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The mission of the World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) is research and development to realize the potential of vegetables for healthier lives and more resilient livelihoods. WorldVeg operates across Asia and Africa, and its breeding portfolio comprises global as well as traditional vegetables. Cucurbit crops make an important contribution to global food and nutrition security and are economically important to smallholder farmers in Asia, who account for 83% of global cucurbit production. The global cucurbit breeding program of WorldVeg focuses on four species: bitter gourd (Momordica charantia), tropical pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata), ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula), and sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica syn. L. aegyptiaca). Improved cultivars have been developed by the private seed industry, however, repeated recycling of lines derived from elite hybrids has narrowed the genetic base and reduced genetic gains for yield and other key traits. This trend will continue unless a concerted effort is made to introduce new genetic variability into elite hybrids. WorldVeg has organized a breeding consortium with seed companies to facilitate access to the Center’s new breeding lines derived from hitherto unexploited landraces to develop genetically diverse, improved cucurbit cultivars with enhanced yield and resistance to major diseases. Through this partnership, WorldVeg presents its improved lines and F1 hybrids at Crop Field Days for selection by private seed industry staff engaged in breeding, product development, and sales and marketing.

This study explored a germplasm consisting of 112Luffa acutangula(ridge gourd) accessions mainly from Thailand, and some accessions from Vietnam, China, Philippines, Indonesia, USA, Bangladesh and Laos for an analysis of the population structure and underlying genetic diversity using 2,834 SNPs. STRUCTURE analysis (ΔKatK=6) allowed us to group the accessions into six subpopulations that corresponded well with the unrooted phylogenetic tree and principal coordinate analyses. The phylogenetic tree showed the diversity ofL. acutangulain Thailand, and accessions from other countries apart from Thailand were grouped together in the same branches. In STRUCTURE, subpopulation 2 contained only accessions from Thailand while other subpopulations contained a combination of accessions from Thailand and from other countries. When plotted, the STRUCTURE bars to the area of collection, it revealed the geneflow from the surrounding places nearby as indicated by the admixed genetic in the STRUCTURE bars. AMOVA based on STRUCTURE clustering showed the variation between populations (12.83%) and confirmed the absence of population structure in subpopulations (−10.59%). There was a distinguishing characteristic fruit shape and length in each subpopulation. The ample genetic diversity found in theL. acutangulagermplasm can be utilized in ridge gourd breeding programs to help meet the demands and needs of both consumers and farmers.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional value and antioxidant properties of aqueous extracts of some Bangladesh vegetables using fruits of ash gourd, bitter gourd, brinjal, okra, ridge gourd, snake gourd, and leaves of Indian spinach, kangkong, and stem amaranth. Proximate composition showed that the dried extracts were composed mainly of crude protein (14.6%-46.7%) and non-fibre carbohydrates (26.4%-53.5%). With the exception of stem amaranth, all the extracts had >40% DPPH radical scavenging ability at 0.5 mg/ml. In contrast metal chelation was lower, except in Indian spinach with ~46%. The ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) was highest for the kangkong (10.9 mM Fe3+ reduced), which is similar to the 9.9 mM for butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). All the extracts suppressed linoleic acid oxidation better than BHT within the first 5 days of the incubation period. We conclude that the Indian spinach, kangkong, and okra could be considered as the most promising sources of antioxidant compounds. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Vegetables are commonly consumed as part of a regular diet but the high water and fiber contents usually mean that large quantities are required to provide long-term health benefits. Therefore, in this work, aqueous extracts of nine Bangladesh vegetables were prepared to provide a more concentrated form of nutrients and bioactive compounds. The extracts had strong nutritional value based on the high contents of crude protein, potassium, iron, and non-fibre carbohydrates. The high content of polyphenolic compounds in the extracts can also provide health benefits, which was demonstrated through strong free radical scavenging, metal chelation, ferric iron reduction, and inhibition of linoleic acid oxidation. These vegetable extracts have the potential to be used as sources of bioactive compounds to prevent or treat non-communicable diseases that are associated with high oxidative stress.

Luffa cylindrica also known as sponge gourd (SG), is a non-edible feedstock that is readily available and under-utilized. In this study, SG as a potential source for production of ethanol was studied under statistically optimized conditions. SG was collected, peeled, dried, milled and sieved (1mm). Several pretreatment methods were employed on SG namely: steam explosion, alkaline, combination of alkaline and steam explosion, zinc chloride and sodium sulphite. Central Composite Design (CCD) of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to design and determine the optimum parameters for glucose yield as well as the fermentation for bioethanol production. The best pretreatment method for sponge gourd was investigated to be sodium sulphite pretreatment with a glucose yield of 6.65 kgm−3. The sodium sulphite pretreated SG was modelled, optimized and validated with R2 of 0.9974 at p < 0.05. Glucose production was optimal at conditions: sodium sulphite (9% w/w), temperature (100 °C) and reaction time (60 min) resulting in glucose yield of 6.673 kgm−3. From the CCD, the factors that gave the highest ethanol concentration of 6.84kgm−3 were inoculum size (7.5 v/v), fermentation time (24 h) and nitrogen source (inorganic). The study concluded that sponge gourd could be a potential feedstock for bioethanol production and would prevent under-utilized agro-waste materials.

