
 Virus-Resistant Melon Lines ReleasedBy Sean Adams January 31, 1997Four new watermelon lines that have genetic resistance to a viral disease
are now available to breeders. Scientists with USDAs
Agricultural Research Service screened
670 germplasm accessions to find the four resistant lines, which came from
plants originally from the African countries of Zaire and Nigeria. The research
was reported in the January issue of Agricultural Research magazine,
published by ARS. The new lines provide rare sources of resistance to watermelon mosaic virus,
which attacks watermelons and other cucurbits around the world. To determine resistance, scientists initially screened watermelon germplasm
lines against a Florida strain of the virus in the greenhouse and field
studies. Then, four of the most resistant lines were tested in the greenhouse
against strains from Florida, Arizona, California, New York, Israel and Italy. Limited quantities of seed are available only to public and private breeders
who must cross the lines with commercial types to develop new hybrids for
public sale. An article on virus-resistant melon appears in the January 1997 issue of
Agricultural Research magazine. The article is available on the web: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/jan97/samelon197.htm Scientific contact: A. Graves Gillaspie Jr.,
Plant Genetic
Conservation Resources, Griffin, Georgia, (770) 229-3324, e-mail:
[email protected] Story contacts Sean T Adams U.S. Department of Agriculture | |