Search

Three gummy stem blight (GSB) resistant watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides) genotypes (IIHR-82, IIHR-617 and BIL-53), two resistant bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) genotypes (BG-95, BG-77-6-1) and three hybrid combinations based on watermelon genotypes (IIHR-617 × Arka Manik, IIHR-82 × Arka Manik and IIHR-82 × IIHR-617) were evaluated as rootstocks for yield, quality and GSB incidence in a sick plot during spring 2019, spring 2020 and spring 2021 at Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore. The commercial watermelon hybrid NS-295 was used as a scion for grafting onto these rootstocks. Significant differences were observed among the grafted entries and checks in terms of disease incidence (PDI). Among agronomic traits, grafting significantly affected plant growth, earliness and yield in a desirable direction. The grafted scion onto the hybrid rootstocks and BG-95 could maintain its oblong fruit shape compared to those onto IIHR-82 and BIL-53, whereas BG-77-6-1 produced spherical fruits. Quality traits showed an improvement in terms of total soluble solids (TSS), flesh colour, total carotenoids and lycopene content among the grafted entries as compared to non-grafted controls. Overall, the use of hybrid rootstocks i.e. IIHR-82 × IIHR-617 and IIHR-82 × Arka Manik was found to be advantageous in managing GSB apart from imparting desirable agronomic and fruit quality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was undertaken to investigate the effect of extracts of P. pellucida on salt-fructose induced dyslipidemia in rats with a view to validating its consumption for the treatment and management of hyperlipidemia, obesity and high blood pressure. Dyslipidemia was induced in rats by oral administration of high concentrations of salt (NaCl, 18% (w/v)) and fructose (10% (w/v) for 21 days. The induced rats (30) were randomly allotted into 5 groups of 6 rats per group. Test groups were treated consistently for 21 days with either 250 mg/kg bwt, 500 mg/kg bwt of Peperomia pellucida methanol extract (PPME) or standard drug (Atorvastatin, 0.6 mg/kgbwt). On day 22, the rats were anesthetized with diethyl ether and blood and liver collected for biochemical analyses. Plasma lipid profile parameters (Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and VLDL cholesterol), atherogenic indices (atherogenic index, Coronary risk index I & II) and enzymatic / non-enzymatic antioxidants (Superoxide dismutase, Peroxidase and Glutathione), were evaluated using standard procedures. Results reveal significant increase in lipid profiles and metabolites, and significant decrease in the antioxidant enzymes of test animals compared with the control as a result of induction with high salt and fructose solution. However, the altered biochemical parameters were restored in the groups treated with PPME. The study suggests that P. pellucida may be of good value in the prevention and management of dyslipidaemia, a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mustafa Kemal University Journal of Agricultural Sciences / Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Mustafa Kemal University, Faculty of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

【Objective】 Brackish water has been used as a supplementary irrigation resource in some arid and semi-arid regions in northwestern China, but the impact of its long-term application on soil environment and crop growth and quality is not well understood. The objective of this paper is to fill this knowledge gap using watermelon as an example. 【Method】 The experiment was conducted in fields with sand mulch, where brackish water has been used as a supplementary irrigation resource for varying periods ranging from 2 to 14 years. During the experiment, we measured the distribution of soil water and salt in the 0~60 cm soil layer, soil bulk density, as well as the yield and quality of watermelon. An uncultivated piece of land nearby was used as the control. 【Result】 Soil salt content increased with the increase in duration of brackish water irrigation in both tendril elongation and harvest stage. The highest soil salt content was in the 20~40 cm soil layer for the control, and in the 40~60 cm soil layer for the sand-mulched field. The supplementary brackish water irrigation increased the soil moisture content in flowering and fruit-setting stages, but the increase varied in that with the increase in the duration of the brackish water irrigation, the soil water content increased first and then declined. The highest soil moisture content in the sand-mulched field was in the surface layer (0~10 cm), while for the control it was in the 10~20 cm soil layer. Sand mulch increased soil bulk density in the 0~40 cm soil layer and soil compaction in the 0~8 cm soil layer. It was also found that with the increase in length of brackish water irrigation, the yield and soluble solids content in the watermelon decreased, while the fruit quality improved first followed by a decline. 【Conclusion】 Long-term use of brackish water for supplementary irrigation in the sand-mulched fields increased soil bulk density and compaction in the upper soil layers, as well as soil moisture and salt content. As the years of brackish water irrigation increased, the yield of watermelon decreased while the quality of its fruits showed an initial improvement before deteriorating.

Background: The abundance of humic substances in nature and their entry into water resources cause changes in color, taste and smell in water. which makes a huge amount of water in the world useless, Recently various methods have been presented to remove natural organic substances from water. But surface adsorption has a high removal capacity compared to the other methods. In this research the performance of modified watermelon skin in adsorption of humic acid from aqueous solutions on a continuous scale have been investigated. Methods: In this study, the effect of different parameters such as contact time, activation temperature,pH, adsorbent dose, initial concentration and ionic strength and thermodynamics on humic acid removal efficiency were investigated.Using SEM spectrum (scanning electron microscope) the appearance characteristics of the adsorbent were done. Humic acid concentration was determined using spectrophotometer in 254 nm wavelength. findings: Results of the research showed that the highest amount of removal occurs in acidic environment, By increasing time and adsorbent dose and decreasing the initial concentration, the removal efficiency of humic acid increased for example:in time(45 minutes) and PH=4 and amount of adsorbent(0.1 g.L-1) with concentration removal is (50 mg.L-1) and the maximum removal of humic acid reached (90.98%) and the humic acid adsorption thermodynamically is an endothermic process. Conclusion: Activated carbon produced from watermelon skin as a new adsorbent from agricultural wastes is very effective in removing humic organic substances due to its abundance, low price and high efficiency.

【Objective】 Gravel mulching combined with drip irrigation is an improved agronomic technique for crop production in northwestern China. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of dripping rate of the emitters on soil water and salt redistribution, as well as the growth and yield of watermelon. 【Method】 The field experiment had three treatments with the dripping rate controlled at 2 L/h (Q1), 3 L/h (Q2), or 4 L/h (Q3), respectively. In each treatment, we measured the spatiotemporal variation in soil water and salt, water use efficiency, as well as growth, yield and fruit quality of the watermelon. 【Result】 Horizontal advancement of the wetting front in the soil increased with dripping rate. After harvest, soil salt content in the 0~100 cm soil layer decreased, with the decreasing rate increasing as the dripping rate increased. Also, with the increase in dripping rate, the soluble sugar content in the fruits increased first followed by a decline. Of the three dripping rates we compared, Q2 increased the soluble sugar content in the fruit the most, up by 54.3% and 22.3%, respectively, compared to Q1 and Q3. With the increase in dripping rate, the vitamin C content in the fruits decreased first and then ramped up. Q3 gave the highest vitamin C content, increasing by 53.7% compared to Q2. Increasing dripping rate boosted both fruit yield and water use efficiency. Compared to Q1 and Q2, Q3 increased fruit yield by 6.20% and 3.56%, and water use efficiency by 6.49% and 3.72%, respectively. 【Conclusion】 Taking soil water and salt redistribution, as well as watermelon yield and quality into account, the optimal dripping rate for watermelon growth in the gravel-mulched soil was 4 L/h when using the local saline water for irrigation.

