Cohen, R., Department of Plant Pathology, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel
Tyutyunik, J., Department of Vegetable Crops, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
Fallik, E., Department of Post-Harvest Science, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Oka, Y., Department of Nematology, Agricultural Research Organization, Gilat Research Center, Israel
Tadmor, Y., Department of Vegetable Crops, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel
Edelstein, M., Department of Vegetable Crops, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel
Tyutyunik, J., Department of Vegetable Crops, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
Fallik, E., Department of Post-Harvest Science, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel
Oka, Y., Department of Nematology, Agricultural Research Organization, Gilat Research Center, Israel
Tadmor, Y., Department of Vegetable Crops, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel
Edelstein, M., Department of Vegetable Crops, Agricultural Research Organization, Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Ramat Yishay 30095, Israel
Most of the watermelons grown in the Mediterranean basin are grafted mainly on Cucurbita rootstocks which provide efficient protection against a wide range of soilborne pathogens. In certain cases, however, grafting may cause a reduction in fruit quality. Grafting watermelon on watermelon rootstocks may eliminate the fruit-quality issues resulting from the use of Cucurbita rootstocks. The response of 22 exotic watermelon accessions to Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporun f. sp. niveum, Fusarium crown rot caused by F. oxysporun f. sp. radices cucumerinum, the nematodes Meloidogyne javanica and Meloidogyne incognita was evaluated in pot experiments. The response to Macrophomina phaseolina and Monosporascus cannonballus was evaluated under field conditions. The screened accessions exhibited various responses to the tested diseases. The findings indicate the possibility of breeding watermelon rootstocks with high levels of resistance to several diseases and no negative effect on fruit quality. The most promising accessions are PI 457916, PI 459075 and BDA. In addition, phytopathological data on such a germplasm collection can serve as a tool for studying the resistance mechanisms and the genetics of disease resistances. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.
