CGMMV Resistant Watermelon Stock

In order to cultivate watermelon on farm, grafting of the watermelon seedling to the watermelon stock is necessary because the watermelon root is less viable than the root of watermelon stock. Recently, commercially important watermelon varieties further require a resistant stock against especially CGMMV to control the heavy loss of the total yield of watermelon by CGMMV infection. Therefore, we have set out a project to develop a CGNEMV-resistant watermelon stock. We have successfully transformed dozens of watermelon stocks (gongdae) during last two years especially using a cDNA encoding the coat protein of CGMMV (cucumber green mottle mosaic virus). Recently we have tested levels of resistance of those watermelon stocks against CGMMV infection. For CGMMV inoculation, the leaves of one month old gongdae (T1) were rubbed by carborundum mixed with the CGMMV. A total of 140 plants (T1) were exposed to the CGMMV and we found that ten plants were completely resistant to virus infection. This is the first report that by genetic engineering a cucubitaceae crop resistant to CGMMV infection is ever developed. Further information will be provided in the poster.