Cucurbita moschata is subject to infection by several viruses, especially from the family Potyviridae. The pumpkin accessions of the Vegetable Germplasm Bank Collection of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa and the Cucurbitaceae Germplasm Active Bank from the Embrapa SemiArido was evaluated to identify sources of resistance to the virus ZYMV. A total of 100 pumpkin accessions was evaluated, 61 from Embrapa Semi-Árido, 37 from UFV, and two from the seed company Sakata Seed Sudamerica. Four plants of each accession were inoculated with ZYMV during the cotyledonar phase before emergence of the first true leaves. Plants were re-inoculated two days later. Plants without symptoms after 30 days of the first inoculation were evaluated for the presence of ZYMV by indirect ELISA tests. After inoculation in January three accessions (BGH 1934, BGH-1937 and BGH-1943) were immune to ZYMV. Symptoms appeared in the susceptible accessions 10 to 15 days after the first inoculation whereas no symptoms were observed in the resistant and tolerant accessions until the end of the evaluation period and ELISA tests for virus concentration were negative. The accessions BGH-1934, BGH-1937, and BGH- 1943 can be used in breeding programs to incorporate resistance against ZYMV in commercial cultivars.
Cucurbit moschata; resistance
