Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Report 12: vi-x (Introduction) 1989

Introduction

Comments from the CGC Coordinating Committee

The Call for Papers for the 1990 Report (CGC Report No. 13) will be mailed in August 1989. Papers should be submitted to the respective Coordinating Committee members by 31 December 1989. The report will be published by June 1990.

As always, we are eager to hear from CGC members regarding our current activities and the future direction of CGC.

It is a pleasure to acknowledge CGC members Marisa Maiero and Wayne A. Mackay for their assistance in assembling CGC Report No. 12 (1989).

• Gary W. Elmstrom: muskmelon
• Warren R. Henderson: watermelon
• J. Brent Loy: Cucurbita spp.
• Richard W. Robinson: other genera
• Todd C. Wehner: cucumber
• Timothy J. Ng, Chairman

Comments from CGC Gene List Committee

Lists of known genes for the Cucurbitaceae have been published previously in Hortscience and in reports of the Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative. CGC is currently publishing complete lists of known genes for muskmelon (Cucumis melo), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and Cucurbita spp. on a rotating basis.

It is hoped that scientists will consult these lists as well as the rules of gene nomenclature for the Cucurbitaceae (HortScience 11:554-568, 1976; CGC Report 5:62-66, 1982) before choosing a gene name and symbol. Thus, inadvertent duplication of gene names and symbols will be prevented. The rules of gene nomenclature were adopted in order to provide guidelines for the naming and symbolizing of genes previously reported and those which will be reported in the future. Scientists are urged to contact members of the Gene List Committee regarding questions in interpreting the nomenclature rules and in naming and symbolizing new genes.

• Todd C. Wehner: cucumber
• Michael Pitrat: muskmelon
• Warren R. Henderson: watermelon
• Richard W. Robinson: Cucurbita spp.
• Richard W. Robinson: other genera

Comments from the CGC Gene Curators

CGC has appointed Curators for the four major cultivated groups: cucumber, muskmelon, watermelon and Cucurbita spp. A curator for the Other Genera category in needed. Anyone wishing to take on this responsibility should contact the Chairman.

Curators are responsible for collecting, maintaining and distributing upon request stocks of the known marker genes. CGC members are requested to forward samples of currently held gene stocks to the respective Curator.

• Todd C. Wehner: cucumber
• Edward L. Cox: muskmelon
• Billy B. Rhodes: watermelon
• Richard W. Robinson: Cucurbita spp.

Report of the Twelfth Annual CGC Business Meeting

10 August 1988

Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

The 12th Annual Business Meeting of the Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative was held on 10 August 1987 in conjunction with the 85th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Horticultural Science at Michigan State University in East Lansing, MI. The meeting was called to order by J.D. McCreight, Chairman. Twenty- six members and guests were in attendance.

CGC Report No. 11 (1988) was mailed to members on 25 July 1988. The cost of printing and mailing CGC 11 was $1443.95. Twenty-two new members joined in 1987, making a total of 182 active members by the end of the year. Current CGC cash reserves totaled $3,089.64.

J.D. McCreight provided a summary of the Cucurbitaceae '88 EUCARPIA meeting. A meeting of European CGC members expressed an interest in having the CGC Report list international meetings as well as those in the U.S. They expressed interest in the cucurbit gene collections and encouraged geneticists to increase their activity in this area. They also expressed a desire to have an airmail option for the CGC Report in order to receive it in a more timely fashion.

Two CGC Coordinating Committee changes were announced. J. Brent Loy replaced Jack Juvick as Coordinating Committee member for Cucurbita spp. and Time Ng replaced J.D. McCreight as CGC Chairman.

Tim Ng assumed chairmanship of the meeting, introduced himself, and expressed his appreciation for the efforts of J.D. McCreight on behalf of CGC over the years. he next had those in attendance introduce themselves and mention their affiliations and research interests.

The subject of content of the CGC Report was brought up. Although the content of papers in the Report now extends beyond the original concept of having only genetic studies with cucurbit species published, the subject matter currently being accepted was agreeable to those present and the present policy will be continued. The policy of not allowing citation of CGC research reports without the author's permission for a period of five years was retained, as was the policy of publishing a complete gene list for each major cucurbit crop/species every four years. The 31 December deadline for submission of articles to CGC was also retained, and every effort will be made in 1989 to have CGC Report No. 12 mailed by April. A subsequent mailing will be made during the Summer of 1989 informing members of upcoming meetings of interest to cucurbit workers.

The cost of publishing the CGC Report increased in 1988. Also, U.S. postage rates increased substantially in April 1988 for books and printed materials, including the CGC Report. To offset the increased costs, it was moved and accepted that membership dues would rise by $1 per year effective in 1990. Hence, members renewing for 1989-90 would be billed $13 and those renewing for 1990-91 would be billed $14. An airmail option for non-U.S. subscribers would also be available beginning with renewals for 1989-90.

An announcement was made about the international meeting on "Evaluation and Enhancement of Germplasm of the Cucurbitaceae" which will be hosted by the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, USDA-ARS, in Charleston, South Carolina, in November 1989. This meeting will be in conjunction with the joint meetings of: the Vine Crops Crop Advisory Committee, the National Muskmelon Research Group, the Watermelon Research Group, the Squash Breeders, and the Pickling Cucumber Improvement Committee. It will directly precede the Biennial Collaborators' Conference on Vegetable Breeding in the Southeastern United States. All Federal, state and private industry scientists involved or interested in research on cucurbit crops are invited. Tentative dates are 12-14 November 1989. Further announcements will published through CGC. ASHS, EUCARPIA, and individual working groups. CGC members can also be placed on a mailing list for further announcements by contacting: C.E. Thomas, USDA-ARS, U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, 2875 Savannah Hwy., Charleston, SC 29414.

