Watermelon production in the U.S. and around the world faces serious threats by viral diseases, including aphid-transmitted potyviruses: papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) and zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV). In a recent study, a CucCAP team examined expression of anti-microbial/anti-viral, ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) in watermelons in response to inoculation with PRSV. The PRSV-resistant citron watermelon (Citrullus amarus) exhibited high RIP expression, versus low expression in plants of the susceptible, cultivated “Charleston Gray” watermelon. This finding may offer additional genetic and genomic resources for improving potyvirus-resistance in watermelon cultivars.
Fei Lab @ BTI
Xin Wang, Kan Bao, Yang Bai, Chen Jiao & Zhangjun Fei are affiliated with the Boyce Thompson Institute at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, USA. The Boyce Thompson Institute is an independent research institute devoted to using plant sciences to improve agriculture, protect the environment, and enhance human health.
CucCAP Bioinformatics team releases version 2 of Cucurbit Genomics Database
Version 2 of the Cucurbit Genomics Database (CuGenDBv2) is up running. The release note was published in April 2022.
CucCAP researchers compile analysis of genetic resources and vulnerabilities for cucurbit crops
Germplasm collections maintained by the US National Plant Germplasm System and those of other countries are critical sources of diversity utilized by breeders for crop improvement. This review summarizes status of collections and vulnerabilities for cucurbit crops.
Breaking Ground with Zhangjun Fei | BTI Discussion Series
Almost everyone is familiar with watermelon, but there is much more to the fruit than being just a sweet summer snack. Its high nutritional value and invigorating compounds have helped make watermelon the third most popular fruit in the world. Join BTI’s Dr. Zhangjun Fei in this Breaking Ground as we discuss how genomics has helped unravel the origin and breeding history of the watermelon, and how scientists continue to work to improve this fascinating fruit.
2021 CucCAP Watermelon Team Publications and Presentations
Watermelon Breeding, Genetics, Genomics, Pathology, and Disease Management Publications & Presentations
Genomics and Bioinformatics Team | 2021 Progress Report
CucCAP researchers genetically characterize more than 2000 melon accessions in the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System
The U.S. National Plant Germplasm System maintains a melon germplasm collection from worldwide melon production areas and regions where primitive melons exist. The CucCAP team genetically characterized the collection to increase understanding of genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and population structure of the collection, and to improve melon taxonomic classifications. A core collection was developed from the analysis to provide a public resource for future research and genomics-assisted breeding. Thirty-five morphological characters were evaluated in the core collection to identify genomic regions potentially related to fruit quality and other horticultural traits important in melon improvement.
PAG XXIX POSTPONED
PAG XXIX which was originally scheduled for January 2021 in San Diego, is officially postponed until January 8 – 12, 2022.