CMV (cucumber mosaic virus) is the most primitive virus infecting chilli (Capsicum annuum. L). The mosaic incidence with leaf filiformity, mosaic mottling and stunted growth was observed in major chilli growing regions of Tamil Nadu. CMV sap was inoculated on chilli, cowpea, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, banana, cucumber, Nicotiana and Chenopodium plants. Host range studies revealed that CMV produced localized infection on Nicotiana and systemic symptoms on most of the test plants. The occurrence of CMV was confirmed through DAC-ELISA and RT-PCR analysis. Host plant samples tested with DAC-ELISA showed strong reaction with 1.7 optical density. For molecular characterization, total RNA isolated from infected plants used in RT-PCR with CMV specific primers. The specific amplicons were cloned and sequenced. The complete genome sequencing depicts CMV-RNA1 consist of 3339 nucleotides (nt), RNA2 and RNA3 with 3052nt and 2027nt respectively. Phylogenetic and nucleotide sequence analysis showed TN CMV isolates closely associated with subgroup IB rather than subgroup IA and II. Comparative sequence analysis indicates replicase protein to be more variable among five genes. CP sequence analysis showed 97–98 per cent identity with subgroup IB strains, 92–93 per cent identity with subgroup IA strains and 81–82 per cent identity with subgroup II strains. CMV-RNA3 was predicted to have recombination with Indian black pepper isolate (KU947031) between 165-505nt and Egyptian tomato isolate (KX014666) between 165-506nt positions. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s13205-020-02492-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Luffa spp. (sponge gourd or ridge gourd) is an economically important vegetable crop widely cultivated in China, India and Southeast Asia. Here, we employed PacBio long-read single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing to perform de novo genome assemblies of two commonly cultivated Luffa species, L. acutangula and L. cylindrica. We obtained preliminary draft genomes of 734.6 Mb and 689.8 Mb with scaffold N50 of 786,130 and 578,616 bases for L. acutangula and L. cylindrica, respectively. We also applied long-range Chicago and HiC techniques to obtain the first chromosome-scale whole-genome assembly of L. acutangula. The final assembly contained 13 pseudomolecules, corresponding to the haploid chromosome number in Luffa spp. (1n = 13, 2n = 26). The sizes of the assembled Luffa genomes are approximately twice as large as the genome assemblies of related Cucurbitaceae. A large proportion of L. acutangula (62.17%; 456.69 Mb) and L. cylindrica (56.78%; 391.65 Mb) genome assemblies contained repetitive elements. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the substantial accumulation of transposable elements likely contributed to the expansion of the Luffa genomes. We also investigated alternative splicing events in Luffa using full-length transcript sequences obtained from PacBio Isoform Sequencing (Iso-seq). While the predominant form of alternative splicing in most plant species examined was intron retention, alternative 3' acceptor site selection appeared to be a major event observed in Luffa. High-quality genome assemblies for L. acutangula and L. cylindrica reported here provide valuable resources for Luffa breeding and future genetics and comparative genomics studies in Cucurbitaceae.

Momordica charantia (M. charantia) is commonly referred to as Bitter Gourd, Karela and balsam-pear, is a very familiar vegetable and widely cultivate in Bangladesh. It has long been used as a traditional medicine for some ailments. Nutritional compositions and phytochemical constituents of two selected hybrid varieties of M. charantia (TIA and GOJNEE) from Bangladesh were analysed using standard analytical methods. The proximate composition like moisture, ash, crude lipid, crude fibre and crude protein contents were showed as percentage. The study results showed that the two varieties of this M. charantia are good source of minerals such as Calcium (Ca), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Iron (Fe) and Chromium (Cr). Calcium and iron concentrations were higher in both varieties. And their concentrations were 2.35 and 1.04 ppm in GOJNEE, and 2.24 and 0.87 ppm in TIA, respectively. Phytochemicals constituents like alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids and saponins were found in both varieties of M. charantia. Quantity of alkaloids, flavonoids and saponin were 0.05, 2.001 and 5.02 % in seeds of GOJNEE and 0.012, 1.72 and 3.27 % in seed of TIA. Total phenolic content was also determined and found that the highest contents were in ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts in both varieties. Our study result indicates the presence of nutritional and phytochemical constituents which are beneficial for our health along with the medicinal values.

