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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]

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]

Fruit size is a crucial agronomic trait in bottle gourd, impacting both yield and utility. Despite its significance, the regulatory mechanism governing fruit size in bottle gourd remains largely unknown. In this study, we used bottle gourd (small-fruited H28 and large-fruited H17) parent plants to measure the width and length of fruits at various developmental stages, revealing a single 'S' growth curve for fruit expansion. Paraffin section observations indicated that both cell number and size significantly influence bottle gourd fruit size. Through bulked segregant analysis and combined genotype–phenotype analysis, the candidate interval regulating fruit size was pinpointed to 17,747,353 bp–18,185,825 bp on chromosome 9, encompassing 0.44 Mb and including 44 genes. Parental fruits in the rapid expansion stage were subjected to RNA-seq, highlighting that differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in pathways related to cell wall biosynthesis, sugar metabolism, and hormone signaling. Transcriptome and resequencing analysis, combined with gene function annotation, identified six genes within the localized region as potential regulators of fruit size. This study not only maps the candidate interval of genes influencing fruit size in bottle gourd through forward genetics, but also offers new insights into the potential molecular mechanisms underlying this trait through transcriptome analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation was carried out at Horticultural Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, North Eastern Hill University, Tura Campus, Chasingre, Meghalaya, India during 2019 in a Randomized Block Design with three replications. Genetic divergence was assessed among thirty indegenous genotypes of bottle gourd for thirty-three quantitative characters using Mahalanobis' D2 statistics. The genotypes were grouped into seven clusters. Maximum number of genotypes including seven genotypes was grouped in cluster IV (GHA-30, GHA-8, GHA-21, GHA-20, GHA-23, GHA-29 and GHA-25). Maximum inter-cluster distance was found between cluster I and cluster III (10.940) and minimum inter-cluster distance was recorded between cluster VII and cluster VI (7.425). Cluster IV showed highest cluster mean for maximum characters namely, number of primary branches (30.83), number of marketable fruit harvest (4.60), fruit width (15.24), fruit weight (3005.65), number of fruits per plant (17.92), total carbohydrate % (2.73), calcium mg/100g (11.95), yield of marketable fruits kg/plant (54.20) and yield t/ha (135.50). Cluster VII exhibited highest mean for five characters namely, vine length (461.93), days to last fruit harvest (158.77), number of leaves (217.13), seed length-breadth ratio (2.41) and ascorbic acid (9.55). Cluster I and Cluster II exhibited highest mean for five characters, sex ratio (0.74), number of seeds per fruit (449.65), 100 seed weight (13.43), total soluble protein % (0.95) and total phenols % (44.04). In the present study it was found that Cluster I (GHA-4, GHA-2, GHA-5 and GHA-1) was highly divergent from all other genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Drying food is an effective method to preserve fruits and vegetables, increasing their shelf life and preventing germination. Bottle gourds, known for their high nutritional value, can rot quickly due to their high moisture content, causing biochemical and microbial changes. To improve shelf life, moisture can be removed to prevent microbial activity. Different drying methods are used to preserve gourd family vegetables for long periods and off-season. Indirect solar drying shields foods from UV rays, dust, insects, and other contamination by avoiding direct exposure. This study aimed to utilize an indirect solar dryer to research the potential for drying bottle gourds and conduct physicochemical analyses for the dried products to compare the drying techniques. In this experiment, different samples of bottle gourd slices were dried using an indirect solar dryer and compared with sun and shade drying. Under physicochemical properties, moisture content (MC), retention of color, thickness, and shrinkage of dried samples were analyzed and compared. The result showed that the time taken to reach 10% moisture was 13 h for samples dried with sun drying. While shade and indirect solar drying took 17 h. The Midilli-Kucuk model outperforms other approaches for drying bottle gourd, with the greatest R2 values (0.9967, 0.9950, 0.9936) and the lowest RMSE values (0.0182, 0.0220, 0.0277) for direct sun, shade, and indirect solar drying, respectively. The indirect sun dryer showed good color retention compared to the fresh bottle gourd samples with L* value of 44.08, b* value of 15.40 and a* value of 7.01. The volumetric shrinkage was 97.64% in the direct sun drying method after 15 h, which is higher compared to sun and shade dryers due to the effect of time and temperature. In addition, there was a significant difference (p-value <0.05) between the thickness of the three drying methods. The use of indirect solar drying methods can be highly recommended to get high-quality dried food with zero energy cost. For future studies it is recommended to enhance the function and design of the indirect solar dryer to speed up drying times and improve the quality of dried samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bottle gourd is a good source of health-beneficial bioactive substances. This research aimed at evaluating the effect of different cooking methods (pressure cooking, microwaving, and frying) and extraction solvents (methanol, ethanol and butanol) on bottle gourd fruit phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity. The quantitative estimation of polyphenolic compounds, flavonoids and tannins was estimated by spectrophotometric methods. The antioxidative properties were evaluated using ferric thiocyanate (FTC), thiobarbituric acid (TBA), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) tests using the standard methods. Moreover, quantification of individual polyphenols was carried out by high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC) technique. Frying and pressure-cooking thermal treatments were observed to be the best methods for retaining bioactive molecules. When compared to the raw counterpart, the retention level of total phenol content (TPC) in pressure cooked and fried samples was 23.8% and 13.3%, respectively. Similarly, antioxidant capacity in terms of FRAP was observed to increase by 47.26% after pressure cooking and 28.50% after microwave cooking in respect to the raw sample. The HPTLC results showed that this fruit has high antioxidant capacity and is rich in phenolic acid [gallic(17.83 mg g−1dwb), p-coumaric (6.70 mg g−1dwb)and vanillic (60.66 mg g−1dwb] and flavonoids [quercetin (24.64 mg g−1dwb) and myrecetin (20.73 mg g−1dwb].The chromatography indicated destruction and transformation of new phenolic compounds due to heat treatments. The correlation analysis revealed that flavonoids were much more responsible for their antioxidant activity. Cooking methods and extraction solvents affected the retention and recovery of polyphenolic compounds available in bottle gourd fruit. These findings offer valuable information for optimizing cooking techniques to preserve and enhance the nutritional and antioxidant properties of bottle gourd, making it a valuable fruit for a healthy diet. Pressure cooking could be the most suitable cooking treatment as far as retention of bioactive compounds like phenolic acids is concerned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