To investigate the incidence status of viruses in major cultivated areas of watermelon and melon in Chungbuk Province, samples were collected from 2020 to 2021 in vinyl greenhouse of Jincheon and Eumseong and examined for virus infection using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Of the six viruses on watermelon that was analyzed in this study, watermelons were infected with cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), watermelon mosaic virus (WMV), cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), and cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus (CABYV). The incidence rate of CMV was 20.9–35.0%, WMV 0.4–15.8%, CGMMV 1.6–38.5%, and CABYV was 3.5–3.7% from 2020 to 2021. But strangely, there were no incidence of zucchini yellow mosaic virus and cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV) during investigation. From this result, we knew the major virus was CGMMV on watermelon in Chungbuk Province. Molecular diagnosis assays of the two melon viruses, showed that melons were infected with CABYV and CCYV from 2020 to 2021. The incidence rate of CABYV was 53.9–92.2% and CCYV was 2.7–20.8%. The incidence of CABYV was high in melon cultivation of Jincheon and Eumseong, Chungbuk. Afterwards, it is necessary to establish a control management strategy for reduce the incidence of CABYV. Furthermore, we must pay attention that of CCYV even if the incidence was low.

Zinc (Zn) accumulation and deficiency affect plant response to pests and diseases differently in varying pathosystems. The concentrations of Zn in plants aid in priming defense signaling pathways and help in enhanced structural defenses against plant pathogens. Studies are lacking on how concentrations of Zn in watermelon plants influence defense against two important soil-borne pathogens: Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (FON) and southern root-knot nematode (RKN, Meloidogyne incognita). In this study a comparative transcriptomics evaluation of watermelon plants in response to high (1.2 ppm) and low (0.2 ppm) levels of Zn were determined. Differential transcript-level responses differed in watermelon plants when infected with FON or RKN or both under high- and low-Zn treatment regimes in a controlled hydroponics system. Higher numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were observed in high-Zn-treated than in low-Zn-treated non-inoculated plants, in plants inoculated with FON alone and in plants inoculated with RKN alone. However, in the co-inoculated system, low-Zn treatment had higher DEGs as compared to high-Zn treatment. In addition, most DEGs were significantly enriched in hormone signal transduction and MAPK signaling pathway, suggesting an induction of systemic resistance with high-Zn concentrations. Taken together, this study substantially expands transcriptome data resources and suggests a molecular potential framework for watermelon-Zn interaction in FON and RKN.

Plant architecture includes traits such as plant height, stem diameter, and branching pattern, which have significant impacts on yield and fruit quality. Polyploidization can bring changes in plant architectural traits in different crops along with other agronomic and biochemical attributes; however, the specific physiological and biochemical mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we utilized five watermelon lines: ‘91E7’, ‘Zhengzhou No. 3’, ‘Fanzu No. 1’, ‘Shenlong’, and ‘Houlv’, along with their corresponding autopolyploid derivatives (diploid, autotriploid, and autotetraploid) to compare plant architecture differences in different polyploidy watermelon plants. The results showed that the growth habits of diploid, triploid, and tetraploid watermelon plants were noticeably different. Triploid and tetraploid watermelon plants had greater stem diameters and larger leaf sizes. The leaf angle was also larger in polyploid watermelons than in their diploid ancestor lines. Although vine length was significantly higher in diploid watermelon, there was no significant difference in node number, indicating that the short vine length was due to the short internodal length. The major differences between diploid and polyploid watermelon plants were found in the branching pattern, as diploid watermelon lines have more branching compared to their polyploid sister lines. Furthermore, we examined the phytohormone content of diploid, triploid, and tetraploid ‘Fanzu No. 1’. The reasons for the selection of this material are its robust growth and profuse branching habit, which cause visible differences among the ploidy levels. Hormone analysis showed distinct variations in abscisic acid in the nodal and stem regions, gibberellin in the auxiliary bud regions, and brassinosteroids in the apical meristematic regions. The correlation coefficient also strongly correlated these hormones with architecture-related traits. Our findings indicated that gibberellin, ABA, and brassinosteroids might be associated with variations in plant architectural traits like branching, vine length, internodal length, stem thickness, and leaf angle among different ploidy levels of watermelon. The exogenous application of GA3 showed a positive effect on branching, whereas ABA showed a negative effect on branching. The application of brassinosteroid at the apical meristem demonstrated its effect on leaf angle, leaf size, and internodal length. The results of this study can provide a theoretical reference and valuable insights into the link between plant architecture and ploidy levels.

With Sumeng No.6 watermelon as the experimental material and a chemical fertilizer (CK) as the control, field experiments were carried out on three different kinds of organic fertilizers; bioorganic fertilizer (T1), organic fertilizer (T2) and mushroom residue (T3). The results showed that T2 and T3 had improved soluble solid indexes compared with CK. In terms of quality indexes, sucrose and soluble protein contents in T3 treatment were the highest, and the increase was significant compared with CK. The contents of side sugar, central sugar and sucrose in T2 treatment were the highest. When we compared T2 treatment with CK, it was found that the fruit setting rate of watermelon in T2 treatment was increased and the fruit cracking rate was decreased, and the fruit was smaller. However, compared with CK, T1 treatment showed little difference in fruit quality indexes, with the highest fruit setting rate, the lowest fruit cracking rate and the highest yield. According to the results of each treatment, T3 or T3 had a better effect on watermelon cultivation in autumn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowering time and fruit yield are important traits in watermelon crop improvement. There is limited information on the inheritance and genomic loci underlying flowering time and yield performance, especially in citron watermelon. A total of 125 citron watermelon accessions were evaluated in field trials over two growing seasons for days to male and female flowers, fruit count, fruit weight, and fruit yield. The germplasm was genotyped with more than two million single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers generated via whole-genome resequencing. Trait mapping was conducted using a genome-wide association study (GWAS). Broad-sense heritability for all traits ranged from moderate to high, indicating that genetic improvement through breeding and selection is feasible. Significant marker-trait associations were uncovered for days to female flower (chromosomes Ca04, Ca05, Ca08, and Ca09), fruit count (on Ca02, Ca03, and Ca05), fruit weight (on Ca02, Ca06, Ca08, Ca10, and Ca11), and fruit yield on chromosomes Ca05, Ca07, and Ca09. The phenotypic variation explained by the significant SNPs ranged from 1.6 to 25.4, highlighting the complex genetic architecture of the evaluated traits. Candidate genes relevant to flowering time and fruit yield component traits were uncovered on chromosomes Ca02, Ca04, Ca05, Ca06, Ca09, and Ca11. These results lay a foundation for marker-assisted trait introgression of flowering time and fruit yield component traits in watermelons.