Fruit leather is a flesh of fruit that has been crushed and dried at 50-60oC. The study aimed to determine the effect of ratio of gourd and pineapple and the addition of sugar in the production of fruit leather. The variables were analyzed for chemistry analysis and organoleptic response. Chemical analyzes performed were water content analysis and fiber content. Organoleptic responses include color, aroma, texture, and flavor. The data was analyzed by Randomized Completely Design with two factorial. The ratio of kundur and pineapple (K) those are 80:20%, 70:30%, 60:40% while (G) those are 20%, 30% and 40%. The result of this study showed that the ratio of the concentration of kundur and pineapple 80:20% while the concentration of sugar 30% (K1G2) produced fruit leather of the highest quality with a moisture content of 8.15%, fiber content of 1.882, and organoleptic response of texture 3.80 (like) , color 3,71 (like), aroma 3,58 (like), flavor 3,91 (like).

In the present study, spine gourd slices were dried in a convective dryer at 40, 50, 60 and 70 °C temperature. The change in quality of spine guard was determined by analyzing the change in proximate, minerals, functional group, chlorophyll, ascorbic acid, and antioxidant characteristics. Increase in drying temperature changed the protein (4.62-12.88 g/100 g), fiber (3.14-3.53 g/100 g), total phenolic (14.85-14.99 mg gallic acid equivalent/g) and total flavonoid (30.1-64.8 mg quercetin equivalent/100 g) content while reduction occurred in fat (4.02-3.07 g/100 g), carbohydrate (76.13-55.22 g/100 g), chlorophyll (0.34-0.100 mg/g), ascorbic acid (29.94-4.50 mg/100 g) and antioxidant activity (96.58-85.06%). Mineral content of fresh SG differed significantly with dried samples (p 0.05), while variable effects were associated with the change in drying temperatures. Changes in functional groups were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer. The observed parameters were optimized using principal component analysis. The sample dried at 40 °C was superior in quality whereas higher protein and antioxidants were found at 70 °C.

Magnesium (Mg) is a particular mineral nutrient greatly affecting the size and activity of sink organs. Wax gourd crop with its fruits having fresh weight up to 20–50 kg per single fruit serves as an excellent experimental plant species for better understanding the role of varied Mg nutrition in sink strength and yield formation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Mg deficiency on fruit yield and seed vigor in wax gourd grown under field conditions. Plants were grown under field conditions until maturity with increasing soil Mg applications. At the beginning of fruit formation, leaves were used to analyze concentrations of sucrose, starch and Mg as well as phloem export of sucrose. At maturity, fruit yield was determined and the seeds collected were used in germination studies and starch analysis. Low Mg supply resulted in a significant impairment in fruit fresh yield, which was closely associated with higher accumulation of starch and sucrose in source leaves and lower amount of sucrose in phloem exudate. Seeds obtained from Mg deficiency plants exhibited lower amount of starch and substantial reduction in both germination capacity and seedling establishment when compared to the seeds from the Mg adequate plants. Our study revealed that magnesium deficiency significantly diminished fruit yield of field-grown wax gourd, most probably by limiting the carbohydrate transport from source organs to developing fruit. Ensuring sufficient Mg supply to plant species with high sink size such as wax gourd, during the reproductive growth stage, is a critical factor for achieving higher fruit yield formation and also better vigor of next-generation seeds.

Gummy stem blight is a major disease affecting cultivation of cucurbitaceous vegetable crops all over the world. In India, this disease has been reported in several cucurbits such as ash gourd, bitter gourd, chow-chow, cucumber, muskmelon and ridge gourd. Our report represents first time identification, isolation and molecular characterisation of gummy stem blight fungus in watermelon at Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bangalore, India. As it infects several curcurbits and is a seed borne pathogen, seed importation may have been the source of introduction to the region. To our knowledge, this is the first report of gummy stem blight affecting watermelon in India.

This study compares thirteen rice-based cropping systems in the coastal part of West Bengal, India in terms of productivity, profitability, energetics, and emissions. Information on the crop management practices of these systems was collected on 60 farms through a questionnaire survey. Rice-bitter gourd system was observed to have the highest system yield (49.88 ± 4.34 tha-1yr-1) followed by rice-potato-ridge gourd (37.78 ± 2.77 tha-1yr-1) and rice-potato-pumpkin (36.84 ± 2.04 tha-1yr-1) systems. The rice-bitter gourd system also recorded the highest benefit:cost ratio (3.92 ± 0.061). The lowest system yield and economics were recorded in the rice-fallow-fallow system. Rice-sunflower system recorded highest specific energy (2.54 ± 0.102 MJkg-1), followed by rice-rice (2.14 ± 0.174 MJkg-1) and rice-fallow-fallow (1.91 ± 0.327 MJkg-1) systems, lowest being observed in the rice-bitter gourd (0.52 ± 0.290 MJkg-1) and rice-pointed gourd (0.52 ± 0.373 MJkg-1) systems. Yield-scaled GHGs (YSGHG) emission was highest (1.265 ± 0.29 t CO2eqt-1 system yield) for rice-fallow-fallow system and was lowest for rice-vegetable systems. To estimate the uncertainty of the YSGHG across different systems under study, Monte-Carlo Simulation was performed. It was observed that there was a 5% probability of recording YSGHG emission > 1.15 t CO2eqt-1 system yield from different cropping systems in the present experiment. Multiple system properties such as productivity, economics, energy, and emission from all rice-based systems taken together, the rice-vegetable system performed consistently well across parameters and may be practised for higher economic returns with judicious and sustainable utilization of resources in the coastal saline tracts of the region.

