CUCUMBER AND WATERMELON GENETICS AND BREEDING

• Sponsoring Institution: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
• Project Status: COMPLETE
• Funding Source: HATCH
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0225787
• Project Start Date: Oct 1, 2011
• Project End Date: Sep 30, 2016
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIV
(N/A)
RALEIGH,NC 27695

Performing Department
Horticultural Science

Non Technical Summary
Cucumber, watermelon and other cucurbits are important horticultural crops in the U.S. We will survey the industry for traits needed, collect germplasm of cucurbit species from primary and secondary centers of diversity, identify accessions having high expression of important traits, develop efficient breeding methods, incorporate useful traits into elite lines, and release useful cultivars and breeding lines for industry use while training graduate students in the complex process of plant breeding using large field and greenhouse facilities. New inbreds and hybrids being developed for release in the next few years include middle-eastern cucumbers, pickling cucumbers, slicing cucumbers, oriental crisp-flesh melons, yellow flesh melons, luffa sponge gourds, and watermelons having coral red, bright orange or canary yellow flesh color.

Animal Health Component

(N/A)

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

(N/A)

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
202	1420	1080	10%
202	1421	1080	20%
202	1429	1080	10%
203	1421	1081	10%
204	1421	1081	10%
212	1421	1081	10%
203	1420	1081	10%
204	1420	1081	10%
212	1420	1081	10%

Knowledge Area
212 - Pathogens and Nematodes Affecting Plants; 204 - Plant Product Quality and Utility (Preharvest); 203 - Plant Biological Efficiency and Abiotic Stresses Affecting Plants; 202 - Plant Genetic Resources;

Subject Of Investigation
1420 - Melons; 1429 - Cucurbits, other; 1421 - Cucumber;

Field Of Science
1081 - Breeding; 1080 - Genetics;

Keywords

cucumber

watermelon

melon

luffa gourd

breeding

genetics

Goals / Objectives
The objectives of the project are to increase our knowledge of cucumber and watermelon genetics and breeding. In the process, graduate students will be trained in plant breeding, and germplasm (populations, inbreds and hybrids) will be developed and released for use by industry in North Carolina and the U.S.

Project Methods
Collect seeds of cucumber, watermelon and other cucurbit crops from around the world, concentrating on primary and secondary centers of diversity (southern Africa and southeast Asia). Evaluate the collections along with the USDA plant introduction accessions and all available cultivars for useful horticultural traits. In cucumber, those will include fruit yield, earliness, quality, and resistance to nematodes using optimum methods developed by our program. In watermelon, those will include fruit sugar content, fruit flesh color, fruit yield, and resistance to gummy stem blight and powdery mildew using methods that are being developed as part of our research.

Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:Processors, growers, seed industry, USDA-ARS, university researchers Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Six graduate students are being trained this year. They get experience in the field, lab and greenhouse on plant breeding of cucurbits and stevia. They also attend scientific conferences and grower meetings. Extension and teaching experiences are required of each graduate student, and they participate in an internship in their final year at NC State. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have reported our research results at state, regional, national and international conferences and meetings. We have published articles and books on our research. A website (CucurbitBreeding.com) is continually updated with information for the public. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Surveyed the industry for traits needed, collected germplasm of cucurbit species from primary and secondary centers of diversity, identified accessions having high expression of important traits, developed efficient breeding methods, incorporated useful traits into elite lines, and released cultivars and breeding lines for industry use.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Dia, M., T. C. Wehner, R. Hassell, D. S. Price, G. E. Boyhan, S. Olson, S. King, A. R. Davis, G. E. Tolla, J. Bernier and B. Juarez. 2016. Value of locations for representing mega-environments and for discriminating yield of watermelon in the U.S. Crop Sci. 56: 1726-1735
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Dia, M., T. C. Wehner and C. Arellano. 2016. Analysis of genotype x environment interaction (GxE) using SAS programming. Agron. J. 108: 1838-1852
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Koehler, A. M., J. A. Brown, B. Huber, T. C. Wehner and H. D. Shew. 2016. First report of Tomato spotted wilt virus in Stevia rebaudiana in North Carolina. Plant Dis. 100: 1251 (http://dx.doi.org.prox.lib.ncsu.edu/10.1094/PDIS-11-15-1367-PDN)
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Lou, L. and T. C. Wehner. 2016. Qualitative inheritance of external fruit traits in watermelon. HortScience 51: 487-496
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: VandenLangenberg, K. and T. C. Wehner. 2016. Downy mildew disease progress in resistant and susceptible cucumbers tested in the field at different growth stages. HortScience 51: 984-988
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Zhang, S., S. Liu, H. Miao, M. Wang, P. Liu, T. C. Wehner and X. Gu. 2016. Molecular mapping and candidate gene analysis for numerous spines on the fruit of cucumber. J. Heredity 107:471-477

Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:American Society for Horticultural Science, Crop Science Society of America, Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative, National Association of Plant Breeders (Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee), North Carolina Pickle Producers, Pickle Packers International, Plant Breeding Center at NC State, Watermelon Research and Development Group. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Graduate students were trained in field, greenhouse and laboratory methods for plant breeding: Lauren Arteman, Jordan Hartman, Brandon Huber (MS candidates), and James Daley, Takshay Patel, and Emily Silverman (PhD candidates). Graduate certificate students were trained at the Plant Breeding Academies in America and Africa. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Presentations were made to the North Carolina Pickle Producers, Pickle Packers International and North Carolina Watermelon Association. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Research will continue on resistance to downy mildew in cucumber, and parthenocarpy in cucumber. Watermelon resistance to bacterial fruit blotch, and inheritance of citrulline content. The distance education program in plant breeding will be expanded. My three plant breeding courses will be expanded on-line, and a graduate certificate in horticulture with a plant breeding emphasis will be promoted.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Research is continuing on resistance to downy mildew in cucumber, and parthenocarpy in cucumber. Watermelon resistance to bacterial fruit blotch, and inheritance of citrulline content are being studied. A distance education program in plant breeding is under way. My three plant breeding courses are now available on-line, and a graduate certificate in horticulture with a plant breeding emphasis is available.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Lu, H. W., H. Miao, G. L. Tian, T. C. Wehner, X. F. Gu and S. P. Zhang. 2015. Molecular mapping and candidate gene analysis for yellow fruit flesh in cucumber. Mol. Breeding 35: 64-71.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Ma, S. and T. C. Wehner. 2015. Flowering stage resistance to bacterial fruit blotch in the watermelon germplasm collection. Crop Science 55: 727-736.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Reddy, U. K., L. Abburi, V. L. Abburi, T. Saminathan, R. Cantrell, V. G. Vajja, R. Reddy, Y. R. Tomason, A. Levi, T. C. Wehner and P. Nimmakayala. 2015. A genome-wide scan of selective sweeps and association mapping of fruit traits using microsatellite markers in watermelon. J. Hered. 106: 166-176.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Saminathan, T., P. Nimmakayala, S. Manohar, S. Malkaram, A. Almeida, R. Cantrell, Y. Tomason, L. Abburi, M. A. Rahman, V. G. Vajja, A. Khachane, B. Kumar, H. K. Rajasimha, A. Levi, T. Wehner and U. K. Reddy. 2015. Differential gene expression and alternative splicing between diploid and tetraploid watermelon. J. Experimental Botany 66: 1369-1385.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Staub, J. E., V. S. Gordon, P. Simon and T. C. Wehner. 2015. Chilling-tolerant U.S.-processing cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.): Three advanced backcross and ten inbred backcross lines. HortScience 50: 1252-1254.

Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: American Society for Horticultural Science, Crop Science Society of America, Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative, National Association of Plant Breeders (Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee), North Carolina Pickle Producers, Pickle Packers International, Plant Breeding Center at NC State, Watermelon Research and Development Group. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Graduate students were trained in field, greenhouse and laboratory methods for plant breeding: Kyle VandenLangenberg (PhD candidate). Graduate certificate students were trained at the Plant Breeding Academies in America and Africa. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Presentations were made to the North Carolina Pickle Producers, Pickle Packers International and North Carolina Watermelon Association. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Research will continue on resistance to downy mildew in cucumber, and parthenocarpy in cucumber. Watermelon resistance to bacterial fruit blotch, and inheritance of citrulline content. The distance education program in plant breeding will be expanded. My three plant breeding courses will be expanded on-line, and a graduate certificate in horticulture with a plant breeding emphasis will be promoted.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Research is continuing on resistance to downy mildew in cucumber, and parthenocarpy in cucumber. Watermelon resistance to bacterial fruit blotch, and inheritance of citrulline content are being studied. A distance education program in plant breeding was started. My three plant breeding courses are now available on-line, and a graduate certificate in horticulture with a plant breeding emphasis is available.