Acidovorax citrulli is the causative agent for bacterial fruit blotch in melons and watermelons. This disease causes several problems in the production and consumption of watermelon. The knowledge of the chemical profile of the interaction between the bacteria and the fruit can help in the adoption of measures to control this disease. Thus, this study investigated the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the fruit and seed of infected and healthy watermelon. In the present study, we used headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Chemometric analysis, Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and Principal component analysis (PCA), was used and the results show that this technique associate to GC–MS can be used to differentiate healthy from infected samples. Phenylethyl alcohol was produced by bacteria cultivated in vitro as well as in infected fruits and healthy and infected seeds. Therefore, detection of some phenolic compounds (phenol, benzyl alcohol, p-cresol and 2-mehoxy-phenol), acetoin and 2,3-butanediol was observed in the infected samples, which indicated the presence of a possible defense mechanism against infection.

The flesh color of watermelon is an important trait that is determined by carotenoid composition and affects consumers’ fruit desirability. Although a complete dominant control by C locus (Cllcyb) for canary yellow flesh (CY) over red flesh has been reported, red and CY colors frequently appear as a mixed pattern in the same flesh (incomplete canary yellow, ICY) in F1 and inbred lines carrying dominant C alleles. Therefore, we examined the genetic control of the mixed color pattern in ICY using whole-genome resequencing of three ICY (ICY group) and three CY inbred lines (CY group), as well as genetic linkage mapping of an F2 population. The segregation pattern in 135 F2 plants indicated that CY is controlled by a single locus (named C2) dominant over ICY. The whole-genome resequencing of ICY and CY inbred lines revealed an ICY/CY-specific region of approximately 27.60–27.88 Mb on Chr. 2 that was polymorphic between the ICY and CY groups. Our genetic map, using nine cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence markers developed based on the single-nucleotide polymorphisms from the ICY/CY-specific region, confirmed that C2 is located on Chr. 2 and cosegregated with the marker (M7) derived from a non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism of the pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) gene (ClPPR, Cla97C02G039880). Additionally, 27 watermelon inbred lines of ICY, CY, and red flesh were evaluated using previously reported Cllcyb (C locus)-based markers and our C2 locus-linked ClPPR-based marker (M7). As a result, dominant alleles at the C2 locus were required to produce CY, in addition to dominant alleles at the C locus, while a recessive homozygous genotype at the C locus gave the red flesh irrespective of the genotype at the C2 locus. Using a ClPPR-based cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence developed in this study and Cllcyb-based markers, watermelon cultivars with CY, ICY, and red flesh could be successfully discerned, implying that the combined use of these markers will be efficient for marker-assisted selection of flesh color in watermelon breeding.

Abstract As one of the most destructive pests, aphids cause significant damage on various agricultural and horticultural crops. Recently, melatonin has been shown to enhance plant resistance to aphids; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, our results showed that melatonin, MeJA, and H2S enhanced aphid resistance of watermelon in a dose‐dependent manner, accompanied by increases in the defense‐related enzyme activities and lignin accumulation. On the plants pretreated with 100 μM melatonin, 100 μM MeJA, and 50 μM NaHS, the numbers of aphids were 86.0%, 59.6%, and 47.9% lower than that on control plants, respectively, after aphid infestation for 7 days. Melatonin application induced MeJA and H2S accumulation in response to aphid infestation, while inhibition of MeJA and H2S accumulation attenuated or abolished melatonin‐induced defense response and aphid resistance, suggestive of the involvement of MeJA and H2S in melatonin‐induced aphid resistance. MeJA also increased H2S accumulation, but inhibition of MeJA biosynthesis prevented melatonin‐enhanced H2S accumulation, suggesting that MeJA mediates melatonin‐induced H2S accumulation. Furthermore, inhibition of H2S production attenuated MeJA‐induced defense response and aphid resistance. Taken together, the current study reveals a novel mechanism in which MeJA‐dependent H2S signaling is involved in melatonin‐induced defense response and subsequent aphid resistance. The increasing concern to minimize the use of pesticides and to switch onto sustainable and natural control strategies indicates the great exploitation of such a mechanism in combating aphids.