Lorraine Hansberry’s The Drinking Gourd has been subjected to systematic censorship and silencing after it was written for NBC. Being politically suggestive of system disruption, it is regarded as a challenge to the political life of America in the 1960s. It, however, is more than political content. It enacts an aesthetics that sets in motion content and language. Not only is it interventionist and disruptive on the level of content but this content is strengthened by the collaborative function of its form. Therefore, it employs rhetorical mechanisms while at the same time turns into the very mechanisms it is making use of. The rhetorical mechanisms the writers of this article intend to explore in the text of this play are a part of Henry Louise Gates' notion of signifyin(g) that appears in the form of speakerly text and talking text. The article probes into scenes of confrontation between master and slave to explore moments of signifyin(g) in the two rhetorical modes named, and reveals how the identity of the master is constructed by the identity of the slave in a cultural continuum that can be disrupted when consciousness of the slaves rises about their human worth and sociopolitical identity. It transcends mere rhetorical play and through the embodiment of a vernacular structure turns into the drinking gourd itself in texture and form. Therefore, the writers of this article suggest, it is interventionist for it both suggests and practices dismantling of identity construction in the system of slavery through raising consciousness.

The article sheds light on a series of cognitive features and cultural determinants ingrained in the historical evolution of Myanmar’s alignment choices vis-à-vis regional great-powers. Building upon Alastair Johnston’s conceptualisation of ‘strategic culture’, the study traces the genesis, articulation, and perpetuation of a distinctive set of beliefs and assumptions embraced by different generations of Burmese decision-makers to cope with the country’s security dilemma. Accordingly, Myanmar’s hedging attitude in the midst of the ongoing Sino-American rivalry is presented as a further manifestation of its deep-rooted neutralist practice, which was firstly employed to navigate the perilous waters of the Cold War and then evolved into a crucial standard of conduct to safeguard a relative degree of autonomy in the shadow of a rising China.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Medicinal plants of Cucurbitaceae family consist of several edible fruits and vegetables consumed worldwide since ancient times. The plants of this family have played an essential role in the ethnopharmacological as well as traditional medicinal system globally and their evidence is well established in several traditional literatures. Various plant parts have been used to treat several human ailments viz. Pandu (anemia), Pliharoga (splenomegaly), Sopha (inflammation), Gulma (tumor growth), Adhmana (indigestion. acidity), Garavisa (poisoning) etc. Aim of the review This review article aims to systematically document and bridge scientific evidences with the ethnopharmacological, ethnoveterinary and folklore claims along with the therapeutic efficacy with mechanism of action found in different literature, books, and scientific articles belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. Materials and methods To construct the manuscript a comprehensive literature review was done based on the information collected from Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India; books, research articles and databases such as ScienceDirect, Wiley Online Library, SciFinder, Scopus, Springer, Google Scholar, Web of Science, ACS Publications and PubMed. Results The plants of Cucurbitaceae family are rich in phytochemicals like terpenoids, glycosides, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, steroids, etc., responsible for the therapeutic effect. Various parts of these plants such as leaves, stems, flowers, fruits, seeds, roots etc. exhibit a plethora of pharmacological activity viz. hypolipidemic, antihyperglycemic, anticancer, antimicrobial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-stress and immunomodulatory activities. Also, in-vitro and in-vivo reports suggest strong inhibitory potential against α-glucosidase, α-amylase, lipase, carbonic anhydrase enzyme along with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anti-tumor, antifungal, etc. Furthermore many reports suggest these plants are beneficial for nutritional, economical and ethnoveterinary uses. Conclusions The current review enlightens the therapeutic potential of the gourd family, comprising of the geographical origins, morphology, phytochemistry, ethnopharmacology, ethnoveterinary, nutritional importance, therapeutic benefits, safety, efficacy and related aspects. The phytochemical and pharmacological potential indicated will popularize this family as a potential source of novel therapeutic agents and functional foods. This study will help to validate the therapeutic claims of several ethnomedicinal uses of this plant family. Furthermore the Cucurbitaceae family needs to be evaluated based on the combine approaches of chemoprofiling and bioexploration to develop the concept of food as medicine for the development of new generation therapeutics leading to the human wellness.

