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Background: The cysteine-rich receptor-like kinases (CRKs) family in plants have been reported to perform multiple functions against various stresses. However, the CRK family in bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) has not been well-explored. Herein, a comprehensive genome-wide identification and characterization of the CRK gene family has been carried out in bottle gourd under Genome-wide characterization of CRK genes in bottle gourds under Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lagenariae infection. Results: A stringent set of bioinformatic analyses identified 18 LsCRKs in the bottle gourd genome. Chromosomal mapping of the identified LsCRKs revealed that the LsCRKs were distributed in 4 chromosomes in the bottle gourd genome. The phylogenetic analysis of LsCRKs divided them into two subgroups on the tree. The synteny and collinearity analysis of the LsCRKs among themselves and other plant CRKs provided insights into their conservancy and expansion. Gene ontology analysis of the identified LsCRKs suggested their possible roles in regulating different physiological processes and stress responses in bottle gourd. To assess the involvement of the LsCRKs under F. oxysporum f. sp. lagenariae infection, bottle gourd seedlings were transplanted into the pots with F. oxysporum-infected soil. The expression analysis revealed that multiple LsCRKs exhibited induced expression, suggesting their involvement in bottle gourd-F. oxysporum interactions. Additionally, the protein-protein interaction analysis suggested some important interacting partners of LsCRKs crucial to different physiological processes in bottle gourd. Conclusions: The present work explored and analyzed the LsCRKs in bottle gourd. Functional predictions and interaction network analysis suggested the roles of LsCRKs in modulating multiple physiological processes in bottle gourd. The expression dynamics of LsCKRs under fungal pathogen infection suggest their involvement in stress response in bottle gourds. Overall, the results of the study provide basic information about the CRK family in bottle gourds and their involvement in fungal pathogen response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: Bottle gourd is a cucurbitaceous vegetable of culinary and medicinal importance cultivated in various tropical and sub-tropical regions of world. This crop is exposed to a wide variety of seed and soil mycoflora, out of which Fusarium proliferatum is utmost important as far as seed germination, viability and seedling vigour are concerned. Methods: Study was taken up to evaluate different fungicides and bioagents for their efficacy against the fungus Fusarium proliferatum under in vitro through spore germination inhibition technique. Result: Spore germination inhibition of 86.00%, 85.00% and 81.33% was recorded with hexaconazole (5% SC) @ 0.2% (C3), mancozeb (75% WP) @ 0.3% (C3) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (1% WP) @ 2% (C3), respectively. The inhibition in spore germination by mancozeb (75% WP) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (1% WP) was upto 77.33% and it was 61.78% and 67.33% in treatments involving carbendazim (50% WP) and Trichoderma harzianum (1% WP) that could be exploited to devise integrated approach for disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.) is an important crop in Jordan, but it remains under-researched. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic variability existing among different bottle gourd landraces in Jordan using Agro-morphological traits and molecular markers. Bottle gourd landraces were collected from various locations in Jordan; phenotypic differences and genetic variation using ISSR were studied between collected landraces. Results show that phenotypic coefficients of variance were larger than their genotypic coefficients of variance for all characters, demonstrating that the environment had an impact on these features. High genetic advance was found for plant length, number of leaves, leaf width and seed area; this could be explained by additive gene action. High heritability >60% estimates were observed. Principal component analysis identified two principal components responsible for 69.6% of total variation. Plant height showed positive association with number of tendrils, number of leaves and leaf length. 246 amplified markers were obtained using 24 ISSR primers, 135 of which were polymorphic. Genetic distance varied between 0.78 to 0.92 based on molecular analysis and ranged from 0.42 to 0.91 for agro-morphological data. Dendrograms constructed based on morphological and ISSR data clustered landraces to six and five main groups, respectively. The results of this work could be used in future bottle gourd breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] is often utilized as a rootstock for watermelon grafting. This practice effectively mitigates the challenges associated with continuous cropping obstacles in watermelon cultivation. The lower ground temperature has a direct impact on the rootstocks' root development and nutrient absorption, ultimately leading to slower growth and even the onset of yellowing. However, the mechanisms underlying the bottle gourd's regulation of root growth in response to low root zone temperature (LRT) remain elusive. Understanding the dynamic response of bottle gourd roots to LRT stress is crucial for advancing research regarding its tolerance to low temperatures. In this study, we compared the physiological traits of bottle gourd roots under control and LRT treatments; root sample transcriptomic profiles were monitored after 0 h, 48 h and 72 h of LRT treatment. LRT stress increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, relative electrolyte permeability and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, especially H2O2 and O2−. Concurrently, LRT treatment enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD). RNA-Seq analysis revealed the presence of 2507 and 1326 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) after 48 h and 72 h of LRT treatment, respectively. Notably, 174 and 271 transcription factors (TFs) were identified as DEGs compared to the 0 h control. We utilized quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to confirm the expression patterns of DEGs belonging to the WRKY, NAC, bHLH, AP2/ERF and MYB families. Collectively, our study provides a robust foundation for the functional characterization of LRT-responsive TFs in bottle gourd roots. Furthermore, these insights may contribute to the enhancement in cold tolerance in bottle gourd-type rootstocks, thereby advancing molecular breeding efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Summary: Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Strandl.) is an economically important vegetable crop and one of the earliest domesticated crops. However, the population history and genomic diversification of bottle gourd have not been extensively studied.We generated a comprehensive bottle gourd genome variation map from genome sequences of 197 world‐wide representative accessions, which enables a genome‐wide association study for identifying genomic loci associated with resistance to zucchini yellow mosaic virus, and constructed a bottle gourd pangenome that harbors 1534 protein‐coding genes absent in the reference genome.Demographic analyses uncover that domesticated bottle gourd originated in Southern Africa c. 12 000 yr ago, and subsequently radiated to the New World via the Atlantic drift and to Eurasia through the efforts of early farmers in the initial Holocene. The identified highly differentiated genomic regions among different bottle gourd populations harbor many genes contributing to their local adaptations such as those related to disease resistance and stress tolerance. Presence/absence variation analysis of genes in the pangenome reveals numerous genes including those involved in abiotic/biotic stress responses that have been under selection during the world‐wide expansion of bottle gourds.The bottle gourd variation map and pangenome provide valuable resources for future functional studies and genomics‐assisted breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The squash family (Cucurbitaceae) contains some of the most important crops cultivated worldwide and has played an important ecological, economic, and cultural role for millennia. In the American tropics, squashes were among the first cultivated crop species, but little is known about how their domestication unfolded. Here, we employ direct radiocarbon dating and morphological analyses of desiccated cucurbit seeds, rinds, and stems from El Gigante Rockshelter in Honduras to reconstruct human practices of selection and cultivation of Lagenaria siceraria, Cucurbita pepo, and Cucurbita moschata. Direct radiocarbon dating indicates that humans started using Lagenaria and wild Cucurbita starting ~ 10,950 calendar years before present (cal B.P.), primarily as watertight vessels and possibly as cooking and drinking containers. A rind directly dated to 11,150–10,765 cal B.P. represents the oldest known bottle gourd in the Americas. Domesticated C. moschata subsequently appeared ~ 4035 cal B.P., followed by domesticated C. pepo ~ 2190 cal B.P. associated with increasing evidence for their use as food crops. Multivariate statistical analysis of seed size and shape show that the archaeological C. pepo assemblage exhibits significant variability, representing at least three varieties: one similar to present-day zucchini, another like present-day vegetable marrow, and a native cultivar without modern analogs. Our archaeobotanical data supports the hypothesis that Indigenous cucurbit use started in the Early Holocene, and that agricultural complexity during the Late Holocene involved selective breeding that encouraged crop diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Fruit neck length (FNL) is one of the important commercial characteristics of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), which