RNA silencing, a core part of plants' antiviral defence, requires the ARGONAUTE, DICER‐like, and RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase proteins. However, how these proteins contribute to watermelon's RNA interference (RNAi) pathway response to cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) has not been characterized. Here, we identify seven ClAGO, four ClDCL, and 11 ClRDR genes in watermelon and analyse their expression profiles when infected with CGMMV. ClAGO1 and ClAGO5 expression levels were highly induced by CGMMV infection. The results of ClAGO1 and ClAGO5 overexpression and silencing experiments suggest that these genes play central roles in watermelon's antiviral defence. Furthermore, co‐immunoprecipitation and bimolecular fluorescence complementation experiments showed that ClAGO1 interacts with ClAGO5 in vivo, suggesting that ClAGO1 and ClAGO5 co‐regulate watermelon defence against CGMMV infection. We also identified the ethylene response factor (ERF) binding site in the promoters of the ClAGO1 and ClAGO5 genes, and ethylene (ETH) treatment significantly increased ClAGO5 expression. Two ERF genes (Cla97C08G147180 and Cla97C06G122830) closely related to ClAGO5 expression were identified using co‐expression analysis. Subcellular localization revealed that two ERFs and ClAGO5 predominantly localize at the nucleus, suggesting that enhancement of resistance to CGMMV by ETH is probably achieved through ClAGO5 but not ClAGO1. Our findings reveal aspects of the mechanisms underlying RNA silencing in watermelon against CGMMV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objectives: Childhood obesity increases risk factors related to metabolic diseases. Watermelon's bioactive components can help reduce these risk factors. However, no study has investigated the effects of whole watermelon including both the flesh and rind or have assessed the impacts of any form of watermelon on children with overweight or obesity. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of whole‐blenderized watermelon (BWM) consumption on cardiometabolic risk factors. Methods: A randomized, cross‐over clinical design was implemented. Boys and girls ages 10–17 years with overweight or obesity (BMI ≥ 85th percentile) consumed one cup of BWM or an isocaloric sugar‐sweetened beverage (control) every day for 8 weeks with a 4‐week washout between trials. Anthropometrics, dietary, biochemical and clinical measures were obtained before and at the end of each trial. Results: A total of 17 participants completed the study. Eight weeks of BWM intake significantly decreased BMI (p = 0.032), BMI percentile (BMIP) (p = 0.038), body fat percentage (p = 0.036), and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (p = 0.012) compared to the sugar‐sweetened beverage. Sugar‐sweetened beverage consumption increased BMIP (p = 0.014) compared to baseline. No significant differences were observed for inflammation, blood glucose, insulin, lipids, liver function enzymes, and satiety hormones. Conclusions: The results support that BWM consumption improved some cardiometabolic risk factors including BMI, BMIP, body fat, and HbA1c. Watermelon is a potential alternative to unhealthful snacks for improving anthropometry and some risk factors related to obesity in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocellulose derived from cellulose, the abundant natural polymer, is used in various applications due to its superior chemical, mechanical and thermal properties along with good biocompatibility and biodegradability. This paper reports an investigation of the extraction of nanocellulose from two freely available natural precursors-watermelon rinds and water hyacinth leaves. Cellulose isolation was carried out through chemical methods, including acid and alkali treatments followed by bleaching. The chemical composition, percentage crystallinity and particle size were studied using various characterization techniques. FTIR spectra indicate the removal of hemicelluloses, pectin, and lignin resulting in the effective isolation of cellulose from both precursors. Results of XRD indicate a high concentration of Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNCs) in the treated sample. The FESEM and SEM-EDAX images also confirm the formation of CNCs. TGA and DSC results show excellent thermal stability for both CNCs. Investigations on the properties of a CNC-reinforced epoxy composite are also reported. Results indicate considerable improvement in the mechanical properties, thermal stability and thermal conductivity of the composites compared to the pristine polymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Food Safety & Quality is the property of Journal of Food Safety & Quality Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study was aimed at determining the vitamin, phytochemical compositions and the antioxidant properties of watermelon and horned melon fruit juices. The analyses were carried out using standard methods. The results obtained showed that the fruits contained vitamins C (0.13 mg/ml and 0.68 mg/ml), A (1.60 and 0.20 mg/ml), B1 (0.0011 and 0.00009 mg/ml), B2 (0.0005 and 0.00011 mg/ml), B3 (6.62 and 0.00007 mg/ml), B9 (0.12 and 0.0021 mg/ml) and E (3.48 and 0.00042 mg/ml) for fruit juice of watermelon and horned melon respectively. From the phytochemical analysis, phytate (0.33%), alkaloids (0.48 mg/ml), Oxalate (3.24 mg/ml) and tannins (108.79 mg TAE/g) were detected only in the fruit juice of horned melon while flavonoid (3.45 mg/ml) and terpenoids (0.12 mg/ml) were detected only in the fruit juice of watermelon. Others were 0.17 and 0.06 mg/ml phenol, 0.21 and 0.46 mg/ml cardiac glycosides, 0.09 and 0.19 mg/ml saponin for fruit juices of watermelon and horned melon respectively. Horned melon juice showed no antioxidant activity up to a concentration of 100% while the fruit juice of watermelon showed varying activity at different concentrations. The EC50 for scavenging ability on DPPH and inhibition of lipid peroxidation were 40.0 and 76.0% respectively while OD0.5 for reducing power was 45.0 %. These results showed that watermelon juice is richer in phenols and flavonoids than horned melon juice. Therefore, watermelon juice could be used in pharmaceutical preparations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant B-BOX (BBX) zinc finger transcription factors play crucial roles in growth and development and the stress response. Although the BBX family has been characterized in various plants, systematic analysis in watermelon is still lacking. In this study, 25 watermelon ClBBX genes were identified. ClBBXs were grouped into five clades (Clade I, II, III, IV, and V) based on their conserved domains and phylogenetic relationships. Most of the ClBBXs (84%) might be localized in the nuclei or cytoplasm. The classification of ClBBXs was consistent with their gene structures. They were unevenly distributed in nine chromosomes except for Chr4 and Chr10, with the largest number of six members in Chr2. Segmental duplications were the major factor in ClBBX family expansion. Some BBXs of watermelon and Arabidopsis evolved from a common ancestor. In total, 254 hormonal and stress-responsive cis elements were discovered in ClBBX promoters. ClBBXs were differentially expressed in tissues, and the expression levels of ClBBX15 and 16 were higher in aboveground tissues than in roots, while the patterns of ClBBX21a, 21b, 21c, 28 and 30b were the opposite. With salicylic acid, methyl jasmonate and salt stress conditions, 17, 18 and 18 ClBBXs exhibited significant expression changes, respectively. In addition, many ClBBXs, including ClBBX29b, 30a and 30b, were also responsive to cold and osmotic stress. In summary, the simultaneous response of multiple ClBBXs to hormonal or abiotic stress suggests that they may have functional interactions in the stress hormone network. Clarifying the roles of key ClBBXs in transcriptional regulation and mediating protein interactions will be an important task. Our comprehensive characterization of the watermelon ClBBX family provides vital clues for the in-depth analysis of their biological functions in stress and hormone signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Removing secondary branch to produce commodity watermelons is labor-costing and time-consuming work in traditional watermelon cultivation. Moreover, because elderly farmers work for a long time with their backs bent, musculoskeletal disorders reduce the quality of life of farmers. To improve this working condition, we developed the watermelon 'Soonless' variety that does not need to be pruned because there is no secondary branch. For diploid oval watermelons, the stripe width of the fruit is wide, the color of it's skin is green, and the flesh is pinkish-red. It contains 480 seeds of ‘Soonless’, and the fruit weight is 8.6 kg, which is heavier compared to ‘Sambokggul’. The thickness of the pericarp is 1.3 cm, and the total soluble solids content is 12.0 °Bx, which is similar to ‘Sambokggul’. The characteristics which distinguish it from the control variety include the leaf blade length and width, the ovary size, the width of the fruit stripes, and the thickness of the pericarp. The yield was 6,450 kg/10a, an increase of 5.3% compared to ‘Sambokggul’. As a result of this research, ‘Soonless’ has been registered as a variety with the Korea Seed and Varieties Service in 2022 as it was filed for breed protection in 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Ingesting some foods can trigger headache attacks in migraine patients. Diet-sourced citrulline activates the l-arginine-nitric oxide pathway, acting on the pathophysiology of migraine. Methods: The study was a clinical trial, interventional, controlled, and with group comparison. The sample was non-random, composed of 38 volunteers with migraine and 38 without headache (control). Both groups ingested a portion of watermelon to determine the onset of headache attacks. Before and after ingesting watermelon, they underwent blood collections to determine serum nitrite levels. Results: There were 38 volunteers diagnosed with migraine