Development of sequence-specific primers that amplify a 1.5-kb DNA marker for race 1 Fusarium wilt resistance in Cucumis melo L.

Two 24-mer primers, MUSKFOM I and MUSKFOM II, were developed that amplify a 1.5-kb DNA fragment in race 1 Fusarium wilt resistant muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.), but not in race 1 susceptible germplasm tested. Three race 1 resistant cultivars and two race 1 resistant breeding lines as well as eight race 1 susceptible lines were analyzed using the two sequence-specific primers in the polymerase chain reaction. These primers should prove valuable for nondestructive determination of Fom 2 gene introgression in breeding programs.