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 ºBrix). 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.

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]

The morpho-yield and quality traits of bottle gourd varieties were tested in response to nitrogen (N) nutrition during the year 2020 at the horticulture research area of Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam. The study was performed by applying Randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The two varieties Anmol and Long green were tested by applying six N rates that included (0 Kg N, (control), 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 Kg N ha-1). Both the varieties exhibited positive response to nitrogen fertilization. The maximum vine length, branches vine-1 were noted in plants, fertilized with increasing N rates (150 and 125 kg ha-1). In contrast shorter plants with less branches were noted when they were not fertilized with N nutrition.). The N nutrition also had a positive effect on fruit traits. The maximum fruit number with greater length and weight was recorded in plants supplied with increasing N fertilization. The N fertilization had beneficial influence on plant quality characteristics. The maximum pH, TSS, moisture and ash content in plants were observed, nourished with increasing N supply. The varietal comparison indicates that fruits of "Long green" had lower pH (5.88 vs. 6.0), higher in TSS (5.39 vs. 4.28%), moisture (67.74 vs. 55.52%), ash contents (19.96 vs. 19.01%), fruit yield (18178 vs. 17123 kg ha-1) than variety "Anmol". In general, vines fertilized at 150 kg ha-1 N performed better than those fertilized at lower N levels for entire studied attributes, and "Long green" did better than "Anmol" among the evaluated varieties. The data clearly indicated severe soil N deficiency; and with each increment in applied N, the crop response was positive and significant (p<0.05). Hence, the farmers are suggested that "Long Green" bottle gourd variety may preferably be adapted with N at 150 kg ha-1 due to intense performance under agro-ecological conditions of Tandojam Sindh, Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

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]

Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is a well-known cucurbit with an active functional ingredient. A two-year field experiment was carried out at the Research Farm of Seed Science and Technology, CCS HAU, Hisar, in a randomized block design during the Kharif season (Kharif is one of the two major cropping seasons in India and other South Asian countries, heavily reliant on monsoon rains with the other being Rabi) and the summer season. Five different crossing periods (CP), viz. CP1, CP2, CP3, CP4, and CP5, were considered to illustrate the effects of agro-climatic conditions on the quality and biochemical components of two bottle gourd parental lines and one hybrid, HBGH-35. The average mean temperature for the Kharif season in 2017 was 31.7 °C, and for the summer season, it was 40.1 °C. Flowers were tagged weekly from the start of the crossing period until the end and harvested separately at different times. The fruits harvested from different crossing periods under different environmental conditions influenced the bottle gourd's qualitative and biochemical traits and showed significant variations among the five crossing period environments. A positive significance and correlation were observed between weather variables and different biochemical characteristics. Henceforth, the CP4 crossing period at a temperature of 31.7 °C retained high-quality seed development, which may be essential in enhancing agricultural productivity and the national economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria L.) belongs to the cucurbit family and has a long history of cultivation in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, both for food and medicine. Popularized by its unique fruit shapes, gourds are used to make ornaments and musical instruments. However, there is limited information on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the bottle gourd fruit. In the present study, we conducted a comparative analysis of VOCs profiled in two accessions (USVL5 and USVL10) with distinct fruit shapes: bottle and cylinder. While USVL5 only produced long cylinder fruits, USVL10 produced two fruit types, cylinder (USVL10CYN) and bottle (USVL10A and USVL10B). VOCs in each line were analyzed using headspace solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS). Aliphatic aldehydes and alcohols were the most abundant compounds found in these bottle gourd accessions. Based on the functional profile of the identified VOCs, our results reveal the suitability of our tested line (USVL10), enriched in functionally important VOCs such as hexanal (abundance = 381.07), nonanal (abundance = 9.85), 2-methoxy-2-methylpropane (abundance = 21.26) and D-limonene (abundance = 31.48). The VOCs profiling and functional analyses support the notion that the bottle gourd accession USVL10 can be a good candidate for its use in agriculture, the health care industry and domestic uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

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]

Investigations were carried out to identify the source of resistance in 67 bottle gourd genotypes for gummy stem blight, powdery mildew and cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) diseases, under natural field epiphytotic conditions. The genotypes BG-95 (105.13), BG-114-1 (131.04), BG-114-3 (208.81) and BG-77-6-1 (221.80) were resistant for gummy stem blight with low AUDPC values, while, BG-125-5 (232.22), BG-6-3 found (250.00), BG-125-4 (307.78), BG-8-1 (308.89), BG-125-2 (311.11) and BG-124-2 (423.33) resistant with low AUDPC values for powdery mildew. Further, the two genotypes such as IIHR-19 and BG131 showed field level resistance against CGMMV. The selected genotypes based on field evaluation were subjected for artificial screening under glass house conditions. The genotypes, recorded consistent resistant reactions were BG-114-3, BG-77-6-1 and BG-95 for gummy stem blight disease and BG-6-3, BG-8-1, BG-125-4 and BG-125-2 for powdery mildew. The stable and durable source of resistance identified for gummy stem blight and powdery mildew in bottle gourd genotypes will hasten the process of developing resistance varieties in bottle gourd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted on bottle gourd for off-season nursery raising in the semi-arid region of Punjab during 2020 and 2021. The experiment comprised of four treatments i.e., M1 -- Vermiculite + Perlite + cocopeat, 1:1:3, M2 -- Vermiculite + Perlite + Vermicompost, 1:1:3, M3 -- Rice bran + Vermicompost, 1:3, M4 -- Sand + Soil + FYM, 1:1:3. The plug tray of 50 cells was used and kept under polytunnel condition and out of the four treatments; M3 (Rice bran + Vermicompost, 1:3) media gave the better response during both the years. The maximum germination percentage (59.40), seedling girth (0.480), number of leaves (3.53), percent healthy seedling (93.21) were found in both the years in M3 followed by M1 (Vermiculite + Perlite + cocopeat, 1:1:3) media. Similarly, higher shoot and root parameters were recorded for media M3 (Rice bran + Vermicompost, 1:3) followed by M1 (Vermiculite + Perlite + cocopeat, 1:1:3). Maximum B: C ratio (3.37:1) of bottle gourd seedlings in both the years was observed under M3 (Rice bran + Vermicompost, 1:3) respectively. Further, it may be concluded that M3 (Rice bran + Vermicompost, 1:3) media is worth recommendable for farmers to get higher net returns from bottle gourd seedlings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

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]

