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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #278594
Title: Evaluation of virus resistant rootstocks to manage watermelon vine decline and diseases caused by other potyviruses

Author
item Adkins, Scott
item Webster, Craig
item HASSELL, RICHARD - Clemson University
item Turechek, William
item Kousik, Chandrasekar - Shaker

Submitted to: Vineline Magazine
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2012
Publication Date: 4/15/2012
Citation: Adkins, S.T., Webster, C.G., Hassell, R., Turechek, W., Kousik, C.S. 2012. Evaluation of virus resistant rootstocks to manage watermelon vine decline and diseases caused by other potyviruses. Vineline Magazine. Fall:41.

Interpretive Summary: Watermelon vine decline caused by Squash vein yellowing virus (SqVYV) is an emerging disease that has caused severe losses to Florida watermelon growers in recent years. Papaya ringspot virus type W (PRSV-W) is one of several watermelon-infecting potyviruses long present in the southeastern U.S. Long term effective management of virus diseases of watermelon is currently limited by a lack of resistance to several viruses including SqVYV and PRSV-W. Previous research has identified Citrullus and Lagenaria germplasm that show resistance to these viruses and is being investigated in ongoing experiments. Efforts to introduce this resistance to commercial watermelon cultivars through conventional plant breeding techniques are expected to take time and may be difficult due to the genetic distance from commercial watermelon types. Therefore, short term alternative methods for deploying this virus resistance in watermelon are desirable. Grafting is one such method, and we evaluated resistant germplasm as rootstocks for commercially available triploid (seedless) watermelon scions. This strategy has been used to control other diseases of watermelon (particularly soil-borne diseases) and has also been reported as effective for several viruses.

Technical Abstract: Watermelon vine decline caused by Squash vein yellowing virus (SqVYV) is an emerging disease that has caused severe losses to Florida watermelon growers in recent years. Papaya ringspot virus type W (PRSV-W) is one of several watermelon-infecting potyviruses long present in the southeastern U.S. Long term effective management of virus diseases of watermelon is currently limited by a lack of resistance to several viruses including SqVYV and PRSV-W. Previous research has identified Citrullus and Lagenaria germplasm that show resistance to these viruses and is being investigated in ongoing experiments. Efforts to introduce this resistance to commercial watermelon cultivars through conventional plant breeding techniques are expected to take time and may be difficult due to the genetic distance from commercial watermelon types. Therefore, short term alternative methods for deploying this virus resistance in watermelon are desirable. Grafting is one such method, and we evaluated resistant germplasm as rootstocks for commercially available triploid (seedless) watermelon scions. This strategy has been used to control other diseases of watermelon (particularly soil-borne diseases) and has also been reported as effective for several viruses.