Watermelon Germplasm with Resistance to Whitefly-transmitted Viruses
The current management of whiteflies is largely dependent on insecticides. However, pesticides are costly and do not provide effective control of whitefly-transmitted viruses (WTVs). However, breeding for resistant cultivars can provide a more effective and sustainable solution. Twenty-one Citrullus...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS)
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | HortScience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/60/2/article-p245.xml |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832582500964106240 |
|---|---|
| author | Alex Luckew Nebahat Sari Swikriti Pandey Ted McAvoy Alvin M. Simmons Geoffrey Meru Cecilia McGregor |
| author_facet | Alex Luckew Nebahat Sari Swikriti Pandey Ted McAvoy Alvin M. Simmons Geoffrey Meru Cecilia McGregor |
| author_sort | Alex Luckew |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The current management of whiteflies is largely dependent on insecticides. However, pesticides are costly and do not provide effective control of whitefly-transmitted viruses (WTVs). However, breeding for resistant cultivars can provide a more effective and sustainable solution. Twenty-one Citrullus genotypes, including 10 C. lanatus, four C. mucosospermus, six C. amarus, and one C. ecirrhosus, were evaluated to determine their resistance to three WTVs common in Georgia in field trials for 2 years. Phenotypic data were collected weekly to determine viral disease severity, and the cumulative season data were calculated as the area under the disease progress curve. Leaves were collected 5 weeks after transplanting (WAT) in 2022 and at 7 WAT in 2023 to determine the viral loads of Cucurbit leaf crumple virus (CuLCrV), Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV), and Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV) via a quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The CuLCrV and CYSDV viral loads were higher in 2022 than those in 2023, whereas the CCYV load was higher in 2023. Three accessions (PI 494528, PI 595203, and Grif 16444) outperformed the cultivars for viral disease resistance and CuLCrV load (2022). In 2022, there was a significant difference among cultivars regarding the CYSDV load, with ‘AU-Producer’, ‘Crimson Sweet’, and ‘Estrella’ having lower loads than those of ‘Charleston Gray’ and ‘Sugar Baby’. There were no statistical differences in CCYV loads between the best-performing accessions and ‘Charleston Gray’. Grif 16444 is a C. ecirrhosus accession, and this species has resistance to whiteflies. The two C. mucosospermus accessions (PI 494528 and PI 595203) provide a valuable resource for breeders to develop CuLCrV resistance in watermelon (C. lanatus) because there is no reproductive barrier between the two species. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2d5fbbc555e944459d2aaed6b4bef7fb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2327-9834 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | HortScience |
| spelling | doaj-art-2d5fbbc555e944459d2aaed6b4bef7fb2025-01-29T16:29:46ZengAmerican Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS)HortScience2327-98342025-01-01602https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI18262-24Watermelon Germplasm with Resistance to Whitefly-transmitted VirusesAlex Luckew0Nebahat Sari1Swikriti Pandey2Ted McAvoy3Alvin M. Simmons4Geoffrey Meru5Cecilia McGregor6Department of Horticulture, University of Georgia, and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics & Genomics, University of GeorgiaRutgers, The State University of New Jersey, SEBS, Department of Plant BiologyInstitute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of GeorgiaDepartment of Horticulture, University of GeorgiaUS Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, US Vegetable Laboratory, Charleston, SCHorticultural Sciences Department, Tropical Research & Education Center, University of FloridaDepartment of Horticulture, University of Georgia, and Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, University of GeorgiaThe current management of whiteflies is largely dependent on insecticides. However, pesticides are costly and do not provide effective control of whitefly-transmitted viruses (WTVs). However, breeding for resistant cultivars can provide a more effective and sustainable solution. Twenty-one Citrullus genotypes, including 10 C. lanatus, four C. mucosospermus, six C. amarus, and one C. ecirrhosus, were evaluated to determine their resistance to three WTVs common in Georgia in field trials for 2 years. Phenotypic data were collected weekly to determine viral disease severity, and the cumulative season data were calculated as the area under the disease progress curve. Leaves were collected 5 weeks after transplanting (WAT) in 2022 and at 7 WAT in 2023 to determine the viral loads of Cucurbit leaf crumple virus (CuLCrV), Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV), and Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV) via a quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The CuLCrV and CYSDV viral loads were higher in 2022 than those in 2023, whereas the CCYV load was higher in 2023. Three accessions (PI 494528, PI 595203, and Grif 16444) outperformed the cultivars for viral disease resistance and CuLCrV load (2022). In 2022, there was a significant difference among cultivars regarding the CYSDV load, with ‘AU-Producer’, ‘Crimson Sweet’, and ‘Estrella’ having lower loads than those of ‘Charleston Gray’ and ‘Sugar Baby’. There were no statistical differences in CCYV loads between the best-performing accessions and ‘Charleston Gray’. Grif 16444 is a C. ecirrhosus accession, and this species has resistance to whiteflies. The two C. mucosospermus accessions (PI 494528 and PI 595203) provide a valuable resource for breeders to develop CuLCrV resistance in watermelon (C. lanatus) because there is no reproductive barrier between the two species.https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/60/2/article-p245.xmlbemisia tabacicitrullus amaruscitrullus ecirrhosuscitrulluscitrullus lanatuscitrullus mucosospermuscucurbit leaf crumple viruscucurbit chlorotic yellows viruscucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus |
| spellingShingle | Alex Luckew Nebahat Sari Swikriti Pandey Ted McAvoy Alvin M. Simmons Geoffrey Meru Cecilia McGregor Watermelon Germplasm with Resistance to Whitefly-transmitted Viruses HortScience bemisia tabaci citrullus amarus citrullus ecirrhosus citrullus citrullus lanatus citrullus mucosospermus cucurbit leaf crumple virus cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus |
| title | Watermelon Germplasm with Resistance to Whitefly-transmitted Viruses |
| title_full | Watermelon Germplasm with Resistance to Whitefly-transmitted Viruses |
| title_fullStr | Watermelon Germplasm with Resistance to Whitefly-transmitted Viruses |
| title_full_unstemmed | Watermelon Germplasm with Resistance to Whitefly-transmitted Viruses |
| title_short | Watermelon Germplasm with Resistance to Whitefly-transmitted Viruses |
| title_sort | watermelon germplasm with resistance to whitefly transmitted viruses |
| topic | bemisia tabaci citrullus amarus citrullus ecirrhosus citrullus citrullus lanatus citrullus mucosospermus cucurbit leaf crumple virus cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus |
| url | https://journals.ashs.org/hortsci/view/journals/hortsci/60/2/article-p245.xml |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alexluckew watermelongermplasmwithresistancetowhiteflytransmittedviruses AT nebahatsari watermelongermplasmwithresistancetowhiteflytransmittedviruses AT swikritipandey watermelongermplasmwithresistancetowhiteflytransmittedviruses AT tedmcavoy watermelongermplasmwithresistancetowhiteflytransmittedviruses AT alvinmsimmons watermelongermplasmwithresistancetowhiteflytransmittedviruses AT geoffreymeru watermelongermplasmwithresistancetowhiteflytransmittedviruses AT ceciliamcgregor watermelongermplasmwithresistancetowhiteflytransmittedviruses |