is usually desirable by consumers based on their preferences. At present, there has not been extensive research on the genetics of bottle gourd FNL. In this study, an F2 segregating population was constructed using the long fruit neck material H16 and the short fruit neck material H06. Bulked segregant analysis and kompetitive allele-specific PCR techniques were used to identify candidate regions regulating FNL in bottle gourd. InDel markers were used to narrow the final candidate region interval to 0.16 Mb, which contained 8 genes. A combined analysis using a gene annotation library, real-time fluorescence quantitative expression, and sequence analysis of candidate genes in the region indicated that the HG_GLEAN_10011965 gene might be involved in the regulation of bottle gourd FNL and was named LsFNL1.1. Based on the most narrowed candidate gene interval, an InDel marker was developed for molecular marker assisted breeding of bottle gourd FNL. The phenotypic-genotype association rate of this InDel marker was 83%. This study provides a theoretical basis for further exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying bottle gourd fruit traits and can accelerate the breeding of varieties with desirable characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Heat stress, as a negative factor, severely threatens the quality and production of bottle gourd, which prefers to grow in a warm environment. To understand which genes are involved in the resistance to heat stress in bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.), we analyzed the characteristics of two genetic bottle gourd varieties, "Mei feng"-MF (heat resistant) and "Lv long"-LL (heat sensitive). Under heat stress, MF plants exhibited a higher survival rate, lower relative electrolytic leakage, and decreased stomatal aperture compared with LL. In addition, RNA-Seq was carried out on the two varieties under normal conditions and heat stress. The results revealed a total of 1485 up-regulated and 946 down-regulated genes under normal conditions, while 602 genes were up-regulated and 1212 genes were down-regulated under heat stress. Among these genes, several differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in the MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) signaling pathway and members of bHLH (basic helix-loop-helix) transcription factors showed significant up- or down-regulation after heat stress. Next, to validate these findings, we conducted quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis, which confirmed the expression patterns of the genes detected through RNA-Seq. Collectively, the DEGs between the two contrasting cultivars identified in our study provide novel insight into excavating helpful candidate genes associated with heat tolerance in bottle gourd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Cucurbitaceous crops, one of the main crops of agriculture, are sensitive to many plant viruses. In August 2019, virus-like symptoms were observed on some cucurbit plants grown in private home gardens in Antalya and Denizli provinces (Turkey). A total of 53 leaf samples were sampled from plants with the most symptoms (melon (Cucumis melo L.), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.), bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.), and snake melon (Cucumis melo var. flexuosus) and tested by Reverse-Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) against possible watermelon mosaic potyvirus (WMV) infection. The coat protein gene (CP) specific primer sets amplified a gene product of nearly 820 bp fragment from symptomatic plants. WMV infections were detected in 31 individual cucurbit plants, including 11 melons, 8 watermelons, 7 snake melons and 5 bottle gourds. The presence of viral infection was found only in ornamental squash plants in Antalya province and in all cucurbits sampled in Denizli province. To better comprehend the molecular characteristics of virus isolates, the amplified viral DNA fragments were cloned in a proper prokaryotic plasmid, sequenced by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and recorded to GenBank. Bioinformatic analyses using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) showed that the identified CP gene sequences exhibited significant nucleotide homogeneity, supported by a high nucleotide similarity index with that of other isolates around the world. In addition, Turkish isolates isolated from Antalya and Denizli regions showed approximately 94% nucleotide similarity among themselves. For phylogenetic inference, WMV sequences were subjected to multiple alignments with isolates from different geographic origins of the same viruses. Molecular phylogeny showed that all WMV isolates are closely related to other world WMV isolates at variable rates. WMV is wide host range viruses in cucurbit crops, however, this work is the first scientific report of WMV isolates detected in bottle gourd and snake melon from the South and West Regions of Turkey all over the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

While conducting field trial of 82 genotypes of bottle gourd at Delhi during 2020–2021, a particular genotype, IC-0262269 was found to be affected by chlorotic curly stunt disease (CCSD). The affected plants were severely stunted and bearing very small chlorotic and crinkle leaves. The disease incidence in the said genotype was as high as 80% among different replicated trial blocks. The application of PCR using a generic primers specific to begomoviruses, as well as species-specific PCR diagnostics to six tomato-infecting begomoviruses: tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV), tomato leaf curl Palampur virus (ToLCPalV), tomato leaf curl Joydebpur virus (ToLCJoV), tomato leaf curl Gujrat virus (ToLCGuV), tomato leaf curl Bangalore virus (ToLCBV), and chilli leaf curl virus (ChiLCV) showed that, only ToLCPalV could be detected in the genotype IC-0262269. Following, rolling circle amplification, cloning and sequencing of full-length DNA-A and DNA-B genome of an isolate BoG1-ND from the genotype IC-0262269 revealed association of ToLCPalV with the disease. The successful agro-infection of the cloned genome of BoG1-ND (DNA-A and DNA-B) in the plants of Nicotiana benthamiana and bottle gourd demonstrated that ToLCPalV is the causal begomovirus of CCSD. The study provides the first evidence of the natural occurrence of ToLCPalV in bottle gourd crop and also showed that the bottle gourd genotype IC-0262269 is super-susceptible to ToLCPalV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) is a typical seed-borne tobamovirus that mainly infects cucurbit crops. Due to the rapid growth of international trade, CGMMV has spread worldwide and become a significant threat to cucurbit industry. Despite various studies focusing on the interaction between CGMMV and host plants, the molecular mechanism of CGMMV infection is still unclear. In this study, we utilized transcriptome and metabolome analyses to investigate the antiviral response of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) under CGMMV stress. The transcriptome analysis revealed that in comparison to mock-inoculated bottle gourd, 1929 differently expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in CGMMV-inoculated bottle gourd. Among them, 1397 genes were upregulated while 532 genes were downregulated. KEGG pathway enrichment indicated that the DEGs were mainly involved in pathways including the metabolic pathway, the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, plant hormone signal transduction, plant–pathogen interaction, and starch and sucrose metabolism. The metabolome result showed that there were 76 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs), of which 69 metabolites were up-accumulated, and 7 metabolites were down-accumulated. These DAMs were clustered into several pathways, including biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, tyrosine metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, carbon metabolism, and plant hormone signal transduction. Combining the transcriptome and metabolome results, the genes and metabolites involved in the jasmonic acid and its derivatives (JAs) synthesis pathway were significantly induced upon CGMMV infection. The silencing of the allene oxide synthase (AOS) gene, which is the key gene involved in JAs synthesis, reduced CGMMV accumulation. These findings suggest that JAs may facilitate CGMMV infection in bottle gourd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] is cultivated for multiple utilities, including as a leafy vegetable, for fresh and dried fruits and seeds. It is an under-researched and -utilized crop, and modern varieties are yet to be developed and deployed in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). There is a dire need for pre-breeding and breeding of bottle gourds for commercialization in SSA. