Breeding and Evaluation of Squash and Pumpkin with Multiple Disease and Insect Resistance

Abstract

The summer squash variety ‘Whitaker’ developed in this breeding program was introduced in 1998. It should reduce the need for pesticide application since it is resistant to four important diseases - cucumber mosaic virus, zucchini yellow mosaic virus, papaya ringspot virus, and powdery mildew. ‘Whitaker’ has four species, more than other squash varieties, in its complex pedigree. This variety is named in honor of the late Dr. T.W. Whitaker, who discovered one of the wild species we used as a source of multiple disease resistance.