Publications

• Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: VandenLangenberg, K. M. and T. C. Wehner. 2013. Gene list for other genera of Cucurbitaceae. Cucurbit Genet. Coop. Rpt. 36: 35-39.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Kozik, E. U. and T. C. Wehner. 2014. Tolerance of watermelon seedlings to low-temperature chilling injury. HortScience 49: 240-243.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Nimmakayala, P., V. L. Abburi, A. Bhandary, L. Abburi, V. G. Vajja, R. Reddy, S. Malkaram, P. Venkatramana, A. Wijeratne, Y. R. Tomason, A. Levi, T. C. Wehner and U. K. Reddy. 2014. Use of VeraCode 384-plex assays for watermelon diversity analysis and integrated genetic map of watermelon with single nucleotide polymorphisms and simple sequence repeats. Mol. Breeding 34: 537-548.
• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Nimmakayala, P., A. Levi, L. Abburi, V. L. Abburi, Y. R. Tomason, T. Saminathan, V. G. Vajja, S. Malkaram, R. Reddy, T. C. Wehner, S. E. Mitchell, and U. K. Reddy. 2014. Single nucleotide polymorphisms generated by genotyping by sequencing to characterize genome-wide diversity, linkage disequilibrium, and selective sweeps in cultivated watermelon. BMC Genomics 15: 1-14.
• Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Bharathi, L. K., T. K. Behera, A. K. Sureja, K. J. John and T. C. Wehner. 2013. Snake gourd and pointed gourd: botany and horticulture. In: J. Janick (ed.). Horticultural Reviews vol. 41: 457-495. John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ.

Progress 10/01/12 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: American Society for Horticultural Science, Crop Science Society of America, Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative, National Association of Plant Breeders (Plant Breeding Coordinating Committee), North Carolina Pickle Producers, Pickle Packers International, Plant Breeding Center at NC State, Watermelon Research and Development Group. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Graduate students were trained in field, greenhouse and laboratory methods for plant breeding: Shen Ma (PhD candidate), Kyle Vandenlangenberg (PhD candidate). Graduate certificate students were trained at the Plant Breeding Academies in Asia, Africa and America. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Presentations were made to the North Carolina Pickle Producers, Pickle Packers International and North Carolina Watermelon Association. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Research will continue on resistance to downy mildew in cucumber, and parthenocarpy in cucumber. Watermelon resistance to bacterial fruit blotch, and inheritance of citrulline content. The distance education program in plant breeding will be expanded. My three plant breeding courses will be expanded on-line, and a graduate certificate in horticulture with a plant breeding emphasis will be promoted.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Research is continuing on resistance to downy mildew in cucumber, and parthenocarpy in cucumber. Watermelon resistance to bacterial fruit blotch, and inheritance of citrulline content are being studied. A distance education program in plant breeding was started. My three plant breeding courses are now available on-line, and a graduate certificate in horticulture with a plant breeding emphasis is available.

Publications

• Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Call, A. D., T. C. Wehner, G. J. Holmes and P. S. Ojiambo. 2013. Effects of host plant resistance and fungicides on severity of cucumber downy mildew. HortScience 48: 53-59. Gao, Z., T. C. Wehner, H. Chen, Y. Lin, X. Wang, M. Wei, F. Yang and Q. Shi. 2013. Deciphering the possible mechanism of exogenous NO alleviating alkali stress on cucumber leaves by transcriptomic analysis. Scientia Hort. 150: 377-386. Kozik, E. U., U. Klosinska, A. D. Call and T. C. Wehner. 2013. Heritability and genetic variance estimates for resistance to downy mildew in cucumber accession Ames 2354. Crop Sci. 53: 177-182. Kumar, R. and T. C. Wehner. 2013. Quantitative analysis of generations for inheritance of fruit yield in watermelon. HortScience 48: 844-847. Kumar, R., M. Dia and T. C. Wehner. 2013. Implications of mating behavior in watermelon breeding. HortScience 48: 960-964. McCreight, J. D., J. E. Staub, T. C. Wehner and N. P. S. Dhillon. 2013. Gone global: familiar and exotic cucurbits have Asian origins. HortScience 48: 1078-1089. Tetteh, A. Y., T. C. Wehner, and A. R. Davis. 2013. Inheritance of resistance to the new race of powdery mildew in watermelon. Crop Sci. 53: 880887. Tetteh, A. Y., T. C. Wehner and A. R. Davis. 2013. Inheritance of resistance to powdery mildew race 2 in Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus. HortScience 48: 1227-1230. Wehner, T. C. and B. Mou. 2013. Vegetable cultivar descriptions for North America, list 27, 2013. HortScience 48: 245-286.

Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Research is continuing on resistance to downy mildew in cucumber, and parthenocarpy in cucumber. Watermelon resistance to bacterial fruit blotch, and resistance to hollow heart are being studied. A distanced education program in plant breeding was started. Two plant breeding courses are now on-line, and a graduate certificate is being developed. PARTICIPANTS: Tammy Ellington (research specialist), Adam Call (PhD candidate), Shen Ma (PhD candidate), Kyle Vandenlangenberg (PhD candidate). TARGET AUDIENCES: American Society for Horticultural Science, Crop Science Society of America, Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative, National Association of Plant Breeders (Plant Breeding CC), North Carolina Pickle Producers, Pickle Packers International, Plant Breeding Center at NC State, Watermelon Research and Development Group. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
The general public receives value from this project through higher quality, lower cost food that is available fresh through a greater part of the year. Growers benefit through higher yield per acre and improved disease resistance. Processors benefit from new cultivars that yield a higher percentage of useable product. Seed companies receive trained plant breeders and useful germplasm. New information from our research is made available in journal articles, through on-campus courses, distance education, in professional certificate programs, at scientific meetings, and on the world wide web.

Publications

• Call, A. D., A. D. Criswell, T. C. Wehner, K. Ando and R. Grumet. 2012. Resistance of cucumber cultivars to a new strain of cucurbit downy mildew. HortScience 47: 171-178. Call, A. D., A. D. Criswell, T. C. Wehner, U. Klosinska and E. U. Kozik. 2012. Screening cucumber for resistance to downy mildew caused by Pseudoperonospora cubensis (Berk. and Curt.) Rostov. Crop Sci. 52: 577-592. Kumar, R. and T. C. Wehner. 2012. Growth regulators improve the intercrossing rate of cucumber families for recurrent selection. Crop Sci. 52: 2115-2120. Wehner, T. C. and R. Kumar. 2012. Requirement for pollenizer in new monoecious hybrid cucumber 'NC-Sunshine'. HortTechnology 22: 191-195.

Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11

Outputs
OUTPUTS: Research is continuing on resistance to downy mildew in cucumber, and parthenocarpy in cucumber. Watermelon outcrossing rate, yield stability, and hollow heart resistance are being studied. Watermelon populations with orange flesh, Canary yellow flesh, small fruit, high yield, high quality, or gummy stem blight resistance are being improved for use in cultivar development. Breeding is continuing on eastern shipping cantaloupes, Sprite melons and canary melons. Breeding work is continuing on development of high yielding pickling cucumber inbreds. We are releasing cucumber hybrids and inbreds that are multiple branched littleleaf pickling type, as well as middle-eastern fresh market type and pickling type (both gynoecious and monoecious hybrids). The release of three new hybrids of luffa sponge gourd is also under way. A distanced education program in plant breeding was started. Two plant breeding courses are now on-line, and a graduate certificate is being developed. PARTICIPANTS: Tammy Ellington (research specialist), Adam Call (PhD candidate), Mahendra Dia (PhD candidate), Shen Ma (PhD candidate), Laura Arellano (greenhouse assistant). TARGET AUDIENCES: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Genetic Association, American Society for Horticultural Science, American Society of Agronomy, Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, Crop Science Society of America, Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative, National Association of Plant Breeders (Plant Breeding CC), North Carolina Pickle Producers, Pickle Packers International, Plant Breeding Center at NC State, Watermelon Research and Development Group. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

Impacts
The general public receives value from this project through higher quality, lower cost food that is available fresh through a greater part of the year. Growers benefit through higher yield per acre and improved disease resistance. Processors benefit from new cultivars that yield a higher percentage of useable product. Seed companies receive trained plant breeders and useful germplasm. New information from our research is made available in journal articles, through on-campus courses, distance education, in professional certificate programs, at scientific meetings, and on the world wide web.

Publications

• Davis, A. R., C. L. Webber, W. W. Fish, T. C. Wehner, S. King, and P. Perkins-Veazie. 2011. L-citrulline levels in watermelon cultigens tested in two environments. HortScience 46: 1572-1575.
• Kumar, R. and T. C. Wehner. 2011. Discovery of second gene for solid dark green versus light green rind pattern in watermelon. J. Heredity 102: 489-493.
• Kumar, R. and T. C. Wehner. 2011. Inheritance of fruit yield in two watermelon populations in North Carolina. Euphytica 182:275-283.
• Yang, ShuangJuan, Han Miao, ShengPing Zhang, ZhouChao Cheng, Jian Zhou, ShaoYun Dong, T. C. Wehner and XingFang Gu. 2011. Genetic analysis and mapping of gl-2 gene in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Acta Horticulturae Sinica; 38: 1685-1692.