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the combining ability and heterosis among selected genotypes of bottle gourd for fruit yield and related traits under drought-stressed and non-stressed conditions to select the best parents and hybrids. Eight preliminarily selected and contrasting parents with drought tolerance were crossed using a half-diallel mating design. The 8 parents and 28 crosses were evaluated under non-stressed (NS) and drought-stressed (DS) conditions across two growing seasons (2020/21 and 2021/22) using a 6 × 6 alpha lattice design with three replicates. Data were collected on fruit yield and related traits and subjected to analysis of variance, combining ability and heterosis analyses. Significant (p < 0.05) specific combining ability (SCA) and general combining ability (GCA) effects were computed for fruit yield per plant (FYPP). The SCA × environment and GCA × environment interaction effects were highly significant (p < 0.001) for FYPP and SYPP. The results suggest that genetic effects were affected by the test environment. Parental genotypes BG-58 and GC recorded positive and significant GCA effects for FYPP under the DS condition, whereas GC recorded positive and significant GCA effects for FYPP under the NS condition. The two genotypes are ideal breeding parents for population development to select genotypes with high fruit and seed yields. Crosses BG-27 × BG-79, BG-79 × BG-52, BG-79 × BG-70, BG-80 × BG-70, BG-80 × GC, and BG-70 × GC recorded high and positive SCA effects for FYPP and SYPP under DS condition. Crosses BG-81 × BG-52, BG-81 × GC, BG-27 × BG-79, BG-27 × GC, BG-79 × GC, BG-80 × BG-70, BG-81 × BG-58, BG-27 × BG-80, BG-27 × BG-58, BG-79 × BG-52, BG-52 × BG-58, BG-80 × BG-58, and BG-58 × BG-70 recorded high and positive SCA effects for FYPP and SYPP under NS condition. Crosses BG-80 × BG-58, BG-27 × BG-79, BG-79 × BG-52, BG-27 × BG-52, and BG-52 × BG-80 showed high and positive mid- and better-parent heterosis under DS condition for FYPP and SYPP. Crosses BG-27 × GC, BG-79 × GC, BG-27 × BG-58, and BG-27 × BG-79 showed high and positive mid- and better parent heterosis under NS condition for FYPP and SYPP. The newly selected families are recommended for multi-environment evaluation forrelease and commercialization in South Africa or similar agroecologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV, genus Tobamovirus) is a widely occurring tobamovirus in cucurbits. The genome of CGMMV has been used previously for the expression of foreign genes in the plant. High throughput delivery and high viral titer are important requirements of foreign protein expression in plant through virus genome-based vector, in this study, Agrobacterium containing infectious construct of CGMMV was infiltrated through syringe, vacuum and high-speed spray to N. benthamiana, cucumber and bottle gourd leaves. The success rate of systemic infection of CGMMV agro-construct through all three methods was higher (80–100%) in N. benthamiana compared to the cucurbits (40–73.3%). To determine the high-throughput delivery of CGMMV in the plant system, four delivery methods viz. rubbing, syringe infiltration, vacuum infiltration and high-speed spray using the progeny virus derived through CGMMV agro-construct were compared in the three different plant species. Based on the rate of systemic infection and time required to perform delivery by different methods, vacuum infiltration was found most efficient for the high-throughput delivery of CGMMV. The quantification of CGMMV through qPCR revealed that CGMMV load varied considerably in leaf and fruit tissues depending with the time of infection. Immediately after expression of symptoms, a high load of CGMMV (~ 1 µg/100 mg of tissues) was noticed in young leaves of N. benthamiana and cucumber. In bottle gourd leaves, the CGMMV load was far low compared to N. benthamiana and cucumber plants. In the fruit tissues of cucumber and bottle gourd higher virus load was observed in mature fruit but not in immature fruit. The findings of the present study will serve as an important base line information to produce foreign protein through CGMMV genome-vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This study was conducted to estimate combing ability in bottle gourd. Fifty eight bottle gourd genotypes comprising 45 hybrids, 10 parents and 3 checks were evaluated in three different environments. The data were analyzed as per Method-II, Model-I of Griffing (1956). Significant GCA effects in desirable direction was evident in the inbred lines P6, P2 and SCA in hybrids P9 x P10, P4 x P6 for days to first harvest on pooled basis for number of branches per vine. The lines with significantly positive GCA effects for number of branches per vine were P5, P6 and hybrids for SCA effects were P3 x P8, P3 x P6 on pooled basis for days to first harvest. For rind thickness the lines with significantly positive GCA effects for rind thickness were P1, P5 and hybrids with significant SCA effects were P8 x P10, P1 x P9, and P1 x P8 on pooled basis. On pooled basis, inbred line P9 was the best general combiner with highly significant and positive GCA effect and the hybrids with significant SCA effects in desirable direction were possessed by P7 x P10 for flesh thicknes. Significantly positive GCA effects for rind thickness were noted in the inbreds, P1, P5 and significant SCA effects in the hybrids were noted in P8 x P10 P1 x P9 on pooled basis for fruit diameter. Significant GCA effects, On pooled basis, in positive direction, was observed in the inbred lines P8, P4 and SCA effects in hybrids P6 x P9 in positive direction followed by the hybrid P6 x P8, P7 x P8, P4 x P7 and P4 x P10 for yield per square meter. These genotypes could be useful in future breeding programmes for development of hybrids in bottle gourd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV, genus Tobamovirus) is a widely occurring tobamovirus in cucurbits. The genome of CGMMV has been used previously for the expression of foreign genes in the plant. High throughput delivery and high viral titer are important requirements of foreign protein expression in plant through virus genome-based vector, in this study, Agrobacterium containing infectious construct of CGMMV was infiltrated through syringe, vacuum and high-speed spray to N. benthamiana, cucumber and bottle gourd leaves. The success rate of systemic infection of CGMMV agro-construct through all three methods was higher (80–100%) in N. benthamiana compared to the cucurbits (40–73.3%). To determine the high-throughput delivery of CGMMV in the plant system, four delivery methods viz. rubbing, syringe infiltration, vacuum infiltration and high-speed spray using the progeny virus derived through CGMMV agro-construct were compared in the three different plant species. Based on the rate of systemic infection and time required to perform delivery by different methods, vacuum infiltration was found most efficient for the high-throughput delivery of CGMMV. The quantification of CGMMV through qPCR revealed that CGMMV load varied considerably in leaf and fruit tissues depending with the time of infection. Immediately after expression of symptoms, a high load of CGMMV (~ 1 µg/100 mg of tissues) was noticed in young leaves of N. benthamiana and cucumber. In bottle gourd leaves, the CGMMV load was far low compared to N. benthamiana and cucumber plants. In the fruit tissues of cucumber and bottle gourd higher virus load was observed in mature fruit but not in immature fruit. The findings of the present study will serve as an important base line information to produce foreign protein through CGMMV genome-vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Powdery mildew (PM) is the main disease that afflicts bottle gourd. Previous studies on PM mainly focused on its effects on pumpkin, melon, and other crops; however, the exact molecular mechanism of bottle gourd resistance to PM remains unclear. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology was used to investigate the dynamic changes in leaf transcriptome profiles between resistant and susceptible gourd at 12, 24, 48, and 72 h post-inoculation with powdery mildew. Compared with a susceptible variety (G3), the expression levels of the differentially expressed genes of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, starch, and sucrose metabolism, and plant–pathogen interaction pathways in disease-resistant plants were upregulated. We propose that disease resistance and tolerance in bottle gourd are enhanced via several pathways, including the antioxidant system, phenylalanine biosynthesis, and cell wall cellulose synthesis. Our research will provide an important basis for further screening and breeding PM resistance in bottle gourd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

During 2022, a new disease of bottle gourd, causing leaf mosaic and yellowing symptoms, was observed in a private garden in the Campania region, Southern Italy. Incidence of disease was high (up to 80% of plants with symptoms). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with coat protein specific primers to tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) indicated association of a begomovirus with the disease. The sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis of the complete DNA genome further revealed the virus as within ToLCNDV-ES strain. Nevertheless, phylogenetic relationships showed two distinctive subgroups among ToLCNDV-ES isolates, with subgroup I composed only of ToLCNDV-ES isolates identified in the Campania region, including the isolate found in bottle gourd. The possible evolutionary forces that determined evolution of the two subgroups within the ToLCNDV-ES strain, including the role of the vector and cultural practices, are briefly analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Watermelon grafting is practiced in order to improve tolerance to poor environments such as low temperature. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of low-temperature tolerant bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) rootstocks on the growth and fruit quality of watermelon in semi-forcing and retarding culture where plants were exposed to low or high temperature. Five bottle gourd accessions (FR79, IT207112, BG702, BG703, and FRD22) with low temperature tolerance were evaluated as rootstock for the watermelon scion 'Sambokkul'. Non-grafted watermelon and watermelon grafted onto commercial rootstock 'Shintozwa' (Cucurbita maxima D. × C. moschata D.) or 'Bullojangsaeng' (L. siceraria) were used as controls. Watermelons were cultivated in spring (April to June, semi-forcing culture) and autumn (August to October, retarding culture). The responses to low-temperature, growth, yield, and fruit quality differed depending on the rootstocks and growing season. In semi-forcing culture, the monthly averages of daily and minimum temperature in April were, respectively, 13.4 and 1.5 °C. Although the low temperature of the early growth stage suppressed the initial growth of watermelons, grafting mitigated the low-temperature stress. The fruit quality of non-grafted watermelons was greater, but the fruit mass was the lowest (4.8 kg). Grafting onto 'Shintozwa' increased the fruit weight (7.0 kg) but reduced the fruit quality. Grafting onto bottle gourd rootstocks had high affinity, good root growth, tolerance to low temperature, and little effect on fruit quality. In retarding culture, the temperature conditions in early and late growth were very high and low, respectively. The growth and fruit quality of grafted watermelons were not superior to those of non-grafted watermelons. Accordingly, these results suggest that watermelon grafting onto the bottle gourd rootstocks may increase the low-temperature tolerance, especially in the early growth stage, and the marketable yield without a reduction in fruit quality. The most promising accession for this purpose was found to be 'FR79'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The OVATE gene family is a class of conserved transcription factors that play significant roles in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress, and also affect fruit shape in vegetable crops. Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), commonly known as calabash or gourd, is an annual climber belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. Studies on bottle gourd OVATE genes are limited. In this study, we performed genome-wide identification of the OVATE gene family in bottle gourd, and identified a total of 20 OVATE family genes. The identified genes were unevenly distributed across 11 bottle gourd chromosomes. We also analyzed the gene homology, amino acid sequence conservation, and three-dimensional protein structure (via prediction) of the 20 OVATE family genes. We used RNA-seq data to perform expression analysis, which found 20 OVATE family genes to be differentially expressed based on spatial and temporal characteristics, suggesting that they have varying functions in the growth and development of bottle gourd. In situ hybridization and subcellular localization analysis showed that the expression characteristics of the LsOVATE1 gene, located on chromosome 7 homologous to OVATE, is a candidate gene for affecting the fruit shape of bottle gourd. In addition, RT-qPCR data from bottle gourd roots, stems, leaves, and flowers showed different spatial expression of the LsOVATE1 gene. The ectopic expression of LsOVATE1 in tomato generated a phenotype with a distinct fruit shape and development. Transgenic-positive plants that overexpressed LsOVATE1 had cone-shaped fruit, calyx hypertrophy, petal degeneration, and petal retention after flowering. Our results indicate that LsOVATE1 could serve important roles in bottle gourd development and fruit shape determination, and provide a basis for future research into the function of LsOVATE1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

• Studied variability for fruit quality traits among 91 Indian accessions of bottle gourd. • High heritability with high genetic advance recorded for phenol content and antioxidant activity. • Positive association noted between phenol, antioxidant activity, Mg, Fe and Zn content. • 91 accessions grouped into 12 clusters. First two PCs accounted for 62.43% variation. • Promising accessions for use as donors in quality breeding were identified. Bottle gourd is amongst the widely grown yet under-researched cucurbit vegetable in India and sub-Saharan Africa. The fresh immature leaves, fruit and seed are used for food and medicinal purposes, as rootstock for watermelon. Despite the economic and culinary importance, availability of wide variation in Africa and India, the bottle gourd genetic resources remains under-utilized, particularly with respect to harnessing the nutritional quality. In the present study, we evaluated 91 bottle gourd accessions from India and identified promising bottle gourd accessions for quality traits such as total phenol content, total antioxidant capacity, magnesium, iron, zinc and copper contents. High genotypic coefficient of variation and phenotypic coefficient of variation (>20%) were recorded for all the biochemical traits and mineral nutrients. High heritability (h2) with high genetic advance was recorded for phenol content (99.00/62.76%) and antioxidant activity (99.71/62.58%) whereas high heritability (h2) with low genetic advance was recorded for all the mineral nutrients except magnesium (98.79/49.84%). Simple correlation coefficients among the different traits revealed a highly significant positive association of total phenol content with antioxidant activity, magnesium, iron and zinc content. Euclidian cluster analysis grouped 91 accessions into 12 clusters based on Ward's distance. Eigen value from principal component analysis depicted the first two components accounted for 62.43 cumulative percent of total variation which signifies a high degree of correlation between the analyzed traits. The promising accessions IC-0336825, IC-0385814, IC-0418246 and IC-0284925 and check cultivar Pusa Santusthi for phenol content, antioxidant activity and mineral nutrients (Mg, Fe, Zn and Cu) may be used as donors in the quality breeding program in bottle gourd. The implication of identified promising bottle gourd accessions for development of new cultivars in bottle gourd is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Lagenaria siceraria (bottle gourd) fruit is highly celebrated for its nutritional as well as therapeutic properties. The present study was undertaken with the aim of exploring an efficient green solvent-free microwave-assisted extraction method for bioactives from this fruit. Optimization was done according to response surface methodology (RSM), where microwave power (W) and time (s) were independent factors, and percent extraction yield, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) and iron chelating activity (ICA) were the responses. TPC, TFC, DPPH radical scavenging activity, FRAP and ICA were highest at 480 W and 60 s. The TPC was 288.9 mg GAE · g−1 DW (milligram gallic acid equivalent per gram dry weight), TFC was 214.1 mg RE · g−1 (rutin equivalent per gram DW), anti-radical activity was 32.96%, FRAP was 289.7 mg AAE · g−1 (mg ascorbic acid equivalents per gram) and ICA was 19.52%. The results of the study thus demonstrate that the solvent-free microwave-assisted extraction method, which utilised an optimum power of 480 W and a time of 60 s, is an effective and green method for extraction of antioxidant compounds from bottle gourd fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Mirid bug has become challenging pest infesting bottle gourd crop at Haryana state and Delhi NCR region in India. The feeding punctures caused on fruits due to bugs appears to be light reddish brown spots/blister, leading to blemished fruits which often fail to fetch a good market price. In the present study, we have endowed the species diagnosis (morphological and molecular), population dynamics, biology, fruit damage intensity and ecofriendly management of mirid bugs in bottle gourd crop. From the morphological studies it was found that, the mirid bug so investigated was found to be the zoophytophagous plant bug, Nesidiocoris tenuis (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae). In addition, the molecular analysis (DNA Barcoding) also confirmed the species identity with the DNA sequence generated (Accession No. OM117590) matching up to 99.86% with that of the available relative sequences with a total branch length of 0.10 base substitutions per site in the phylogenetic tree. Across the fields surveyed, it was found that on an average the maximum abundance of N. tenuis was noticed at tender tip of vines (7.0 bugs per tender tip of vine) followed by fruits (4.9 bugs per fruit) and leaves (4.1 bugs per leaf). There were two peak incidence of N. tenuis noticed during the study. First peak during 21st SMW (4th week of May) (8.7 bugs per leaf and 12.7 bugs per tender tip of vine) and second peak during 24th SMW (3nd week of June) (7.3 bugs per leaf, 10.5 bugs per tender tip of vine and 5.7 bugs per fruit). During the study, it was found that the maximum temperature, mean temperature and sunshine hours showed significant positive relationship with N. tenuis population on leaves (r = 0.800, 0.560 and 0.770, respectively), tender tip of vine (r = 0.880, 0.550 and 0.780, respectively) and fruits (r = 0.801, 0.553 and 0.549, respectively). In the present investigation it was found that N. tenuis successfully completed its life cycle on bottle gourd plants with total life cycle duration of ~ 34 days. The mean fecundity was observed to be 10.8 eggs. The age-stage specific survival rate (Sxj) and life expectancy (Exj) studies revealed that the survival rate and life expectancy of adult females was higher than that of adult males of N. tenuis. The % fruit damage due to N. tenuis ranged between 61.90 – 73.68% and damage intensity ranged from 20.4 to 27.4 numbers of damage punctures per 2 cm2 area of fruit rind. Due to bagging of fruits, there was 67.60% reduction in fruit damage and 96.05 – 98.61% increase in number of marketable fruits which clearly envisage the farmers to adopt bagging technique in bottle gourd against N. tenuis to obtain quality fruits with higher economic yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: The choice of parents to be incorporated in hybridization is a crucial step for breeders for the improvement of complex quantitative characters, such as fruit yield and its components. It requires extensive and detailed genetic assessment of existing germplasm and newly developed promising lines. The magnitude and type of gene action serves as criteria for selection of parents, which after hybridization are likely to produce the best recombinants for desirable traits. Methods: Forty five bottle gourd genotypes comprising 36 hybrids and 9 parents were evaluated in four different environments. Genetic components of variation were estimated for 12 different characters including fruit yield per plant. Result: The additive as well as dominant components were significant for fruit yield per plant and its components, revealing equal importance of both additive as well as non-additive gene effects. However, fruit yield per plant is under the control of dominance variance. Over dominance type of gene action, considerable degree of gene symmetry over all the loci, excess of dominant alleles in parents and high narrow sense heritability was found for most of the traits studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is sometimes used in complementary medicine practice for the treatment of chronic ailments. However, there have been reports of toxicity due to consumption of bottle gourd juice, leading to severe abdominal upset and upper gastrointestinal bleeding.Case Report: We present a case of a 41-year-old gentleman who presented to the Emergency Department with multiple episodes of vomiting, hematemesis, and diarrhea after consuming bottle gourd juice. The patient was resuscitated and stabilized with fluids, proton pump inhibitors, and antiemetics. He was subsequently admitted to the General Medicine ward for further management. He continued to receive symptomatic treatment in the ward and underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy during his hospitalization stay. His symptoms improved and he was discharged stable 5 days later. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Early recognition of this rare presentation of bottle gourd toxicity is important in our local context, especially where traditional medicine is widely prevalent nowadays. Treatment is supportive. Public awareness of dangerous effects from the consumption of bitter bottle gourd juice and complementary medicine without proper consultation with a practitioner plays a crucial role to prevent further cases. Physicians need to advise patients on the use of traditional medicine and their potential side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: The history of several communities and tribes in Africa is incomplete without emphasising on the crucial role of the Cucurbitaceae family, especially the calabash or dried gourds, in Africa. The plant is extensively used in several traditional ceremonies and spiritual exercises, and in the production of various traditional African musical instruments which proffer economic incentives to stakeholders. Aim: To discuss the relevance of the bottle gourd in Eastern and Southern African nations in relation to the production of traditional musical instruments; the uses and impacts of the traditional musical instruments; and their morphology. Methods: A literature search was conducted on electronic databases such as Google Scholar, Google books, Scopus, and Web of Science. The search was performed using several terms and free text words, combining them in an appropriate manner. The authors further set inclusion and exclusion criteria to screen for relevant articles. Each of the identified articles was independently reviewed to determine eligibility and to extract study information. Results: The African continent has a deeply rich and fascinating traditional and cultural heritage such as ancestral worship, cleansing ceremonies, spiritual ceremonies, intervillage ceremonies and competitions, and royal ceremonies like enthronement of kings, royal weddings, royal funerals, and appeasement of the gods. Traditional musical instruments made with gourds (as the resonator) are prominently played during these ceremonies and spiritual exercises. The ceremonies are often accompanied by chanting and singing whilst traditional musical instruments such as rattles made of gourds or chordophones, in which gourds are used as resonators, are played. Conclusion: Bottle gourd is an important raw material in the assemblage of several Southern and Eastern Africa traditional musical instruments and is highly revered in the socio-cultural ceremonies and spiritual exercises of several tribes and communities across these regions. Hence, bottle gourd plays a vital role as a bedrock of the culture, social and spiritual life of these people and therefore reflects in the history and daily life of the Southern and Eastern Africans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Background: Since time immemorial, humans have devised means to improvise for survival on the planet earth. The environment has been the source of materials for manufacturing objects that have supported human existence. These materials include plants (plant parts and by-products) such as the Cucurbitaceae species. Aim: To discuss bottle gourd and some selected species of Cucurbitaceae in relation to the history, sociocultural and spiritual lives of the West African people. Methodology: A literature search was conducted on electronic databases such as Google Scholar , Google Books , Scopus , and Web of Science. The search was performed using several terms and free text words, combining them in an appropriate manner. The authors further set inclusion and exclusion criteria to screen for relevant articles. Results and discussion: Plants play crucial roles in the global economic, social, cultural, and spiritual stability. Several plant families have especially played a fundamental role(s) in the spiritual and cultural ceremonies, and history of many tribes and communities in Africa. This is because entertainment tools such as rattles, drums, harps, and lutes used during most of these ceremonies are often by-products of plants. This study revealed that Cucurbitaceae family is a spectacular class of plants with such roles. Traditional musical instruments derived from bottle gourd, Telfairia occidentalis and Momordica charantia, form an integral part of the history, spiritual and sociocultural life of some West African communities. Conclusion: The history of some tribes in West Africa is linked to specific Cucurbitaceae species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Seed transmission is among the primary strategies utilized by plant viruses for long-distance dissemination, leading to the widespread occurrence of viral diseases globally. Watermelon virus A (WVA) is a novel wamavirus first found in watermelon. However, the pathogenicity and transmission mode of WVA are still unclear. Our previous work found that the incidence of WVA in bottle gourd is very high. Based on that, the pathogenicity and seed transmission mode of WVA in bottle gourd were studied. Compared with healthy plant, bottle gourd infected by WVA showed no visible disease symptom. Moreover, in the seeds of 20 bottle gourd cultivars, the occurrence of WVA varies from 0 to 90%, and one cultivar even reaches 100%. We also found that the transmission rate from seeds to the resulting seedlings was 100%. Furthermore, WVA was present in both the seed coat and embryo, and seed disinfection cannot eliminate WVA. Besides the seed and leaf, WVA can also be detected in stem, flower, and fruit, but not in the root. To our surprise, the level of transmission from WVA-infected plants to seeds was more than 85%. In addition, the viral accumulations of both WVA and CGMMV were increased in plants with co-infection of WVA and CGMMV. Taken together, these findings reveal that WVA is a seed-transmitted virus which causes no disease symptom in bottle gourd, and there may be synergism between WVA and CGMMV. • WVA is a wamavirus which causes no symptom in bottle gourd. • WVA is a seed-transmitted virus with high transmission rate. • There is synergism between WVA and CGMMV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The effect of different modes of pollination on quantitative parameters of bottle gourd was studied during kharif 2019 at Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari. The different quantitative parameters like the number of fruits/plant, per cent fruit set, per cent malformed fruit, fruit diameter, fruit weight, yield, and yield/ha were maximum in open pollination (5.38, 59.67%, 25.09%, 6.84cm, 961.24g, 5.17 kg/plant and 25,836 kg/ha, respectively) compared to pollination with Apis cerana indica (5.14, 54.03%, 20.43%, 6.76cm, 878.57g, 4.52 kg/plant and 22,607 kg/ha, respectively). The number of fruit drops was maximum in pollination with A. cerana indica (4.57), followed by open pollination (3.69). In the treatment of pollination without insects, no fruit formation was observed. The cost-benefit ratio was highest in open pollination (22.49:1) compared to pollination with A. cerana indica (4.69: 1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

SUMMARY: The bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria, Cucurbitaceae) is an important horticultural crop exhibiting tremendous diversity in fruit shape. The genetic architecture of fruit shape variation in this species remains unknown. We assembled a long‐read‐based, high‐quality reference genome (ZAAS_Lsic_2.0) with a contig N50 value over 390‐fold greater than the existing reference genomes. We then focused on dissection of fruit shape using a one‐step geometric morphometrics‐based functional mapping approach. We identified 11 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) responsible for fruit shape (fsQTLs), reconstructed their visible effects and revealed syntenic relationships of bottle gourd fsQTLs with 12 fsQTLs previously reported in cucumber, melon or watermelon. Homologs of several well‐known and newly identified fruit shape genes, including SUN, OFP, AP2 and auxin transporters, were comapped with bottle gourd QTLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