Traditional foods of indigenous people are a potential untapped source for providing nutritious dietary options in the modern world. The rising popularity of indigenous foods such as amaranth in recent years suggests that these foods can become a popular part of a healthy diet in the United States. Traditional knowledge of indigenous people can form the basis for using wild food resources. This research provides data on 50 plant species common to the central United States that are abundant sources of dietary protein and fiber, and used traditionally by Native American tribes. Many species show promise with high amounts of protein and fiber being found in lamb’s quarters, nettles, grass seeds, and buffalo gourd seeds. These results honor traditional knowledge. In addition, many of these species could be cultivated using techniques similar to those existing for commercial grains and vegetables. Seeds and/or greens of these wild plants could easily be incorporated into the diets of many more people, improving modern diets, and the nutritional quality of food products.

Ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula) is an herbaceous perennial twining vine cultivated globally as vegetable and medicinal plant. During October to January in 2014 and 2015, 40% powdery mildew d...

Chayote (Sechium edule (Jacq. Sw.) is a single seeded cucurbitaceous vegetable crop mainly grown for its fruit. During 2015–2016, mosaic and leaf distortion type of symptoms were observed in chayote plants in hilly regions of Tamil Nadu. The disease incidence was 50. 3–100% and yield loss was about 69.9% in Dindigul district. The infected chayote plants showed yellow spots, yellow mosaic, leaf curling, puckering, and enations. The fruits of infected plants were malformed and were not marketable. The begomovirus causing the disease was identified as a variant of tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus. The chayote isolates of ToLCNDV share only 91 to 92% identity with other ToLCNDV isolates, deserving to be designated as distinct strain. The phylogenetic analysis on the basis of DNA A component nucleotides clearly indicated common origin of chayote, ridge gourd, ash gourd isolates of India along with Spanish isolates of ToLCNDV. This was contrasting to diverse origin of ToLCNDV isolates from other countries. The virus was sap transmissible to selected cucurbitaceous hosts. The whitefly population (Asia-I) reared in the glass house transmitted the virus to bottle gourd with 4 h of acquisition access period (AAP) and 24 h of inoculation feeding period (IFP). Heavy infestation of greenhouse whiteflies, Trialeurodes vaporariorum on infected chayote plant in Kodaikanal paved way to investigations on its role in vector transmission of ToLCNDV. The field population of T. vaporariorum was found to be viruliferous in PCR using virus specific primers. The greenhouse whitefly efficiently transmitted the virus with 4 h of AAP and 24 h IFP. Seed-borne nature of ToLCNDV was confirmed in PCR by using Roja’s and ToLCNDV specific primers in different parts of the fruit viz., pericarp, mesocarp, seed coat, endosperm and embryo. This is the first report of seed transmissible nature of ToLCNDV, its implication in transboundary movement of the virus across several countries is discussed.

Sponge-gourd natural fibers obtained from Luffa cylindrica plant were chemically treated separately using 5−15 wt% NaOH, acetic anhydride and benzoyl chloride solutions. Surface morphologic...

The objective of intercropping is to improve resource efficiencies for land, water and radiation. Few studies have focused on the interactive effects of water stress on radiation use efficiency (RUE) in an intercrop system. The study determines the effect of intercropping sorghum with either cowpea or bottle gourd on RUE and biomass accumulation in response to water stress. This was assessed using a split-plot design with crop sequences sole sorghum, sole cowpea, and sole bottle gourd and intercrop systems sorghum–cowpea and sorghum–bottle gourd assigned as sub-plots arranged in randomised complete blocks within main plots, water regimes: full irrigation, deficit irrigation and rainfed. We quantified specific leaf area, leaf area index as well as biomass accumulation and partitioning. Extinction coefficient, intercepted photosynthetic active radiation (IPAR) and RUE for biomass (RUEb) and grain (RUEg) were also determined. Under rainfed conditions, intercropping with either cowpea (26%) or bottle gourd (62%) improved sorghum leaf area. A reduction in specific leaf area was observed for sorghum when it was intercropped with either cowpea (− 20%) or bottle gourd (− 19%). Under full irrigation, sorghum stems constituted a larger proportion (62%) of final biomass in comparison to sorghum under deficit irrigation (52%) and rainfed conditions (50%). Intercropping sorghum with either cowpea or bottle gourd improved IPAR (38%), RUEb (93%) and RUEg (11%) under rainfed conditions. This study showed that under water-limited conditions intercropping reduced sorghum stem mass and increased canopy size, radiation interception, and grain yield and improved RUE. In agreement with our proposition, water availability was closely associated with radiation use efficiency. Intercropping can be recommended for semi-arid environments since it improves RUE and sorghum biomass and grain yield.