Joe Norton displayed a honeydew melon developed in Iran, described its properties and availability, and sliced pieces for sampling as the CGC meeting was adjourned.

Cucurbitaceae '89

Evaluation and Enhancement of Cucurbit Germplasm

Location: Omni Hotel, Charleston, South Carolina USA

Dates: November 29 - December 2,1989

The purpose of Cucurbitaceae '89 is to provide a forum for the presentation and exchange of scientific information about germplasm evaluation and enhancement research activities on cucurbit crops (cucumber, muskmelon, pumpkin, squash, and watermelon). All persons engaged or interested in these research areas are invited to participate. Cucurbitaceae '89 will be hosted by the USDA - U.S. Vegetable Laboratory, and the official language will be English.

The scientific program will consists of invited papers by recognized authorities on topics related to evaluation and enhancement research in cucurbit corps, contributed presentation by meeting participants, and meeting of the follow groups:

• Cucurbit Crop Advisory Committee
• Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative
• National Muskmelon Research Group
• Watermelon Research Group
• Squash Breeders Group
• Pickling Cucumber Improvement Committee

For further details, including registration materials and information on travel and accommodations, guidelines for abstracts and posters, etc., contact: Dr. C.E. Thomas, USDA-ARS, U.S. Vegetable Lab, 2875 Savannah Highway, Charleston, SC 29414 USA.

US Watermelon Research Group

The 9th annual meeting of the Watermelon Workshop was held on 7 February 1989 in Nashville, Tennessee, with over forty participants in attendance. Doyle Smittle discussed the status of non-destructive measurement of maturity and quality of melons; it appears that availability of a commercially available unit is still sometime in the future. Don Hopkins discussed his work with growing watermelons in a monoculture, and Ray Martyn reviewed his work on induced resistance to Fusarium wilt. Lively discussions were also held on the topics of "Hollow Heart of Watermelon" and "Pollination of Triploids." The Watermelon Research Group will hold its next meeting in conjunction with Cucurbitaceae '89 in November-December of 1989, and will meet in Little Rock, Arkansas, on 4-6 February 1990.

US Cucurbit Crop Advisory Committee Update

The Cucurbit Crop Advisory Committee (formerly Vine Crops CAC) met in Madison, Wisconsin, in conjunction with the Pickling Cucumber Improvement Committee on 9 November 1988. In 1988, the Cucurbit CAC recommended that the National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) fund four germplasm evaluation proposals and one germplasm enhancement proposal. These proposals included: verification of the species identity of Cucurbita accessions in the Regional Plant Introduction Stations; evaluation of cucumbers, muskmelons and Cucurbita for disease resistance; and transferring virus resistance from wild to cultivated muskmelon. In 1988. the committee completed and updated the five major sections (cucumber, muskmelon, watermelon, squash and pumpkin, and exotic species) and submitted its report to NPGS on the status and needs for cucurbit germplasm collection, storage, evaluation, and enhancement. NPGS requested a statement on the applicability of the Core Concept to cucurbit germplasm evaluation. The Core Concept addresses the problems of maintenance and efficient evaluation of large germplasm collection of routine evaluation; subsequent evaluation would focus on accessions in the larger collection indicated by the core evaluation as being likely sources for the desired traits. The Core Concepts is controversial and remains to be proven. The major concerns of the committee were the integrity of the accessions (relative to the original seeds) and the information in the Germplasm Resource Information Network (GRIN), and the acquisition of additional germplasm before the Center of Origin and Diversification are lost to development.

James D. McCreight, Chair

Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Meeting in 1989

The Thirteenth Annual Business Meeting of the Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative will be held in conjunction with the 86th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, 29 July - 3 August 1989. Further information will be available in the Program & Abstracts issue for the ASHS Annual Meeting (HortScience vol. 24 (4)) when it is published. The Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative will also hold a meeting in conjunction with Cucurbitaceae '89 in Charleston, South Carolina, in November-December of 1989.

Other meetings of interest to CGC members

Group(s)	Date and Location	Contact Person
Cucurbit Crop Advisory Committee, National Muskmelon Research Group, Watermelon Research Group, Squash Breeders Group, Pickling Cucumber Improv. Committee	29 Nov - 2 Dec 1989; Charleston, South Carolina (Cucurbitaceae '89)	Dr. C.E. Thomas; USDA-ARS, U.S. Veg. Lab.; 2875 Savannah Highway; Charleston, SC 29414; USA; Tel: (803) 766-3761
Watermelon Research Group	4-6 February 1990; Little Rock, Arkansas	Dr. Gary W. Elmstrom; Univ. Florida Agr. Res. Ctr.; 5336 University Avenue; Leesburg, FL 32748; USA; Tel: (904) 787-3423

Corrigenda

In the article "Reactions of Muskmelon Genotypes to Races 1 and 2 of Sphaerotheca fuliginea in Israel," by Y. Cohen and H. Eyal [CGC 11:47-49, 1988], severity ratings in Table 1 for the genotype Charantais-T should be "+ + +" and "+ + +" for races 1 and 2, respectively, not "-" and "-" as they appeared.

In the abstract "Studies on Watermelon Germplasm Sources Resistant to Fusarium Wilt Disease at the Seedling Stage," by Wang Ming and Zhang Xian [CGC 11:68, 1988], in paragraph 1, sixth line, "5 x 10³ spores" should read "5 x10⁵ spores."