ARS | Publication request: Genetic mapping of Chromosomal Segments introgressed in Cultivated Watermelon Genome

Submitted to: Cucurbitaceae Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: October 30, 2010
Publication Date: November 14, 2010
Citation: Levi, A., Wechter, W.P., Ling, K., Thies, J.A., Hopkins, D. 2010. Genetic mapping of Chromosomal Segments introgressed in Cultivated Watermelon Genome. Cucurbitaceae Proceedings. p. 50-54.

Technical Abstract: Introgression lines should be a useful tool for genetic studies and genetic enhancement of watermelon cultivars. In this study, we used an advanced recombinant population (BC2F2) to identify and map chromosomal segments of the wild watermelon Citrullus lanatus var. citroides that were incorporated in the genome of the watermelon cultivar Crimson Sweet (Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus). An advanced recombinant population (BC2F2) was constructed using a United States Plant Introduction (PI) 494817 (C. lanatus var. citroides) (known to have moderate resistance to bacterial fruit blotch) as a donor parent, and the elite watermelon cultivar Crimson Sweet (C. lanatus var. lanatus) as the recurrent parent. The genetic linkage map consists of 272 markers, including 89 sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP), 72 targeted region amplification polymorphism (TRAP), and 111 high frequency oligonucleotide-targeting active gene (HFO-TAG) markers. The 272 markers were assembled into 51 linkage groups, covering a total genetic distance of 2,162 cM, with an average genetic distance of 7.9 cM between markers. Most of these linkage groups should represent chromosomal segments of the donor parent (PI 494817) that were incorporated in the recurrent ‘Crimson Sweet’ genome. The linkage groups and the genetic population in this study should serve as a platform for further development of introgression lines for watermelon.