Tracking Virus Resistance Genes in Watermelon Made Easier with
New Molecular Markers By December 28, 2009 Finding watermelon
genes that confer resistance to the devastating zucchini yellow
mosaic virus (ZYMV) has just been made easier, thanks to
molecular markers developed by Agricultural Research Service
(ARS) scientists and university and international ZYMV, a member
of the Potyvirus family, seriously affects the commercial
production of cucurbit crops like watermelon worldwide.
Potyviruses are the largest of the 34 plant virus families
currently recognized, most of which are transmitted by aphids.
Cucurbit plants infected with ZYMV lose their ability to
photosynthesize, resulting in yellow mosaic on leaves, stunted
plant growth, unmarketable and deformed fruit, or even early
plant death. In the United States, spraying watermelon fields
with insecticides is the most common practice to reduce the
presence of aphids that spread the virus. Still, the development
of commercial varieties that are resistant to th