Background Symbiotic bacteria contribute to a multitude of important biological functions such as nutrition and reproduction and affect multiple physiological factors like fitness and longevity in their insect hosts. The melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett), is an important agricultural pest that affects a variety of cultivated plants belonging mostly to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is considered invasive and widespread in many parts of the world. Several approaches are currently being considered for the management of its populations including the environmentally friendly and effective sterile insect technique (SIT), as a component of an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy. In the present study, we examined the effect of diet and radiation on the bacterial symbiome of Z. cucurbitae flies with the use of Next Generation Sequencing technologies. Results Melon flies were reared on two diets at the larval stage, an artificial bran-based diet and on sweet gourd, which affected significantly the development of the bacterial profiles. Significant differentiation was also observed based on gender. The effect of radiation was mostly diet dependent, with irradiated melon flies reared on the bran diet exhibiting a significant reduction in species diversity and richness compared to their non-irradiated controls. Changes in the bacterial symbiome of the irradiated melon flies included a drastic reduction in the number of sequences affiliated with members of Citrobacter, Raoultella, and Enterobacteriaceae. At the same time, an increase was observed for members of Enterobacter, Providencia and Morganella. Interestingly, the irradiated male melon flies reared on sweet gourd showed a clear differentiation compared to their non-irradiated controls, namely a significant reduction in species richness and minor differences in the relative abundance for members of Enterobacter and Providencia. Conclusions The two diets in conjunction with the irradiation affected significantly the formation of the bacterial symbiome. Melon flies reared on the bran-based artificial diet displayed significant changes in the bacterial symbiome upon irradiation, in all aspects, including species richness, diversity and composition. When reared on sweet gourd, significant changes occurred to male samples due to radiation, only in terms of species richness.

Fruit bitterness is a serious problem threatening the bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria [Mol.] Standl.) industry worldwide. Previous genetic studies indicated that fruit bitterness in the bottle gourd was controlled by a pair of complementary genes. In this study, based on two non-bitter landraces "Hangzhou Gourd" and "Puxian Gourd," each of which carries a single bitterness gene, and their derived segregation populations, we mapped the complementary genes causing fruit bitterness. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) scanning based on an F2 population detected two QTLs, which was QBt.1 locating in a 17.62-cM interval on linkage group (LG)2 corresponding to a 1.6-Mb region on chromosome 6, and QBt.2 mapped to a 8.44-cM interval on LG9 corresponding to a 1.9-Mb region on chromosome 7. An advanced bulked segregant analysis (A-BSA) well validated the QTL mapping results. Sequence-based comparative analysis showed no syntenic relationship between QBt.1/QBt.2 and the known bitterness genes in cucumber, melon, and watermelon, suggesting that causal genes underlying QBt.1 and QBt.2 were not direct orthologs of the reported cucurbit bitterness genes. Our results shed light on the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying fruit bitterness in the bottle gourd and is useful to guide breeders to properly select parental lines to avoid the occurrence of bitter fruits in breeding programs.

This study investigated the preparation of mixed jam from sweet gourd and pineapple. The proximate compositions of sweet gourd pulp were: moisture content 90.3%, ash 0.33%, sugar 3.24% and ascorbic acid 2.97 mg/100g. Pineapple pulp contained 74.6%moisture, 0.3%ash, 9.95% sugar and 78.79 mg/100 gascorbic acid. The keeping quality and shelf life of the prepared mixed jam were studied. For the case of mixed jam, the highest sugar content (62.54%) was in sample with 60% pineapple and 40% sweet gourd. Organoleptic test showed that overall acceptability of 60% pineapple +40% sweet gourds was better than that of other mixed jam. The highest score (8.0) was found from the sample with 60% pineapple + 40% sweet gourd, and the lowest score (6.0) was from the sample with 50% pineapple + 50% sweet gourd. During storage period, TSS, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar and pH decreased for all cases. Fading of color was observed at 90 days of storage for some samples.J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 16(2): 309-314, August 2018

Experiments were conducted under laboratory condition to examine the efficacy of Chitosan and Yeast Elicitor to suppress the growth of seed-borne fungi of cucurbitaceous vegetables. Seeds of bottle gourd, sweet gourd, snake gourd, wax gourd and cucumber were collected from seed traders of Mymensingh districts and different seed borne fungi were isolated, purified and identified. Fourteen fungal species belonging to twelve genera consisting of Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium moniliforme, Fusarium oxysporum, Phoma exigua, Rhizopus stolonifer, Macrophomina phaseolina, Penicillium spp., Curvularia lunata, Chaetomium spp., Colletotrichum spp., Cercospora spp. and Alternaria alternata were isolated and identified. Four concentrations of Chitosan and Yeast Elicitors solutions (200, 500, 1000 & 2000 ppm) including one positive control Vitavax-200 WP (0.35%) were evaluated for controlling seed-borne fungi. Among the seed treating agents Chitosan (2000 ppm) and Yeast Elicitor (2000 ppm) showed better performance in suppressing the seed-borne fungi. Chitosan (2000 ppm) showed superior performance than Yeast Elicitor (2000 ppm). Results from the present study revealed that application of elicitors as seed treatment is a potential alternative of chemical fungicide for selective vegetables.J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 16(2): 187-192, August 2018

