Project Number: 5305-21000-011-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Jul 27, 2003
End Date: Jul 26, 2008

Objective:
Identify sources of and determine the genetic bases of insect (incl. silverleaf whitefly and leafminer) and disease (incl. downy mildew and fusarium wilt) resistances in lettuce, spinach and melon. Transfer resistant genes to breeding lines and cultivars. Develop marker-assisted selection procedures, and new cultivar types to fill niche market needs.

Approach:
Collect, identify, characterize and evaluate wild and unadapted germplasm of lettuce, spinach, and melon. Devise testing techniques for germplasm evaluation. This includes, but is not limited to, virus (lettuce mosaic, lettuce infectious yellows, lettuce chlorosis, lettuce dieback, cucurbit leaf crumple), fungal (downy mildew, Fusarium wilt, sclerotinia) and bacterial (corky root rot) disease resistance, and insect (cucumber beetle, leafminer, silverleaf whitefly) resistances. Enhance germplasm; develop improved and elite populations via selection, hybridization and backcrossing. Determine inheritance and linkage relationships of phenotypic, biochemical and molecular markers. Devise techniques for evaluating insect-host interactions and selecting for resistance to insects in field and greenhouse tests. Formerly 5305-21000-008-and 010-00D (7/03).

Project Team

McCreight, James - Jim Hayes, Ryan Grube, Rebecca Mou, Beiquan

Project Annual Reports

FY 2003

Related National Programs

Plant, Microbial & Insect Genetic Res., Genomics, & Genetic Improv. I (301)   Plant Diseases (303)

Related Projects

VEGETABLE ECOLOGY, WEED CONTROL AND PATHOLOGY    BIOLOGY AND EPIDEMIOLOGY OF VERTICILLIUM WILT OF LETTUCE    SCREENING OF LETTUCE GERMPLASM FOR RESISTANCE TO WILT CAUSED BY VERTICILLIUM DAHLIAE    SCREENING FOR RESISTANCE TO STEMPHYLIUM LEAF SPOT DISEASE OF SPINACH    LETTUCE BREEDING AND GENETICS    ARTICHOKE PEST CONTROL AND CULTURAL PRACTICES