Abstract
Abstract The objective of this work was to study the genetic control of the PRSV-W (Papaya Ringspot Virus - Watermelon Strain) resistance in Cucurbita pepo 'Whitaker' line. Plants of parental lines Whitaker (resistant) and Caserta (susceptible), and of the generations F1, F2, BC11 and BC12 were evaluated for their reactions to PRSV-W. Caserta plants showed severe mosaic symptoms, while Whitaker grew vigorously and remained almost totally symptom-free. Most of the F1, F2 and backcross plants also presented severe mosaic symptoms. Data were used to test a hypothesis of monogenic inheritance under different presumed degrees of dominance, and genetic models were tested using maximum likelihood tests of genetic control. Broad-sense heritability was of 0.57 for the first evaluation. Resistance to PRSV-W in C. pepo 'Whitaker' is due to a major gene effect summed to polygenic effects.
Highlights
Papaya ringspot virus – watermelon strain (PRSV-W) (Papaya Ringspot Virus – Watermelon Strain) affects all agricultural Cucurbitaceae species, achieving great economic importance due to its destructiveness
The objective of this work was to study the genetic control of the PRSV-W (Papaya Ringspot Virus – Watermelon Strain) resistance in Cucurbita pepo ‘Whitaker’ line
Resistance to PRSV-W in C. pepo ‘Whitaker’ is due to a major gene effect summed to polygenic effects
Summary
PRSV-W (Papaya Ringspot Virus – Watermelon Strain) affects all agricultural Cucurbitaceae species, achieving great economic importance due to its destructiveness. The virus is transmitted in a non-persistent manner by numerous species of aphids, including Myzus persicae and Aphis spp. (Vieira et al 2010) It has become one of the most limiting factors for cucurbit crops in warm climate countries like Brazil, where aphids can survive throughout the year (Nascimento et al 2011). PRSV-W control is very difficult, and the method that has been widely used is the insecticide sprays to eliminate virus vectors. Genetic resistance appears to be the ideal virus control strategy, both economically and environmentally (Rezende and Muller 1995)
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