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Micronutrient malnutrition is a major problem in developing countries affecting women, children and infants. Biofortification, improved soil health and waste management efficiencies have been used to overcome nutrient deficiencies. Application of classical breeding and selection resulted in rapid development of staple crops through breeding. The Cucurbitaceae mainly pumpkins and squashes (Cucurbita moschata Duch., Cucurbita pepo L., Cucurbita maxima Duch. ex Lam), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.), and melon (Cucumis melo L.) possess beneficial vitamins and minerals that can be used as nutrients for human consumption. To improve nutritional content in Cucurbitaceae, understanding the information in the genome is important for breeders to increase the level of nutrition and quality of characteristics using biotechnology approaches. Nonconventional breeding approaches can assist conventional breeding to save time, costs, and efficacy in selection. This review describes breeding strategies for necessary solutions toward development of elite varieties of Cucurbitaceae via various approaches that contain high nutrition content and improve traits and quality to fight micronutrient malnutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural sources may be a method to introduce antioxidants in the human diet. Portulaca oleracea L., Peperomia pellucida L., and Trianthema portulacastrum L are underutilized leafy vegetables. The plants may be sources for total phenolic (TPC), total flavonoid (TFC), total carotenoid (TCC), and β-carotene but information is lacking. Antioxidant activity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and macro- and microminerals contents were investigated in P. oleracea, P. pellucida and T. portulacastrum. Trianthema portulacastrum had the highest TPC (1.34 ± 0.13 mg∙g−1), TFC (0.58 ± 0.08 mg∙g−1), TCC (0.14 ± 0.01 mg∙g−1), and β-carotene (0.94 ± 0.18 mg∙g−1) values. The antioxidant activity and FRAP assay were highest in P. oleracea (0.91 ± 0.09 mg∙g−1); the DPPH assay for P. pellucida was highest (IC50 = 7 µg∙mL−1). The amount of K was highest in P. oleracea (55.470 ± 0.481 g∙kg−1). The amount of Mn was highest in P. pellucida (0.251 ± 0.002 g∙kg−1). The individual underutilized vegetables may be able to supply some antioxidant compounds and mineral contents for the human diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]