ARS | Publication request: GENOME MAPPING, MOLECULAR MARKERS AND GENETIC ENGINEERING FOR CUCURBIT IMPROVEMENT IN: PLANT BREEDING REVIEWS

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: January 15, 2005
Publication Date: August 20, 2007
Citation: Wang, Y., Dean, R.A., Joobeur, T., Staub, J.E. 2007. Genome mapping, molecular markers and genetic engineering for cucurbit improvement in: Kole, C. Plants. Volume 5. New York, NY: Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 315-324.

Technical Abstract: The Cucurbitaceae family (cucurbits) comprises about 118 genera and 825 species distributed primarily in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Watermelon, cucumber, and melon are the most economically important cucurbit crops in terms of world total production and are review herein with regards to their genomics in relation to plant improvement. An introduction to cucurbit crops or diseases has been provided in reports by Robinson and Decker-Walters 1997, Andres 2004 and in reviews by Fehér 1993, McCreight et al. 1993, Tatlioglu 1993. A comprehensive coverage on cucurbit diseases can be found in Blancard et al. (1994) and Zitter et al. (1996). During the past decade, considerable efforts have been made to expand the knowledge of genetic mapping, marker development/molecular breeding, and genetic engineering in cucurbit species. Although considerable progress in genomics has been made in melon and cucumber (e.g., resistance genes cloned in melon), comparatively little is known about the genomics of other cucurbit species. Economcially important genes cloned in Cucumis species, such as those for disease resistance, can be effectively used as molecular markers to identify resistant genotypes for plant improvement.