without aura and 38 controls, whose mean age was, respectively, 22.4 ± 1.5 and 22.9 ± 3.1 years (p = 0.791). Headache was triggered by watermelon ingestion after 124.3 ± 20.5 min of ingestion in 23.7% (9/38) of the migraine volunteers and in none of the controls (p = 0.002). There was an increase in serum nitrite levels, both in migraine volunteers (23.4%) and in the control group (24.3%), after watermelon ingestion. This difference was significant (p < 0.001). Discussion: Watermelon ingestion triggered headache attacks in migraine patients and increased serum nitrite levels, attesting to a possible activation of the l-arginine-nitric oxide pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tendrils are threadlike organs in vining plants that play essential role in climbing to reach more sunlight and growing space. However, the molecular basis underlying tendril organogenesis has only been studied in a few taxa. Here, a tendril-less watermelon mutant CG149 with determinate inflorescence was identified. Genetic analysis showed that the two traits of tendril-less and determinate inflorescence were co-segregated and were controlled by a single recessive gene, termed as Cltl/df. Bulked segregant sequencing and map-based cloning delimited the Cltl/df locus into a 61.6 kb region in watermelon chromosome 4. Gene sequence and expression analysis revealed that gene Cla97C04G076830 (ClTFL1) encodes a TERMINAL FLOWER 1 protein as the most probable candidate gene for Cltl/df. A single nucleotide mutation from C to A in the fourth exon was identified in ClTFL1, which resulted in a mutation from alanine to glutamic acid within a conserved motif of the TFL1 protein. Further qRT-PCR analysis showed that the expression level of ClTFL1 was significantly down-regulated in the inflorescence of the tendril-less mutant. The results of this study reveal the pleiotropic effects of ClTFL1 in regulating watermelon architecture and provide molecular mechanism of tendril organogenesis in angiosperms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Agricultural Sciences, Belgrade is the property of University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Leachate reuse is a helpful tool that contributes to the sustainability of agricultural systems, but it requires previous disinfection. Hydrogen peroxide can be found among the disinfectants frequently applied in ecological production systems. Moreover, it can improve the oxygenation of the root system. The objective of this work was to study its effect on C. fruticosa plants fertigated with leachates. A split-plot design with six treatments, three without an H2O2 supply (S0) and three with an H2O2 supply dosage at 2% (SH2O2), was arranged: raw leachate from C. lanatus (L100), raw leachate from C. lanatus diluted with tap water until EC of 2.5 dS m−1 (LWD), and raw leachate from C. lanatus diluted with standard nutrient solution until EC of 2.5 dS m−1 (LNSD). The results produced data about the evolution of the nutrient and leachate solutions throughout the cultivation period. Morphological (height, leaf number, leaf area, total fresh weight, relative water status, and dry weight) and physiological (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoids, chlorophyll a+b, and proline) parameters were studied to reveal the plant response. The efficiency of nutrient utilization was higher with the LWD treatment, and water and nitrogen utilization efficiency decreased under the H2O2 supply. In conclusion, the reuse of diluted leachate is advised for nutritionally undemanding crops, such as C. fruticosa; moreover, the H2O2 supply improved tolerance to salinity and enhanced root growth and Red-Green-Blue (RGB) values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Northwest A & F University - Natural Science Edition is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Northwest A&F University (Natural Science Edition) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To investigate the evapotranspiration and crop coefficient of oasis watermelon under water deficit (WD), mild (60%-70% field capacity, FC)and moderate (50%-60% FC) WD levels were set up at the various growth stages of watermelon, including seedling stage (SS), vine stage (VS), flowering and fruiting stage (FS), expansion stage (ES), and maturity stage (MS), with adequate water supply (70%-80% FC) during the growing season as a control. A two-year (2020-2021) field trial was carried out in the Hexi oasis area of China to explore the effect of WD on watermelon evapotranspiration characteristics and crop coefficient under sub-membrane drip irrigation. The results indicated that the daily reference crop evapotranspiration showed a sawtooth fluctuation which was extremely significantly and positively correlated with temperature, sunshine hours, and wind speed. The water consumption during the entire growing season of watermelon varied from 281-323 mm (2020) and 290-334 mm (2021), among which the phasic evapotranspiration valued the maximum during ES, accounting for 37.85% (2020) and 38.94% (2021) in total, followed in the order of VS, SS, MS, and FS. The evapotranspiration intensity of watermelon increased rapidly from SS to VS, reaching the maximum with 5.82 mm⋅d-1 at ES, after which it gradually decreased. The crop coefficient at SS, VS, FS, ES, and MS varied from 0.400 to 0.477, from 0.550 to 0.771, from 0.824 to 1.168, from 0.910 to 1.247, and from 0.541 to 0.803, respectively. Any period of WD reduced the crop coefficient and evapotranspiration intensity of watermelon at that stage. And then the relationship between LAI and crop coefficient can be characterized better by an exponential regression, thereby establishing a model for estimating the evapotranspiration of watermelon with a Nash efficiency coefficient of 0.9 or more. Hence, the water demand characteristics of oasis watermelon differ significantly during different growth stages, and reasonable irrigation and water control management measures need to be conducted in conjunction with the water requirements features of each growth stage. Also, this work aims to provide a theoretical basis for the irrigation management of watermelon under sub-membrane drip irrigation in desert oases of cold and arid environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) affects about 2% of pregnancies and is at the severe end of the spectrum of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy. HG causes severe maternal distress and results in adverse pregnancy outcomes long after the condition may have dissipated. Although dietary advice is a common tool in management, trial evidence to base the advice on is lacking. Methods: A randomized trial was conducted in a university hospital from May 2019 to December 2020. 128 women at their discharge following hospitalization for HG were randomized: 64 to watermelon and 64 to control arm. Women were randomized to consume watermelon and to heed the advice leaflet or to heed the dietary advice leaflet alone. A personal weighing scale and a weighing protocol were provided to all participants to take home. Primary outcomes were bodyweight change at the end of week 1 and week 2 compared to hospital discharge. Results: Weight change (kg) at end of week 1, median[interquartile range] -0.05[-0.775 to + 0.50] vs. -0.5[-1.4 to + 0.1] P = 0.014 and to the end of week 2, + 0.25[-0.65 to + 0.975] vs. -0.5[-1.3 to + 0.2] P = 0.001 for watermelon and control arms respectively. After two weeks, HG symptoms assessed by PUQE-24 (Pregnancy-Unique Quantification of Emesis and Nausea over 24 h), appetite assessed by SNAQ (Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire), wellbeing and satisfaction with allocated intervention NRS (0–10 numerical rating scale) scores, and recommendation of allocated intervention to a friend rate were all significantly better in the watermelon arm. However, rehospitalization for HG and antiemetic usage were not significantly different. Conclusion: Adding watermelon to the diet after hospital discharge for HG improves bodyweight, HG symptoms, appetite, wellbeing and satisfaction. Trial registration: This study was registered with the center's Medical Ethics Committee (on 21/05/2019; reference number 2019327–7262) and the ISRCTN on 24/05/2019 with trial identification number: ISRCTN96125404. First participant was recruited on 31/05/ 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors of affecting watermelon yield in Diyarbakır province. The data was obtained from surveying of 80 watermelon farmers in Diyarbakır province, Turkey by Simple Random Sampling Method using the Chi-square automatic interaction detector (EXHAUSTIVE CHAID) algorithm of the Data Mining Regression Tree methods. In the model created, the dependent variable was WY (watermelon yield), and the independent variables were determined as R (region), AF (age of farmer), EL (education level), CA (cultivation are), FD (fertilization date), FA (amount of fertilization), DS (date of spraying), AS (amount of spraying), NI (number of irrigation), IT (irrigation time), AN (anchor number), HT (harvest time). As a result of the study, the factors that significantly affect the yield of watermelon; AN, NI, HT, CA, R has been determined. An average of 4488.9 kg watermelon yield per decare was obtained and the number of hoes was the variable that most affected the watermelon yield. As a result in order to get a higher yield per unit area, watermelon producers should anchor number more than 4 times, irrigate 5 to 6 times at less than 2 hours, and apply fertilizer in May. In addition, Çermik, Eğil, Yenişehir and Bismil were determined as more suitable regions for watermelon production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (Fon), poses a serious threat to watermelon productivity. We previously characterized six antagonistic bacterial strains, including DHA6, capable of suppressing watermelon Fusarium wilt under greenhouse conditions. This study investigates the role of extracellular cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) produced by strain DHA6 in Fusarium wilt suppression. Taxonomic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence categorized strain DHA6 as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry identified five families of CLPs, i.e., iturin, surfactin, bacillomycin, syringfactin, and pumilacidin, in the culture filtrate of B. amyloliquefaciens DHA6. These CLPs exhibited significant antifungal activity against Fon by inducing oxidative stress and disrupting structural integrity, inhibiting mycelial growth and spore germination. Furthermore, pretreatment with CLPs promoted plant growth and suppressed watermelon Fusarium wilt by activating antioxidant enzymes (e.g., catalase, superoxide dismutase, and peroxidase) and triggering genes involved in salicylic acid and jasmonic acid/ethylene signaling in watermelon plants. These results highlight the critical roles of CLPs as determinants for B. amyloliquefaciens DHA6 in suppressing Fusarium wilt through direct antifungal activity and modulation of plant defense responses. This study provides a foundation for developing B. amyloliquefaciens DHA6-based biopesticides, serving as both antimicrobial agents and resistance inducers, to effectively control Fusarium wilt in watermelon and other crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integrated microbiome microbial agent ( referred to as integrated microbial agent) was a soil remediation agent produced by using the pig litter of microbial fermentation bed for raising pigs for about one year as the base material, which contained multiple functional microbiomes. The effects of different concentrations of the integrated microbial agent extract on the germination of watermelon seeds were studied by using the filter paper germination method. The results showed that: the extract solution of the integrated microbial agent had significant inhibitory effect on the germination of watermelon seeds. When the addition amount was 5%, the germination rate was 53. 33%, the germination index (7. 02) and seed vigor index (241. 05) were significantly lower than those of the two control groups (P <0.05). There was no significant difference in the radicle growth (34.54 mm) between the two control groups (34.56 mm and 0.20 mm) (P<0.05). With the increase of the addition amount, the germination rate, radicle length, germination index and seed vigor index showed a downward trend. Through the pot experiment, the control effects of different proportions of addition amount of the integrated microbial agents on the plant growth of watermelon and wilt disease were studied. The results showed that :The results showed that: when the addition amount of integrated microbial agent was 10%, the root length and plant height were increased by 40. 82% and 45. 34%, respectively. compared with the old substrate, and the growth promotion effect was the most significant (P<0. 05), and the control effect on watermelon fusarium wilt was 66. 67%. When the addition amount of integrated microbial agent was more than 20%, the root length and plant height decreased by 10. 21 % and 3. 97%, respectively, compared with the old substrate, and the inhibitory effect was significant (P<0. 05). According to the results of the experiment, it was suggested that the integrated microbial agent could be applied to the roots of watermelon during the planting process, and the addition amount should be controlled below 10%, Then, the ideal control effect on fusarium wilt could be achieved by combining with other measures such as the disease control agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fermentation of fruits offers a diverse range of flavors, smells, and colors. Colored fruits are rich in naturally occurring pigments, such as betacyanin. Hence, they are considered to possess powerful antioxidant activities. However, in wine production, such pigments often diversify the flavor and color of the wine. The objective of this study was to compare the quality of two types of wines: a single‐fruit (pitaya) wine and a mixed‐fruit wine that contains watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), mint (Mintha spicata), and pitaya (Hylocereus costaricensis). In this study, fresh pitaya, watermelon, and mint leaves were fermented using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Juice extracts underwent fermentation at room temperature for 7 days under dark conditions. Physicochemical changes, such as pH, sugar content, specific gravity, and alcohol content, were observed daily. The antioxidant activities were measured by the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, and total phenolic contents (TPCs). After 14 days of fermentation, the alcohol contents of mixed and pitaya wine were 11.22% (v/v) and 11.25%, respectively. The total sugar content of the mixed wine was 8.0 °Brix, while that of pitaya wine was 7.0 °Brix. Moreover, pitaya wine exhibited a higher TPC (22.7 mg GAE/100 g D.W.), and better FRAP (3578 μmole/L) and DPPH scavenging ability (80.2%) compared to the mixed wine with a TPC of 21.4 mg GAE/100 g D.W., FRAP of 2528 μmole/L, and DPPH of 75.6%., while the addition of watermelon and mint did not change the alcohol percentage contents of wine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Damping-off caused by Pythium aphanidermatum (Pa) is one of the most destructive diseases for watermelon seedlings. Application of biological control agents against Pa has attracted the attention of many researchers for a long time. In this study, the actinomycetous isolate JKTJ-3 with strong and broad-spectrum antifungal activity was screened from 23 bacterial isolates. Based on the morphological, cultural, physiological, and biochemical characteristics as well as the feature of 16S rDNA sequence, isolate JKTJ-3 was identified as Streptomyces murinus. We investigated the biocontrol efficacy of isolate JKTJ-3 and its metabolites. The results revealed that seed and substrate treatments with JKTJ-3 cultures showed a significant inhibitory effect on watermelon damping-off disease. Seed treatment with the JKTJ-3 cultural filtrates (CF) displayed higher control efficacy compared to the fermentation cultures (FC). Treatment of the seeding substrate with the wheat grain cultures (WGC) of JKTJ-3 exhibited better control efficacy than that of the seeding substrate with the JKTJ-3 CF. Moreover, the JKTJ-3 WGC showed the preventive effect on suppression of the disease, and the efficacy increased with increase in the inoculation interval between the WGC and Pa. Production of the antifungal metabolite actinomycin D by isolate JKTJ-3 and cell-wall-degrading enzymes such as β-1,3-glucanase and chitosanase were probably the mechanisms for effective control of watermelon damping-off. It was shown for the first time that S. murinus can produce anti-oomycete substances including chitinase and actinomycin D. This is the first report about S. murinus used as biocontrol agent against watermelon damping-off caused by Pa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in color parameters (L*, a*, b*, and a*/b* values), carotenoid content, and singlet oxygen absorption capacity (SOAC) value were investigated at ripening of 'Matsuribayashi777', a large red-fleshed watermelon cultivar. The L* value decreased and the a* value increased up to 30 days after pollination, indicating that the flesh color turned reddish black rapidly, and the L* value increased from 40 to 50 days after pollination, indicating a slight fading of the color. The carotenoid content increased from 20 to 30 days after pollination, was high at 30 to 40 days after pollination, and decreased at 50 days after pollination. β-carotene content increased with days after pollination. The SOAC value increased from 20 to 30 days after pollination, with the highest value (12.55 µmol α- tocopherol equivalent/mL) at 30 days after pollination, and decreased at 50 days after pollination. Single correlation analysis of carotenoid content and color parameters showed a correlation of 0.898 between lycopene content and a* value. The carotenoid content has been reported to be closely related to SOAC value, and the same trend was confirmed in this study. The correlation between a* values and SOAC value at 20 to 40 days after pollination was 0.940, y = 0.9761x-13.626 (R² = 0.8838). These results suggest that the SOAC value of 'Matsuribayashi777' can be predicted from the fruit juice color measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relevance. The nutritional value of gourds is quite high and is of great importance in the life of the human body. A significant point in modern melon growing is to increase yields without reducing the quality of the products obtained. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new methods of cultivation technologies that allow obtaining stable fruit yields without reducing the quality of table watermelon products of different ripeness groups, in the climatic conditions of the Volgograd region.Material and methodology. The object of research is a watermelon of medium ripening, variety Zemlyanin, and late ripening, variety Kholodok. We studied new types of water-soluble fertilizers Fe chelate, as well as Vegetable Aquarin, by using them for soaking seeds before sowing and processing plants during the growing season.Results. The use of chelated fertilizers in the technology of growing table watermelon of medium and late ripening is an effective technique for obtaining stable yields. The use of water-soluble fertilizers, with various methods of their use, provided an increase in the yield of Zemlyanin watermelon by 2.7-27.8%, and Kholodok watermelon by 2-22.4% in comparison with the control (without treatments). The largest fruits were obtained in the variant Aquarin vegetable (plant processing) Zemlyanin variety - 6.8 kg and Kholodok variety - 8.4 kg. A comparative analysis of the biochemical composition of fruits showed that water-soluble chelate fertilizers do not have a negative effect on the accumulation of nitrates in varieties of medium and late ripening. As a result of research, a positive effect of water-soluble micronutrient fertilizers has been revealed on improving the quality of fruits, which increased the content of ascorbic acid and sugars.

