ARS | Publication request: RESISTANCE TO CUCURBIT LEAF CRUMPLE VIRUS IN MELON

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 31, 2005
Publication Date: July 4, 2005
Citation: McCreight, J.D., Liu, H-Y., Turini, T.A. 2005. Resistance to cucurbit leaf crumple virus in melon. Hortscience 40(4)p. 1108-1109.

Technical Abstract: Cucurbit leaf crumple geminivirus (CuLCrV) is transmitted by sweetpotato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) biotype B (SPWF-B) and occurs on cucurbits in Arizona, California, Texas, and Mexico. This virus is identical to Cucurbit leaf curl virus, and their symptoms are similar to Squash leaf curl virus on squash ( Cucurbita spp.) and Melon leaf curl virus on melon (Cucumis melo L.). Melon has been reported to be either susceptible to CuLCrV, or to have the ability to recover from infection. Twenty-three melon cultigens were inoculated with CuLCrV in greenhouse tests using SPWF-B. Eighteen of the cultigens tested were highly susceptible to CuLCrV (' 60% infected plants) and generally exhibited pronounced CuLCrV symptoms: 'Amarillo', 'Edisto 47', 'Esteem', 'Fuyu 3', 'Impac', 'Moscatel Grande', 'Negro', 'Perlita', PI 234607, PI 236355, PI 414723, 'PMR 5', 'Seminole', 'Sol Dorado', 'Sol Real', 'Top Mark', 'Vedrantais', and WMR 29. Five cultigens were resistant to CuLCrV (< 40% infected plants that exhibited restricted, mild symptoms): MR-1, PI 124111, PI 124112, PI 179901, and PI 313970. Symptoms abated with time in both groups although infected plants remained positive for the virus. Ten of the cultigens ('Edisto 47', 'Fuyu 3', 'Impac', MR-1, PI 124112, PI 313970, PI 414723, 'PMR 5', 'Top Mark', and WMR 29) were included in field tests in 2003 and 2004 that were naturally infected with CuLCrV. With the exception of PI 414723, the greenhouse and field data were consistent for reaction to CuLCrV.