The fruit peel color is an important factor that affects its quality. However, genes involved in regulating pericarp color in bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) have not been explored to date. Genetic analysis of color traits in bottle gourd peel through a genetic population of six generations demonstrated that the green color of peels is inherited as a single gene dominant trait. Combined phenotype-genotype analysis of recombinant plants using BSA-seq mapped the candidate gene to a 22.645 Kb interval at the head end of chromosome 1. We observed that the final interval contained only one gene, LsAPRR2 (HG&lowbar;GLEAN&lowbar;10010973). Sequence and spatiotemporal expression analyses of LsAPRR2 unraveled two nonsynonymous mutations (A!G) and (G!C) in the parental CDS sequences. Further, LsAPRR2 expression was higher in all green-skinned bottle gourds (H16) at various stages of fruit development than in white-skinned bottle gourds (H06). Cloning and sequence comparison of the two parental LsAPRR2 promoter regions indicated 11 bases insertion and 8 SNPs mutations in the region -991--1033, upstream of the start codon in white bottle gourd. Proof of GUS reporting system, Genetic variation in this fragment significantly reduced the expression of LsAPRR2 in the pericarp of white bottle gourd. In addition, we developed a tightly linked (accuracy 93.88%) InDel marker for the promoter variant segment. Overall, the current study provides a theoretical basis for comprehensive elucidation of the regulatory mechanisms underlying the determination of bottle gourd pericarp color. This would further help in the directed molecular design breeding of bottle gourd pericarp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cucurbitaceae comprises 800 species, the majority of which are known for their nutritive, economic, and health-promoting effects. This study aims at the metabolome profiling of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) fruits in a comparative manner for the first time, considering that both species are reported to exhibit several in-common phytochemical classes and bioactivities. Nevertheless, bottle gourd is far less known and/or consumed than cucumber, which is famous worldwide. A multiplex approach, including HR-UPLC/MS/MS, GNPS networking, SPME, and GC/MS, was employed to profile primary and secondary metabolites in both species that could mediate for new health and nutritive aspects, in addition to their aroma profiling, which affects the consumers' preferences. Spectroscopic datasets were analyzed using multivariate data analyses (PCA and OPLS) for assigning biomarkers that distinguish each fruit. Herein, 107 metabolites were annotated in cucumber and bottle gourd fruits via HR-UPLC/MS/MS analysis in both modes, aided by GNPS networking. Metabolites belong to amino acids, organic acids, cinnamates, alkaloids, flavonoids, pterocarpans, alkyl glycosides, sesquiterpenes, saponins, lignans, fatty acids/amides, and lysophospholipids, including several first-time reported metabolites and classes in Cucurbitaceae. Aroma profiling detected 93 volatiles presented at comparable levels in both species, from which it can be inferred that bottle gourds possess a consumer-pleasant aroma, although data analyses detected further enrichment of bottle gourd with ketones and esters versus aldehydes in cucumber. GC/MS analysis of silylated compounds detected 49 peaks in both species, including alcohols, amino acids, fatty acids/esters, nitrogenous compounds, organic acids, phenolic acids, steroids, and sugars, from which data analyses recognized that the bottle gourd was further enriched with fatty acids in contrast to higher sugar levels in cucumber. This study provides new possible attributes for both species in nutrition and health-care fields based on the newly detected metabolites, and further highlights the potential of the less famous fruit "bottle gourd", recommending its propagation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

• 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]

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]

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]

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]

Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria L.) belongs to the cucurbit family and has a long history of cultivation in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, both for food and medicine. Popularized by its unique fruit shapes, gourds are used to make ornaments and musical instruments. However, there is limited information on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the bottle gourd fruit. In the present study, we conducted a comparative analysis of VOCs profiled in two accessions (USVL5 and USVL10) with distinct fruit shapes: bottle and cylinder. While USVL5 only produced long cylinder fruits, USVL10 produced two fruit types, cylinder (USVL10CYN) and bottle (USVL10A and USVL10B). VOCs in each line were analyzed using headspace solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS). Aliphatic aldehydes and alcohols were the most abundant compounds found in these bottle gourd accessions. Based on the functional profile of the identified VOCs, our results reveal the suitability of our tested line (USVL10), enriched in functionally important VOCs such as hexanal (abundance = 381.07), nonanal (abundance = 9.85), 2-methoxy-2-methylpropane (abundance = 21.26) and D-limonene (abundance = 31.48). The VOCs profiling and functional analyses support the notion that the bottle gourd accession USVL10 can be a good candidate for its use in agriculture, the health care industry and domestic uses.