A considerable interest has developed on natural foods preservatives as extend the shelf-life. There is a strong controversy about the safety aspects of synthetic preservatives since they are considered responsible for many teratogenic attributes and carcinogenic as well as residual toxicity. Therefore, the antimicrobial activity, total phenolic and flavonoids of bottle ground leaf extract were examined. And a descriptive detection of the extract was made, where it was found that they contain (phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, terpenes, saponins, phlobatanins, resins, tannins And steroids). 50% ethanolic extract exhibited the highest extraction ability for such phenolic and flavonoid compounds. The total phenolic was 406 mg gallic equivalent/g and the total flavonoid was 42.6 mg quercetin/g dry weight. The antimicrobial activity was studied using Agar well diffusion method and broth dilution method. Results indicated that Gram-negative bacteria E. Coli was more sensitive than Gram-positive bacteria S. aureus and B. subtilis against bottle ground leaf extract, were 25, 18 and 19 mm inhibitory zone for concentration 50mg/well respectively. MIC and MLC where determined, MICs test showed that the lowest concentration was 10 mg/ml against S. aureus, and was equal concentration on E. coli and B. subtilis (20 mg/ml). On the basis of this results bottle ground leaf extract was added to beef sausage at different concentrations (1%, 2%, and 4%) and stored for 90 days at -20°C to study its effect on the quality of beef sausage. Results indicated a high stability against oxidation in sausage treated with the bottle ground leaf extract compared to control samples. Also, a decrease in microbial load of the treated sausage compared to the control was observed. Finally, it was evident that the bottle gourd leaf extract has a role in reducing the number of microbes, as well as their possession of natural antioxidants that prolongs shelf life of sausage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Grafted seedlings are used not only for protection from soil-borne diseases but also to increase tolerance to abiotic stress conditions, improve fruit quality and increase nutrient uptake in the soil. In this study, it was aimed to determine the effect of different watermelon rootstocks on weight loss of watermelon fruits, which were obtained at deficit irrigation levels and they were stored under controlled conditions for different periods. For this purpose, 2 citron watermelons, 1 open bottle gourd and 1 hybrid TZ-148 which is widely used for watermelon in Turkey were used as rootstock. The "Crimson Tide" commercial cultivar was grafted onto these rootstocks and non-grafted applications were used as control lots. 5 different irrigation levels were applied according to the plant pan coefficient such as kcp1 = 1.00 (I100), kcp2 = 0.75 (I75), kcp3 = 0.50 (I50), kcp4 = 0.33 (I33) and kcp5 = 0.00 (I0) non-irrigated. According to the results, all watermelon rootstocks caused by less fruit weight loss compared to non-grafted applications and it has been demonstrated that using grafted rootstocks is an advantage in watermelons to be stored. On the other hand, TZ-148 commercial rootstock and citron melon 1 rootstock determined as the best rootstock in post-harvest storage. The I100 and I75 irrigation levels have approximately the same weight loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Grafting is a basic technique which is widely used to increase yield and enhance biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in plant production. The diversity and interactions of rhizobacterial assemblages shaped by grafting are important for the growth of their hosts but remain poorly understood. To test the hypothesis that plant grafting shapes complexity and co-occurrence of rhizobacterial assemblage, four types of plants, including ungrafted bottle gourd (B), ungrafted watermelon (W), grafted watermelon with bottle gourd rootstock (W/B), and grafted bottle gourd with watermelon rootstock (B/W), were cultivated in two soil types in a greenhouse, and the rhizosphere bacterial communities were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene high-throughput sequencing. Both the soil type and grafting significantly influenced the bacterial community composition. Grafting increased bacterial within-sample diversity in both soils. Core enriched operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in the W/B rhizosphere compared with the other three treatments (B, W, and B/W) were mainly affiliated with Alphaproteobacteria, Deltaproteobacteria, and Bacteroidetes, which are likely related to methanol oxidation, methylotrophy, fermentation, and ureolysis. Co-occurrence network analysis proved that grafting increased network complexity, including the number of nodes, edges, and modules. Moreover, grafting strengthened the structural robustness of the network in the rhizosphere, while ungrafted watermelon had the lowest network robustness. Homogeneous selection played a predominant role in bacterial community assembly, and the contribution of dispersal limitation was increased in grafted watermelon with bottle gourd rootstock. Grafting increased the diversity and transformed the network topology of the bacterial community, which indicated that grafting could improve species coexistence in the watermelon rhizosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This article addresses the technical and cost competitiveness of microfiltration and centrifugation to produce organic clarified bottle gourd juice. The microfiltration (MF) process was conducted for fresh and centrifuged juices and for transmembrane pressures ranging from 103.4 to 172.4 kPa. Pertinent flux decline was extensively analyzed to account for the extent of irreversible membrane fouling using resistances in series model, flux decline, and recovery ratios. Feed, centrifuged, and permeate juice samples were evaluated for nutritional content and physico-chemical parameters to affirm that MF of fresh juice is the best among all investigated cases. Compared with the centrifugation process, the MF process performed comparatively better in terms of cost competitiveness, juice clarity, microbial, and protein rejection. For a variation in juice production capacity of 110–10,000 L, the MF-based juice processing cost varied from 1.19 to 0.37 $/L, which accounts to 31.27–26.32% of fresh juice cost to infer upon promising performance of the low-cost ceramic membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.) is a significant cucurbit plant species whose ripe fruits are consumed as ornamental items and immature fruits are consumed as vegetables. In addition, these plants are used as rootstocks in vegetable grafts due to their strong root structure. This study aimed to determine the genetic diversity of bottle gourd genotypes whose fresh fruits are consumed. Using iPBS (Inter-Primer Binding Site) retrotransposon marker techniques, a total of 186 bands in 30 genotypes were obtained and the polymorphism rate was calculated as 93.3%. Similarity coefficient values were found in the range of 0.35-0.96. Three main clusters emerged from cluster analysis. As a result of the structure analysis, genotypes were divided into four subpopulations. There was also a high level of genetic diversity among bottle gourd genotypes. To improve a variety's traits, genetic diversity can be used. The iPBS technique is also a powerful tool for understanding the genetic characterization of bottle gourd. These data can be used in breeding strategies to improve bottle gourd varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The sorption kinetics and thermodynamic parameters of phosphate removal from aqueous solution using quaternary ammonium–modified bottle gourd biomass as a sorbent were studied in a batch reactor. The cationic sorbent, containing trimethylammonium and hydroxypropyl groups, was obtained through the chemical reactions of the lignocellulosic Lagenaria vulgaris shell with (3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl)trimethylammonium chloride. Experimental data of phosphate sorption from aqueous solutions of different initial concentrations (5–140 mg P L−1) have been analysed by reaction kinetics and diffusion models. The characteristic rate constants calculated by linear and non-linear regression analyses of the experimental results are presented. The phosphate sorption reaches equilibrium in 20–30 min, depending on the initial phosphate concentration. The maximum sorption capacity of quaternary ammonium–modified bottle gourd (QABG) sorbent was 18 mg P g−1 at 20 oC. The sorption system is best described by a non-linear equation of the pseudo first-order model (R 2 > 0.996). The Weber–Morris model indicated that the sorption process took place in three steps, whereby the intra-particle diffusion is not the only rate-controlling step. In addition, the effect of temperature (20 oC–50 oC) on sorption kinetics was also investigated. The various thermodynamic parameters suggest that phosphate sorption is favoured and is an exothermic process. The activation energy and the sticking probability confirmed that anion exchange is the dominant mechanism. These results provide valuable information for the potential use of agricultural residues in the treatment of wastewaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

