist Amnon Levi at the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory collaborated with scientists at the Boyce Thompson Institute to unlock the genome of “Charleston Gray.”
CucCAP scientists release genome of principal American watermelon cultivar and genetically characterize the National Plant Germplasm System watermelon collection
The CucCAP team has developed a high‐quality genome sequence for the principal American dessert watermelon cultivar ‘Charleston Gray’ and genotyped 1365 watermelon PI lines maintained at the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System.
Genomics and Bioinformatics Team | 2019 CucCAP Progress Report
Report from Team members: Zhangjun Fei (Boyce Thompson Institute), Umesh Reddy (West Virginia St. Univ), Amnon Levi (USDA, ARS), Yiqun Weng (USDA, ARS), Michael Mazourek (Cornell University), Pat Wechter (USDA, ARS), Rebecca Grumet (Michigan State University) on Developing genomic and bioinformatic platforms for cucurbit crops and Performing GBS analysis of PI collections, establish core populations of the four species, and provide community resource for genome wide association studies (GWAS).
Watermelon Team | 2019 CucCAP Progress Report
Watermelon Team members: Amnon Levi (USDA, ARS), Shaker Kousik (USDA, ARS), Kai-shu Ling (USDA, ARS), Cecilia McGregor (Univ. Georgia), Pat Wechter (USDA, ARS), Todd Wehner (North Carolina St. Univ.)
Overall objectives: Identifying quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with resistance to major and emerging diseases, developing useful molecular markers and utilizing the genomic tools to incorporate resistance into watermelon cultivars.
Major diseases: Gummy stem blight, Fusarium wilt, Powdery mildew, Phytophthora fruit rot, Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) and Cucumber green motile mosaic virus (CGMMV).
Charleston Gray watermelon sequenced
The USDA news service posted an article in May 2019 about teamwork among CucCAP scientists on watermelon genomics.
Harvesting Genes to Improve Watermelons | The Global Plant Council
Publications from CucCAP scientists Zhangjun Fei and Amnon Levi were highlighted in a recent article from The Global Plant Council.
CucCAP research identifies novel genetic source of resistance to Fusarium wilt race 1 in wild watermelon
CucCAP scientists at the USDA-ARS, US Vegetable Laboratory identified a major QTL (qFon1-9) associated with resistance to Fon race 1 on chromosome 9.