This study aims to determine the interest of watermelon oriental fruit flies in several trap colors. The study used a randomized block design (RAK), which consisted of 5 treatments and 3 replications. The treatment applied is the use of traps with different colors, namely; traps without color (clear), green, yellow, blue and red. Observations were made on oriental fruit fly populations in two phases of watermelon development, namely the vegetative growth phase (age 15 DAP to 30 DAP) and the generative growth phase (31 DAP to 60 DAP). This study showed that the use of color traps had no significant effect between treatments, but the results showed that in the watermelon vegetative growth phase, the use of red traps attracted more oriental fruit flies, i.e. an average of 65.3 tails compared to traps without color (clear), green yellow and blue. While in the watermelon generative growth phase, the use of green traps attracted more oriental fruit flies, i.e., an average of 95 tails compared to traps without colors (clear), yellow, blue and red.

Introduction Watermelon is a popular fruit that is cultivated in greenhouses and on the ground, and water and fertilizer, as two essential factors for the growth of the product, significantly affect the yield of crops. Watermelon is the twelfth plant in terms of cultivated area in Iran. Due to its importance in export and virtual water, it is necessary to pay special attention to the characteristics of water needs and water consumption. However, water resources are scarce and irrational irrigation and use of fertilizers are common. This caused environmental pollution and waste of resources and also affects the growth and absorption of nutrients. Plant absorption, therefore, affects the yield and quality of the product. China is the first producer of this product in the world with the production of 67% of the total watermelon crop. The next ranks with less than 4% of world production are held by Turkey, Iran, Brazil and Egypt. According to FAO statistics, Iran ranks third in the world in watermelon production. In Iran, 91,000 hectares are cultivated with watermelon, of which 85,400 hectares are irrigated.Considering the special attention given to the watermelon plant as one of the high consumption options in the cultivation pattern, it was necessary to conduct a research in this field to investigate the amount of water required and reduce its yield under deficit irrigation. Materials and Methods In this study, Charleston variety watermelon was grown with a density of 8000 plants per hectare on May 29, 2022 in the soil and water research farm in Alborz province. Also, Crimson Sweet cultivar with a density of 11,000 thousand plants per hectare was cultivated on Desember 25, 2021 in the southern research center of Kerman province.In this regard, a research was conducted in the form of randomized block design in 4 full irrigation treatments, 75% of water requirement, 50% of water requirement and 30% of water requirement in the research farm of the Soil and Water Research Institute and Kerman Research Center. After applying low irrigations in different treatments, the performance of each treatment was measured. Also, the water requirement values of watermelon were investigated using the water requirement system of the Soil and Water Research Institute of the country under standard conditions. Also, by using two production functions, the sensitivity coefficients of the Charleston variety were determined. Also, the water requirement values of watermelon were investigated using the water requirement system of the Soil and Water Research Institute of the country under standard conditions. Also, using two production functions, the sensitivity coefficients of the Charleston variety were determined. Results and Discussion The results showed that the standard water requirement of watermelon in Karaj is about 488 mm and in Jiroft area of Kerman is 423 mm and it is in good agreement with the water requirement estimated by the water requirement system. The results show that watermelon in both cultivars reacted to the lowest amount of stress, so it is sensitive to lack of irrigation, and therefore it is necessary to investigate the values of the production function in their case according to the applied treatments. On the other hand, the highest sensitivity coefficient occurred in the period of 60 to 80 days after cultivation in the middle period of growth and the recalibrated production function estimated the yield of the plant with appropriate accuracy in the applied stresses, which the statistical indicators of Charleston variety RMSE, NRMSE, MBE , d and EF were 497, 0.02, -119, 0.99 and 0.98, respectively, and the Crimson number was 568, 0.095, -536, 0.98 and 0.96 respectively, so the sensitivity coefficients and production function It is proposed to simulate the performance of both watermelon cultivars under water stress conditions. Also, the highest productivity was obtained in the low irrigation treatment of 70% and Crimson variety has higher water consumption efficiency. Therefore, this variety is recommended for watermelon cultivation with 70% less irrigation. Conclusion Summarizing the results showed that the standard water requirement of watermelon in Karaj is about 488 mm and in Jiroft area of Kerman is 423 mm and it is in good agreement with the water requirement estimated by the NIAZAB system. The sensitivity coefficients and the production function presented for simulation The performance of both watermelon cultivars is suggested under water stress conditions. On the other hand, the highest sensitivity coefficient occurred in the period of 60 to 80 days after cultivation in the middle period of growth and the recalibrated production function estimated the yield of the plant with appropriate accuracy in the applied stresses, which the statistical indicators of Charleston variety RMSE, NRMSE, MBE , d and EF were 497, 0.02, -119, 0.99 and 0.98, respectively, and Crimson number was 568, 0.095, -536, 0.98 and 0.96, respectively. Therefore, the sensitivity coefficients and production function It is proposed to simulate the performance of both watermelon cultivars under water stress conditions. Of course, due to the high performance level of the Crimson variety, the amount of water productivity in this variety is twice that of the Charleston variety, so in terms of water consumption efficiency, the cultivation of the Crimson variety is a priority compared to the Charleston variety. Also, the highest productivity was obtained in the low irrigation treatment of 70% and Crimson variety has higher water consumption efficiency. Therefore, this variety is recommended for watermelon cultivation with 70% less irrigation.

