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Title: YELLOW VINE INCIDENCE IN WATERMELON AS RELATED TO GENOTYPE AND PLOIDY

Author
item Davis, Angela
item Pair, Sammy
item Bruton, Benny
item MITCHELL, FORREST - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
item FLETCHER, JACQUE - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Horticulture Industries Show
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/2/2001
Publication Date: 2/2/2001
Citation: Davis, A.R., Pair, S.D., Bruton, B.D., Mitchell, F., Fletcher, J. 2001. Yellow vine incidence in watermelon as related to genotype and ploidy. Proceedings of 20th Horticulture Industries Conference. 20:101-103.

Interpretive Summary: Producers lack a satisfactory control strategy for yellow vine disease in cucurbits. One hundred and eleven watermelon genotypes (2n, 3n, and 4n) were screened for innate resistance to yellow vine disease. Results demonstrated a correlation between ploidy and resistance to yellow vine. Genotypes with 2n tended to be the most susceptible with 3n genotypes being gmore resistant and 4n genotypes being most resistant. Although the mechanism of resistance is unknown, this information provides a framework for plant breeders to develop yellow vine resistance in watermelon.

Technical Abstract: A phloem-limited bacterium has been associated with yellow vine of cucurbits and evidence suggests that the bacterium may be vectored by insects. At present, producers lack satisfactory control strategies for this disease. In 1997-1999, 47 watermelon cultivars representing open- pollinated, hybrid, and polyploid genotypes were field screened (Lane Research Station) for resistance to yellow vine. Expression of yellow vin was significantly influenced by both cultivar and by ploidy. Incidence of yellow vine in the different genotypes was as follows: 25.26% in open- pollinated (2n), 22.63% in hybrids (2n), 7.93% in triploid (3n) seedless, and 2.23% in a tetraploid (4n) line. Increased leaf pubescence is being explored as a resistance mechanism to yellow vine disease since triploids tend to produce more leaf hairs than diploids.