• The vegetative tissues had the highest level of trans-zeatin and IAA. • Precursors of auxin and gibberellic acid biosynthesis were found in the vegetative to reproductive transition phase. • Indole-3-propanoic acid, trans-zeatin, and GA3 were shown highest in the male flower-initiated tissues. • Indole-3-propanoic acid alone was high in the female flower-initiated tissues. In the world of agricultural research, there has been a lot of emphasis on increasing insight into the decline of crop yield gap levels. Metabolomics is a relatively recent approach that aims to better understand the metabolic networks and is extensively being applied to agricultural research for its divergent growth and productivity by enhancing the behavior of plants under various stress. Lagenaria siceraria (Bottle gourd – Salad variety) has commonly been used because of its enormous nutritional, commercial, and medicinal benefits. The purpose of this investigation was to quantify the level of endogenous hormones and metabolites profiling at the vegetative and reproductive phase from various tissues of L. siceraria by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The field-grown plant samples such as vegetative, male, and female flower-initiated parts including leaf, stem, tendril, and shoot apex were used for this study. The vegetative tissues had the highest level of trans zeatin and indole-3-acetic acid whereas indole-3-propanoic acid, trans zeatin, and gibberellic acid-3 were seen highest in the male flower-initiated tissues, and the level of IPA alone was found highest in the female flower-initiated tissues quantified by LC-MS/MS method. Additionally, N-Methyl-N-trimethylsilyl-trifluoroacetamide derivatized tissues showed the presence of astaxanthin and 1H-Indole, 2,3,5-trimethyl-1-(trimethylsilyl)- in vegetative tissues. On the contrary, kaur-16-ene-(8β,13β), an intermediate of GAs synthesis, gibberellic acid, and fumaric acid were recorded in reproductive tissues by GC–MS analysis. The first principal component analysis (PCA) biplot revealed two principal components that together accounted for 34.59 % and 22.96 % of the variance in the tissues of vegetative and reproductive phases respectively. In the second PCA biplot, the male and female flower-initiated tissues showed principal component levels of 42.94 % and 26.48 %, respectively. Also, the heat map analysis showed the fluctuation of phytohormone levels during both phases. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The main objective of Front Line Demonstrations (FLDs) is to demonstrate newly released crop production technologies and its management practices at the farmer’s field under different agro-climatic regions and farming situations. Realizing the importance of frontline demonstrations in transfer of off season production technologies in bottle gourd, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Maulasar, Nagaur-II conducted FLDs at farmers’ field to assess the economic feasibility of technology. Result of a comparative evaluation of low poly tunnel technology and traditional growing method of bottle gourd showed that the average yield of demonstrations was found to be 298 q /ha, whereas, for local crop, it was found to be 245 q/ha. The gross returns (Rs. 238400/ha), net returns (Rs. 138200/ha) and BCR (2.38) ratio were also recorded highest in bottle gourd grown under low tunnel compared to local check. The total bottle gourd yield and net profit per unit area were above normal when grown under low tunnels as the produce reached the market early avoiding the market glut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Nine exotic bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria Mol. Standley) genotypes were evaluated for their fruit physico-chemical characteristics and yield behavior at Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University, D.I. Khan (Pakistan) during 2013 and 2014. The genotypes of bottle gourd were Hazarvi, Anmol, Amber, King, Advanta-205, Surbhi, Royal, Nobel, Sharmic and Louki (local check variety). The experiment was laid-out in randomized complete block design having ten treatments (including 9 exotics plus 1 local genotype) and three replications. The results showed that there were significant variations in all the parameters except moisture content that was found to be non-significant in 2013. The comparative assessment of the exotic germplasms investigated in this study displayed better performance over the local check in both the study years. The maximum germination (84.1 % and 85.4 %), number of fruits (25.4 and 23.9), fruit length (52.8 and 51.5 cm), fruit width (16.7 and 17.1 cm), fruit weight (1283.8 and 1330.2 g), yield (48.1 and 50.1 tons ha-1), TSS (7.1 and 6.9 %) and Vitamin C (16.1 and 16.1 mg/100g) were recorded in cv. Anmol. On the basis of overall performance and highest yield, genotype Anmol is recommended for large-scale cultivation under the agro-climatic conditions of Dera Ismail Khan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Nine exotic bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria Mol. Standley) genotypes were evaluated for their fruit physico-chemical characteristics and yield behavior at Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University, D.I. Khan (Pakistan) during 2013 and 2014. The genotypes of bottle gourd were Hazarvi, Anmol, Amber, King, Advanta-205, Surbhi, Royal, Nobel, Sharmic and Louki (local check variety). The experiment was laid-out in randomized complete block design having ten treatments (including 9 exotics plus 1 local genotype) and three replications. The results showed that there were significant variations in all the parameters except moisture content that was found to be non-significant in 2013. The comparative assessment of the exotic germplasms investigated in this study displayed better performance over the local check in both the study years. The maximum germination (84.1% and 85.4%), number of fruits (25.4 and 23.9), fruit length (52.8 and 51.5 cm), fruit width (16.7 and 17.1 cm), fruit weight (1283.8 and 1330.2 g), yield (48.1 and 50.1 tons ha-1), TSS (7.1 and 6.9%) and Vitamin C (16.1 and 16.1 mg/100g) were recorded in cv. Anmol. On the basis of overall performance and highest yield, genotype Anmol is recommended for large-scale cultivation under the agro-climatic conditions of Dera Ismail Khan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

A combination of milk, vegetable proteins and cereals can effectively enhance the quality of cereal protein, which is normally deficient in essential amino acids. The combination can be used in traditional Indian desserts or side dishes such as Kheer, milk rice or rice pudding and products based on cracked wheat, semolina and vermicelli. The present research work was conducted with the objective of standardizing the process for the development of milk based dessert using bottle gourd and rice powder in various proportions; as also studying its sensory and nutritional properties. The experiment was replicated three times and the data was statistically analyzed by using analysis of variance and critical difference techniques. A combination of 4.5% of milk fat, 5% of bottle gourd and 4% of rice powder was the best combination in terms of overall acceptability. Combination of 1.5% of milk fat, 5% bottle gourd and 4% of rice powder was the best in flavour and taste. While a combination of milk fat 4.5%, 10% bottle gourd and 6% rice powder had the highest protein, fat, carbohydrate, total solids, ash and energy value on the basis of chemical analysis; but it had a lower percentage of moisture content when compared to combination of milk fat 1.5%, 5% bottle gourd and 4% of rice powder. These combinations can be employed to address malnutrition as per the taste buds of the individual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Calabash and bottle gourd seed were analyzed for their proximate, mineral, and anti-nutritional composition using standard techniques. The calcium, zinc, and phytate interrelationship was computed. The results showed that calabash and bottle gourd seeds contained 4.0 g/100g moisture, 45.0 and 47.8 g/100g crude fat, 37.2 and 35.0 g/100g crude protein, and 8.1 and 7.3 g/100g carbohydrates, respectively. The most abundant mineral element in the seed flours was potassium, while selenium and chromium were not detected. Antinutrients in the seed flours were tannic acid (1.21 and 1.70 mg/100g), phytin phosphorus (1.05 and 0.82 mg/100g), phytic acid (3.71 and 2.88 mg/100g), and oxalate (1.39 and 1.58 mg/g) in calabash and bottle gourds, respectively. The computed calcium, zinc, and phytate interrelationship showed that zinc bioavailability may not be impaired in diets based on these seed flours. Calabash and bottle gourd seeds are good sources of dietary proteins, crude fat, and nutritionally important minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Previous investigations on bottle gourd [ Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.], were mainly focused on genetic resources characterisation and crop husbandry. Accessing the anatomical and chemical determinants of fruit and seed traits that directly influence the yield of L. siceraria is a prerequisite for full exploitation of its genetic resources for breeding purposes. This study aimed at gathering the anatomical and chemical bases of fruit rind and seed coat hardness in calabash and egusi varieties of bottle gourd. Variation between the two bottle gourd varieties was observed in fruit rind sclerified outer mesocarp and seed coat thickness. Lignified tissues were thicker in calabash than those of egusi in both fruit rind and seed coat. In addition, the extent of the sclerified outer mesocarp was greater in calabash (up to 503 μm thick) compared to egusi (up to 417 μm thick). In egusi seed coat, only the inner epidermis was lignified while in calabash, both mesophyll and inner epidermis were lignified. Klason lignin procedure confirmed histological analyses, showing a higher amount of lignin in calabash tissues compared to those of egusi, whatever fruit age considered. Fruit rind and seed coat were harder in calabash than in egusi due to the greater degree of lignification in calabash tissues compared to those of egusi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Lagenaria siceraria (bottle gourd) contains the wide range of chemical components such as minerals, vitamins, flavone-C glycosides, fatty acids and omega-3. In this study, nutritional composition and heavy metals content were analyzed in peel, flesh and cap of the bottle gourd. Flesh (356.85 g) of bottle gourd was showed maximum weight with maximum weight contribution (80.27 %). The cap of bottle gourd showed the maximum total carotenoids (305.00 ppm), TSC (29.56 mg/100 g) and TSS (0.580 °Brix). Peel of bottle gourd represented significant antioxidant activity by RPA (2536.00 mg/100 g) and DPPH (36.43 % inhibition) with higher TPC (2819.88 mg/100 g) as well as TFC (60.28 mg/100 g). Fe was found maximum in three parts of bottle gourd than other metals concentration. The observed concentrations of heavy metals were found under the standard safe limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Bottle gourd ( Lagenaria siceraria) is an important vegetable crop as well as a rootstock for other cucurbit crops. In this study, we report a high-quality 313.4-Mb genome sequence of a bottle gourd inbred line, USVL1 VR-Ls, with