Investigation of genetic diversity is essential for the selection of parents for crop breeding and conservation of genetic resources. To estimate the genetic variability and population structure in the midst of 45 accessions of sponge gourd brought together from different geographical areas of India, morphological traits and two molecular markers, ISSR and SCoT markers were compared. Principal components analysis of 20 morphological traits showed 72.70% variability and significant positive correlations between fruit traits. All three marker techniques clustered all accessions into two groups with few outgroups. High level of polymorphism was observed among ISSR (74.6%) and SCoT (71.5%) primers. The Bayesian model revealed the hidden grouping and showed admixture type of population. The diversity pattern is influenced by genetic marker used, as different molecular markers have different polymorphism evaluation efficiency. This study can be helpful in amplifying the genetic base and selection of specific traits for breeding. Thus, ISSR and SCoT markers are potential marker for identification in sponge gourd and provide valuable data on its genetic correlation and structure.

The botanical family Cucurbitaceae includes a variety of fruit crops with global or local economic importance. How their genomes evolve and the genetic basis of diversity remain largely unexplored. In this study, we sequence the genome of the wax gourd (Benincasa hispida), which bears giant fruit up to 80 cm in length and weighing over 20 kg. Comparative analyses of six cucurbit genomes reveal that the wax gourd genome represents the most ancestral karyotype, with the predicted ancestral genome having 15 proto-chromosomes. We also resequence 146 lines of diverse germplasm and build a variation map consisting of 16 million variations. Combining population genetics and linkage mapping, we identify a number of regions/genes potentially selected during domestication and improvement, some of which likely contribute to the large fruit size in wax gourds. Our analyses of these data help to understand genome evolution and function in cucurbits., Cucurbits fruits have diverse shapes and sizes, but their genomes evolution and genetic basis of diversity are unclear. Here, the authors show that the wax gourd genome has the most ancestral karyotype among cucurbits and identify candidate genes which contribute to large fruit size by comparative and population genomics analyses.

THIS STUDY assessed the genetic diversity and relationships among 24 local accessions across five genera of the Cucurbitaceae family including Lagenaria siceraria (gourd), Citrullus lanatus (‘’Egusi’’melon), Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin), Telfairia occidentalis (fluted pumpkin) and Trichosanthes cucumerina (snake tomato) based on the transferability of six L. siceraria (bottle gourd) and six C. pepo (pumpkin) derived SSR markers. The study revealed a high level of transferability of C. pepo markers, ranged from 83-100% across the genera/species. The transferability rate of the L. siceraria SSR markers was 66% within T. occidentalis and 83% in T. cucumerina. An average of 33% transferability of L. siceraria SSR markers amplified in C. pepo. The 12 SSR markers were polymorphic and a total of 109 alleles were obtained, ranging from 3 to 19 with an average of 9.08 per marker. The polymorphism information content (PIC) values ranged from 0.45 to 0.89 with an average of 0.79, indicating a high level of informativeness. Using un-weighted pair group method with arithmetic average cluster analysis (UPGMA), two groups of 15 and 9 accessions were identified, which comprised C. lanatus, Lagenaria siceraria and C. pepo, T. occidentalis and T. cucumerina accessions, respectively. The present study has shown the transferability of L. siceraria and C. pepo SSR markers across other genera in the Cucurbitaceae. The results also indicated the existence of a considerable level of inter/intraspecific genetic diversity and relationship among cucurbit species of the five genera under study.

Sponge gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca) was grown in pots with and without inoculation with two arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, viz., Glomus macrocarpum and Glomus monosporum singly and in combination. Seven-day-old plants were treated with 18.9 μg Cd g−1 soil and 155.4 μg Ni g−1 soil alone and in combination. At 90 days old stage, dry weight of root, shoot, and fruit; uptake of heavy metals in root, stem, leaves, and fruits; percent mycorrhizal root colonization; and spore number in the root zone were determined. When applied singly, the uptake of Cd and Ni in host plants was enhanced more effectively by G. monosporum than G. macrocarpum. The larger proportion of Cd uptake in uninoculated host was retained in the roots but in inoculated plants (with both Glomus sp.), major amounts of the Cd were translocated to the above ground parts including fruits. The leaves were the main sinks of Ni in inoculated plants. The overall tissue burden of both heavy metals in the host was enhanced relatively more effectively on association with G. monosporum as compared with G. macrocarpum. The uptake of Cd was relatively higher in plants treated with both the metals and both the AM fungi. Despite the relatively higher uptake of both the heavy metals in inoculated plants, the host dry weight was significantly higher compared with uninoculated plants. The percent mycorrhizal root colonization of the host by both AM fungi was higher in plants grown without either of the heavy metals. The combined application of both the heavy metals reduced the spore density in the root zone soil of host. The results show that the AM fungi enhanced the uptake of Cd and Ni by the host but alleviated the toxicity by promoting plant growth.

