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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Charleston, South Carolina » Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #198870
Title: A GENETIC LINKAGE MAP AND A CDNA LIBRARY FOR WATERMELON

Author
item Levi, Amnon
item Thomas, Claude
item Davis, Angela
item REDDY, O.U.K - WV STATE UNIVERSITY
item XU, Y - BEIJING, CHINA
item ZHANG, X - SYNGENTA SEEDS INC
item HERNANDEZ, A - UNIVERSITY OF IL
item GUSMINI, G - NC STATE UNIVERSITY
item WEHNER, T - NC STATE UNIVERSITY
item KING, J - SEMINIS VEG SEEDS INC
item KING, S - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/18/2005
Publication Date: 7/7/2005
Citation: Levi, A., Thomas, C.E., Davis, A.R., Reddy, O., Xu, Y., Zhang, X., Hernandez, A., Gusmini, G., Wehner, T.C., King, J., King, S.R. 2005. A genetic linkage map and a cDNA library for watermelon [abstract]. HortScience. 40(4):1089.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A genetic linkage map was constructed for watermelon based on a testcross population and an F2 population. The testcross map includes 312 markers (RAPD, ISSR, AFLP, SSR, and ASRP). This map covered a genetic distance of 1385 cM, and identified 11 large (50.7~155.2 cm), five intermediate (37.5-46.2 cm), and 16 small linkage groups (4.2-31.4 cm). Most AFLP markers are clustered in two linkage regions, while all other markers are randomly dispersed throughout the genome. Many of the markers in this study were skewed from the classical (Mendelian) segregation ratio of 1:1 in the testcross or 3:1 in the F2 populations. Additionally, cDNA library was constructed using RNA isolated from watermelon flesh 1 week (rapid cell division stage), 2 weeks (cell growth and storage deposition stage), 4 weeks (maturation stage), and 5 weeks (mature fruit) after pollination. More than 1020 cDNA clones were sequenced, and analyzed using the basic local alignment search Tool (BLAST). The sequenced cDNA clones were designated as expressed sequenced tag (EST). The ESTs were searched for simple sequence repeats. About 7% of the ESTs contained SSR motifs. The ESTs containing SSRs are being used to design PCR primers and the putative markers are being tested for polymorphism among the parental lines of the mapping populations. Polymorphic markers will then be mapped using the mapping populations.