Gh. Clough et Pb. Hamm, COAT PROTEIN TRANSGENIC RESISTANCE TO WATERMELON MOSAIC AND ZUCCHINI YELLOWS MOSAIC-VIRUS IN SQUASH AND CANTALOUPE, Plant disease, 79(11), 1995, pp. 1107-1109
Three yellow crookneck squash (Cucurbita pepo var. melopepo) and five
cantaloupe (Cucumis melo, Reticulatus group) lines, genetically altere
d for resistance to zucchini yellow mosaic virus and watermelon mosaic
virus, were field tested in 1993 and 1994, respectively. During both
years, nontransgenic plants were inoculated with virus before transpla
nting to provide a high virus threat to the transgenic plants. Before
and after transplanting, serological testing (enzyme-linked immunosorb
ent assay [ELISA]) was used to obtain baseline information on transfor
med plants and to confirm field virus infection. In both years, plant
disease development was rated weekly; yield was assessed in 1993. Dise
ase progression, yield, and end-of-season ELISA indicated a significan
t reduction in disease incidence in the transgenic lines. Total squash
yield did not differ between the transformed and unchanged lines, but
the transgenic lines yielded more marketable fruit than did the nontr
ansgenic line.