With an aim to shed some light on the regulated yet not necessarily homogenized laughter of the pre-Cultural Revolution Maoist years, this chapter examines the nuanced deployment of laughter in the popular children’s novella The Magic Gourd (Bao hulu de mimi) by the literary humorist Zhang Tianyi (1906–1985) and its eponymous film adaptation by Yang Xiaozhong (1899–1969). Contextualizing these texts both in the larger tradition of modern Chinese literature and culture and in the specific socio-cultural milieu of the late 1950s and the early 1960s, I look into how, without apparently challenging the dominant socialist-realist model, they tactfully relieve the stress between the politically repudiated comic mode of “satire” (fengci) and the purposefully promoted mode of “extolment” (gesong). Whether intended or not, the keen relevance the texts bear to the political and economic hyperboles of the Maoist era adds further ambiguities and ironies to the already layered laughter.

Fresh-cut fruits and vegetables are one of the widely consumed commodities in grocery stores. Fruits and vegetables on trimming lose their natural protection leading to browning and other undesirable changes. In this study, a novel method following minimal processing concept with hurdle technology was formulated to improve the shelf life of fresh-cut bottle gourd. Characterisation of the bottle gourd extract revealed the presence of indigenous enzymes xylanase, pectinase, and amylase. Since these enzymes cause spoilage, a pre-treatment of bottle gourd slices using different combinations of EDTA, CaCl2, sodium metabisulphite (SMS) and citric acid was studied to inhibit the enzyme activity. Pre-treatment using a combination of 1 mM EDTA, 2.5% CaCl2, 2% Sodium metabisulphite (SMS) and 0.5% Citric acid inhibited the enzymes efficiently. Further, to prevent the water leaching during storage, the fruit slices were fed to a partial dehydration (30%) process. The hurdle technology, chemical pre-treatment followed by partial dehydration, helped the cut-bottle gourd pieces to stay acceptable in terms of titrable acidity, total solids, texture, color, and microbial quality for 20 days at 4 °C.

Sponge-gourd fibers (SGFs) were subjected to chemical treatments such as alkalization, acetylation, and benzoylation by 5−15 wt% sodium hydroxide, acetic anhydride, and benzoyl chloride solutions, ...

The objective of this study was to evaluate seed characteristics of sponge gourd, to establish a core collection of sponge gourd with the germplasm collected throughout the Hatay region. A mini-core collection was assessed for morphological performance and some seed traits. Substantial variations of seed characteristics: seed length, seed width, seed thickness (mm), seed index (length/width), seed size (length × width, mm2), seed colour, seed-coat surface, seed shape, seed wing, and 100-seed weight were investigated. Seed length, width and thickness were varied as 15.12-8.97 mm, 9.71-6.25 mm and 2.86-2.16 mm respectively. The seed sizes were determined from small (31 DÖ 06) to big (31 DE 04). Seed colours were ranged from black to white, even a brown colour like 07 MA 01. A hundred seed weights were observed as 16.43 g (31 AL 02) and 7.41 (31 DÖ 06). The results of dendrogram indicated that seed traits of the sponge gourd genotypes were separating in five groups. This collection of sponge gourds will be useful for the gene pools and a wide range of phenotypic variations to provide a good source of diversity for developing of sponge gourd cultivars in breeding programs.

Information about chromosomal characteristics is helpful to geneticists and plant breeders in crop improvement programmes. The karyomorphological analysis of six commercially cultivated edible species of Cucurbitaceae, namely Luffa cylindrica, L. acutangula, Trichosanthes anguina, Benincasa hispida, Cucumis sativus and Momordica charantia were investigated. The chromosome numbers of these six cucurbits are 2n = 26, 26, 22, 24, 14, and 22 respectively. All of the cucurbits possessed very small chromosomes of the ranges 1.71–1.25 μm in L. cylindrica, 1.84–1.15 μm in L. acutangula, 2.87–1.76 μm in T. anguina, 2.78–1.52 μm in B. hispida, 2.17–1.26 μm in C. sativus and 1.93–1.15 μm in M. charantia. The karyotypes of L. cylindrica, L. acutangula and T. anguina are fully symmetric, consisting of all metacentric chromosomes. The other three, B. hispida, C. sativus and M. charantia, showed symmetric karyotypes, having both metacentric and sub-metacentric chromosomes. Benincasa hispida possesses two pairs o...