a scaffold N50 of 8.7 Mb and the longest of 19.0 Mb. About 98.3% of the assembled scaffolds are anchored to the 11 pseudomolecules. Our comparative genomic analysis identifies chromosome-level syntenic relationships between bottle gourd and other cucurbits, as well as lineage-specific gene family expansions in bottle gourd. We reconstructed the genome of the most recent common ancestor of Cucurbitaceae, which revealed that the ancestral Cucurbitaceae karyotypes consisted of 12 protochromosomes with 18 534 protogenes. The 12 protochromosomes are largely retained in the modern melon genome, while have undergone different degrees of shuffling events in other investigated cucurbit genomes. The 11 bottle gourd chromosomes derive from the ancestral Cucurbitaceae karyotypes followed by 19 chromosomal fissions and 20 fusions. The bottle gourd genome sequence has facilitated the mapping of a dominant monogenic locus, Prs, conferring Papaya ring-spot virus ( PRSV) resistance in bottle gourd, to a 317.8-kb region on chromosome 1. We have developed a cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence ( CAPS) marker tightly linked to the Prs locus and demonstrated its potential application in marker-assisted selection of PRSV resistance in bottle gourd. This study provides insights into the paleohistory of Cucurbitaceae genome evolution, and the high-quality genome sequence of bottle gourd provides a useful resource for plant comparative genomics studies and cucurbit improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The bottle gourd or calabash [ Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl .] (2n = 2x = 22), also known as opo squash or long melon, is an important cucurbit crop worldwide. Commonly used as a vegetable, bottle gourd fruits have a peculiar umami taste that is important for their market value. To date, the umami chemical ingredients of bottle gourd fruits and their genetic determinants remain unidentified. In the current study, the relationship between umami flavor and free amino acid (FAA) contents was analyzed using a representative panel of twenty-eight accessions. Among the FAAs identified, free glutamate (Glu) was found to have the most significant association with umami taste, suggesting that free Glu is the main umami-conferring ingredient of bottle gourd. To further identify the genetic regions associated with umami taste, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for free Glu content was conducted in a diversity panel consisting of 139 inbred lines, each sequenced with a restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq) technology. Seventeen SNPs were identified as associated with free Glu content, each accounting for 7.5% to 15.1% of the phenotypic variation. The number of the favored alleles for each line varied from 0 to 13. Free Glu content exhibited a significant positive correlation with the number of the favored alleles. These results indicated that there is considerable genetic potential to develop new varieties with stronger umami taste through targeting more favored alleles of free Glu content. To our knowledge, this is the first GWAS study in bottle gourd. Our work reveals the genetic architecture of umami taste in the bottle gourd and will help facilitate molecular breeding of cultivars with improved flavor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Bottle gourd [ Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae is an important crop widely grown for its fruits, seeds or succulent leaves. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is believed to be the centre of genetic diversity of bottle gourd where it is commonly grown by smallholder farmers predominantly using unimproved and genetically diverse landrace varieties. Bottle gourd received limited research and development priority towards genetic improvement and cultivar deployment and conservation in SSA compared to the continental Asia and America. The genetic variation present among landraces in SSA is a useful raw material for bottle gourd improvement programmes in the region and globally. The objective of this review is to present the perspectives on the genetic diversity and genetic resources, population structure and breeding progress of bottle gourd. Further, the review discusses the potential of genomic resources for genetic analysis and genomic selection of bottle gourd to accelerate conventional breeding in enhancing productivity and systematic conservation of the crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

The effects of root-knot nematodes on black root rot of watermelon and bottle gourd were studied using field surveys and co-inoculation tests with Meloidogyne incognita (southern root-knot nematode) and Diaporthe sclerotioides. The results of the field survey suggested that root-knot nematodes had little effect on either the severity of black root rot or infection with D. sclerotioides. None of the three fields showed a significant positive correlation between disease severity and nematode gall index, with low correlation coefficients. Co-inoculation experiments under controlled conditions found no significant effect of root-knot nematodes on black root rot of watermelon and bottle gourd based on area under disease progress curves (AUDPC). These results were supported by the quantities of DNA of the two agents in root tissues because no significant difference was found between dual- and single-inoculation treatments with M. incognita and/or D. sclerotioides. These findings suggest that root-knot nematodes probably do not affect the infection of watermelon or bottle gourd roots by D. sclerotioides or the incidence of black root rot in these crops caused by this fungus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Bottle gourd ( Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.) is accepted as typical 'New World' cultivated economic plant. Currently, two subspecies are known: L. siceraria ((Molina) Standl.) ssp. siceraria has an African origin, whilst ssp. asiatica is recognized to be originating from Asian territories. It only seldom appears in European archaeological contexts, however finds from the Roman period appear sporadically. Part of a Late Middle Age (14th-15th century) settlement was excavated near the town of Pócspetri (SE Hungary) and one of the refuse pits contained waterlogged remains of several dozen dicot leaves and small sized branches (e.g. Populus sp.). In addition an entire dog skeleton and an apparently 10 cm by 7 cm bottle gourd pericarp fragment were also found in a well-preserved pot. This fortunate recovery accounts for the first evidence of bottle gourd in the archaeobotanical record of Hungary and Eastern Europe. Due to its favourable preservation not only precise morphological analysis could be undertaken, but ancient DNA (aDNA) extraction, PCR amplification and sequencing were used to identify more closely its possible origin and taxonomic relations. Different diagnostic phytolith morphotypes of the pericarp were matched to reference material phytolith assemblages. The macro-archaeobotanical record of the feature reflects the botanical elements of the natural environment of this medieval site and places the unique bottle gourd find in context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Ultrafiltration of bottle gourd juice was undertaken in this study using hollow fibers with the objective to have juice with long shelf life without heat treatment, preservatives and additives maintaining the natural taste, flavor and nutritional quality intact. Five blend hollow fiber membranes (M-1 to M-5) with 15 wt% polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and 5 wt% cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP) were prepared. No additive was used in M-1 membrane. For M-2 and M-3 membranes polyethylene glycol (PEG) of molecular weight 200 Da was used as an additive with concentration 1.5 and 3 wt%, respectively. 3 wt% PEG of molecular weight 1500 Da was used in M-4 and same concentration of PEG of molecular weight 4000 Da was used in M-5 membrane. The membranes were characterized in terms of permeability, molecular weight cut off, permeate flux, permeate quality and anti-fouling characteristics. M-3 membrane was selected based on performance. Experiments were conducted both in total recycle and batch concentration mode. In case of total recycle mode, transmembrane pressure drop (TMP) was varied from 35 to 104 kPa and that of cross flow rate (CFR) was from 10 to 20 l/h. Quality of the filtered juice was analyzed in terms of color, clarity, total soluble solid, polyphenol, concentration of protein, sodium and potassium. TMP 104 kPa and CFR 20 l/h were found to be suitable operating conditions for filtration. The filtered juice was stored for 8 weeks under normal refrigeration. All the nutritional parameters (total protein, polyphenol, sodium, potassium and total soluble solids) including taste were monitored and it was found that the quality of the juice was maintained with a positive purchase intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Bottle gourd burfi was prepared with different proportions of bottle gourd shreds (BGS) to khoa, 10% (T1), 20% (T2), 50% (T3), 100% (T4) and 200% (T5). Sugar (@ 30% on mixture basis) and khoa (150 g) were kept constant in all the experiments. It was observed that on increasing the proportion of BGS sensory scores for color and sweetness increased, whereas scores for flavor, texture and overall acceptability decreased. Maximum scores were fetched by treatment T4 in terms of flavor (8.42), texture (8.21) and overall acceptability (8.33), and by treatment T5 in terms of color and appearance (8.10) and sweetness (8.33). Treatment T1 got lowest sensory scores for all parameters. Proximate analysis indicated that on increasing the proportion of BGS; fat, protein, titratable acidity and ash contents showed a decreasing trend. However moisture content of the product increased, treatment T5 showed maximum moisture content (30.74%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...