Abstract
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A Citrullus amarus mapping population segregating for resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum race 2 and Papaya ringspot virus was used to identify novel QTL, important for the improvement in watermelon disease resistance.
Abstract
Multiple disease screens of the USDA Citrullus spp. germplasm collection have highlighted the value of Citrullus amarus (citron melon or wild watermelon) as a resource for enhancing modern watermelon cultivars (Citrullus lanatus) with resistance to a broad range of fungal, bacterial and viral diseases of watermelon. We have generated a genetic population of C. amarus segregating for resistance to two important watermelon diseases: Fusarium wilt (caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum; Fon race 2) and Papaya ringspot virus-watermelon strain (PRSV-W). QTL mapping of Fon race 2 resistance identified seven significant QTLs, with the major QTL representing a novel genetic source of resistance and an opportunity for gene pyramiding. A single QTL was associated with resistance to PRSV-W, which adhered to expectations of a prior study indicating a single-gene recessive inheritance in watermelon. The resistance loci identified here provide valuable genetic resources for introgression into cultivated watermelon for the improvement in disease resistance.
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Acknowledgements
This research is a part of the Cucurbit Coordinated Agricultural Project (CucCAP) supported by the USDA, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Grant # 2015-51181-24285, and used resources provided by the SCINet project of the USDA Agricultural Research Service, ARS project number 0500-00093-001-00-D.
Funding
This study was funded, in part, by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) project number 6080-22000-028-00 and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Specialty Crops Research Initiative project number 6080-21000-019-08.
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AL, WPW, SB and KL designed and implemented the experiments. NG, MB and EK developed F2 and F3 population and maintained and supplied PRSV inoculum, WPW, SB, KL and AL phenotyped the population. LM and BC assisted in increasing genetic populations, inoculating and maintaining plants in greenhouse, and in conducting DNA isolation, genotyping and ELISA tests. SB analyzed the data. SB, WPW, KL and AL wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Communicated by Albrecht E. Melchinger.
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Branham, S.E., Patrick Wechter, W., Ling, KS. et al. QTL mapping of resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum race 2 and Papaya ringspot virus in Citrullus amarus. Theor Appl Genet 133, 677–687 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-019-03500-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-019-03500-3