A field experiment was conducted to assess the growth and yield of watermelon Citrullus lanatus [(Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] under acidic soil conditions in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. The experiment was a 3 × 3 factorial experiment laid in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The factors studied were varieties (Heracles F1, Kaolack and Sugar Baby), lime rates (0 t ha-1 , 2.7 t ha-1 and 5.7 t ha-1 ), and their interactions on watermelon growth and yield traits. Heracles F1 and Kaolack outperformed Sugar Baby (p ≤ 0.05) regarding growth and yield traits. Lime rates of 2.7 t ha-1 and 5.7 t ha-1 increased the initial soil pH range (4.6-4.9) by 21.74% (5.4-5.8) and 43.48% (6.4-6.7), respectively. These rates improved the soil pH to a range suitable for watermelon cultivation in the study area. Vine length, number of leaves, transverse and longitudinal sections of the fruits and sugar content of the fruits had ≥ 50% heritability, a useful index in the selection of choice growth and yield traits in watermelon. Overall, GAM was greater than GA for each of the traits except for the total number of seeds per fruit. Multi-location studies are recommended to give further insights to this pilot study.

To deal with climate emergency and reduce environmental impact, agro-industrial wastes are gradually gaining interest and are being used for new products and applications. The large production of watermelons represents an opportunity because of the many byproducts that can be transformed into innovative and valuable foodstuffs. In this study, we examined the lycopene-rich whole dietary fiber (WDF) obtained from the watermelon pomace of a peculiar cultivar, Gavina® (Oristano, Italy) a seedless fruit from Sardinia (Italy). The volatile chemical composition of the WDF was investigated using Solid-Phase Microextraction-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (SPME-GC/MS). The aim was to follow the evolution of the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) fraction during storage and verify its stability over time. Since watermelon is an excellent source of carotenoids, their byproducts were the most abundant VOCs of the freshly prepared samples, but their overall abundance decreased significantly during storage. The opposite trend was observed for acids and aldehydes, whose increase over time is related to amino acid degradation. Freshly prepared WDF can be used in the food industry as an antioxidant-rich dietary fiber that imparts a characteristic and pleasant aroma. Over time, its aroma profile and carotenoid content change considerably, reducing its health properties and limiting its potential application as a natural flavor.

Abstract The watermelon and muskmelon productions are important agriculture pillar industries of Zhejiang Province in China. Difenoconazole is an imidazole-class sterol, 14-demethylase inhibitor (DMI), which has been in use for several years to control gummy stem blight (GSB) caused by Stagonosporopsis species. However, the detection and characterization of difenoconazole resistance in GSB have not been clarified. In this study, a total of 112 isolates were collected from samples of GSB on watermelon and muskmelon in five locations of Zhejiang Province, China. All of the isolates were identified as Stagonosporopsis citrulli through morphology and multiplex PCR analysis. The determination of their resistance to difenoconazole via the discriminatory dosage method showed that the total resistance frequency was 89.3%. Among the resistant sub-population, 36.6% had high-level resistance to difenoconazole (DifHR), while 46.4% and 6.3% had low- (DifLR) and moderate-level resistance (DifMR), respectively. Additionally, the difenoconazole showed a positive cross-resistance with four DMIs, i.e., tebuconazole, prochloraz, metconazole, and mefentrifluconazole, but not hexaconazole. The phenotypic analysis found that the difenoconazole resistant (DifR) isolates demonstrated attenuated ability in both the mycelial growth and sporulation compared with the difenoconazole sensitive (DifS) isolates, while there was no significant difference in pathogenicity on watermelon leaves between the DifR and DifS isolates. Further exploration of the mechanism related to difenoconazole resistance of S. citrulli isolates revealed that the resistance to difenoconazole involved four types of mutations in CYP51, i.e., G463S for DifLR, I444M, Y446H, and A464G for DifHR. No over-expression of the cyp51 gene was found in the tested DifR isolates. Furthermore, it was found that 5% of the DifR isolates were significantly more sensitive to difenoconazole after being treated with 20 μg/mL chlorpromazine hydrochloride, indicating that the efflux mechanism may be involved in these difenoconazole-resistant isolates. Together, our study results suggested that S. citrulli had a strong resistance to difenoconazole on watermelon and muskmelon, and the mutations in cyp51and changes in fungicide efflux were responsible for the emergence of difenoconazole resistance in S. citrulli.

Globally, the guava root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne enterolobii) is becoming an emerging threat of note in crops with or without Mi resistance genes. Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) cultivars are highly susceptible to Meloidogyne species, with all cultivars without genotypes with resistance to the genus. In contrast, nematode management options for watermelon production had since the withdrawal of fumigant nematicides been constrained. The objective of this study was to investigate the comparative efficacy of the locally-developed cucurbitacin phytonematicides and commercially available synthetic chemical nematicide Velum on growth and fruit yield and quality of watermelon cv. ‘Congo’, along with its accumulation of foliar nutrient elements and suppression of M. enterolobii population densities under field conditions. Nemarioc-AL and Nemafric-BL phytonematicides were each applied biweekly at 2% per seedling using 500 ml solution, while Velum was applied once using 500 ml solution at 0.08 ml/15 L chlorine-free water. At 90 days after the treatments, relative to untreated control, the two phytonematicides and Velum (a.i. fluopyram) significantly increased plant growth, fruit yield and quality, although with the accumulation of phosphorus in leaf tissues, with efficacies of the three products being comparable. Similarly, relative to untreated control, the three products significantly reduced nematode eggs and juveniles in roots and juveniles in soil, with efficacies that were significantly comparable. In conclusion, the benefits of phytonematicides on the productivity of watermelon cv. ‘Congo’ and suppression of population densities of M. enterolobii were comparable.

This study examines the role of non-synthetic buffers from watermelon and papaya juice added to coconut water diluent on the liquid semen quality of Kacang goats during cold storage at 5oC for three months. An experimental method was used in which semen from a 2.5-year-old male was collected twice a week using an artificial vagina. The primary ingredients include young coconut water, Viridis, watermelon, papaya, NaHCO3, and Egg Yolk (KT). Furthermore, the observed variables were individual motility, viability, and abnormality. This study used a Randomized Block Design (RAK)) with 3 treatments and 10 replications, namely P0: Coconut Water + NaHCO3 + 10% KT, P1: Coconut Water + Watermelon Juice + 10% KT, and P2: Coconut Water + Papaya Juice + 10% KT. The data were analyzed using Variety Analysis. The results showed the treatment had a significant effect (P0.01) on abnormality at all storage times. It can be concluded that the use of watermelon and papaya juice as non-synthetic buffers in coconut water diluent on Kacang goat semen affects motility and viability but has no effect on abnormality.