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]

The current study investigated the effectiveness of a low-cost, safe and green LTTM (low-transition-temperature mixture) GAA (glycerol-ammonium acetate) for extraction of bioactive biomolecules form bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) fruit. Two forms of LTTM, neat and diluted with ethanol, were compared. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed for optimization using the Box-Behnken design consisting of three-factors, each with three levels. Total polyphenols (TP), total flavonoids (TF), anti-radical activity (ARA), and iron chelating activity (ICA) were dependent variables, while time, temperature, speed, and solvent concentrations were independent variables. Second order polynomial models were well fitted for the responses in both solvent systems. For GAA-ethanol extraction, TP, TF, ICA, and anti-radical activity were 14.47 mg GAE/g, 4.93 mg RE/g, 12.21% and 36.43%, respectively, at optimum conditions of extraction time (42 min), temperature (42 °C), and solvent ratio (56%). For GAA extraction, the values 4.50 mg GAE/g, 2.86 mg RE/g, and 70.21% were obtained for TP, TF, and anti-radical activity, respectively, at optimized extraction conditions of speed 300 RPM, temperature 50 °C and solvent-to-solid ratio 10 mL/g. For anti-radical activity of GAA and GAA-ethanol extracts, the error rates between predicted and observed values were extremely low (3.35% and 3.88%, respectively), which demonstrated the suggested quadratic polynomial models as adequate for predicting this activity under any set of extraction conditions. With the error rate of 15.09%, the extraction of TP with GAA can also be quite adequately modelled. The study demonstrated GAA as a green and efficient solvent for extraction of polyphenols and other antioxidant biomolecules from L. siceraria fruit and the optimized process can be used for maximum extraction of antioxidants from it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ladakh, a trans-Himalayan cold-arid region characterized by sub-zero temperatures and lower atmospheric pressure, limits the cultivation period of crops to the summer months. Bottle gourd, a nutrient-rich Cucurbitaceae vegetable, is grown from April to September in Ladakh. However, the favourable environmental conditions for fungal plant pathogens challenge bottle gourd cultivation during this period. During a field survey of the Muth region located at an elevation of 4221 m above sea level, wilting of bottle gourd leaves was observed in August, with a disease incidence of 14% and a severity index of 5%. Isolation and characterization of the pathogen on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium identified it as Fusarium sp., with typical spores observed under the microscope. The pathogenicity test confirmed the pathogenic nature of the isolate. Amplification and sequencing of the ITS region showed high similarity with Fusarium oxysporum in the UNITE database and the sequence has been submitted to NCBI GenBank under the accession number OP453355. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential threats of fungal pathogens to bottle gourd cultivation in Ladakh and highlight the importance of disease management strategies in high-altitude regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field experiment was carried out at Horticulture Farm, Department of Horticulture, North Eastern Hill University to evaluate bottle gourd germplasms for horticultural traits and to identify superior genotypes in 30 local bottle gourd genotypes during 2018 and 2019. The experiment was conducted using a randomized block design with three replications. The germplasm lines have been collected from places of Garo Hills districts of Meghalaya. The collected accessions exhibited a wide range of morphological diversity for qualitative as well as for quantitative traits. The grand mean of yield of marketable fruit (kg/plant) was 32.39 kg with the lowest fruit yield/plant of 14.87 kg recorded in GHA-18 and the highest fruit yield of 63.74 kg, fruit yield/plant recorded in GHGA-8. A wide range of variation was recorded for all the characters which indicated that there was better scope for selection for the improvement of these characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

The present study with bottle gourd in the zaid season in open field, assessed the infestation of fruit fly Bactrocera cucurbitae (Coquillet). The infestation was observed from third week of May, with the peak being in the first week of June. Five varieties and three genotypes were screened and none exhibiting resistance. The incidence assessed by fruit number and weight basis revealed that variety PSPL (28.07and 23.34) and Narendra rashmi (30.32 and 25.14) were least susceptible; Pusa Naveen (34.80 and 30.48), Pant louki -3 (35.85 and 32.03), Thar smridhi (33.66 and 27.68), DBG -5(36.74 and 33.53) and DBG-6 (37.87 and 34.90) were moderately susceptible; while, DBG -10 (39.06 and 36.18) was susceptible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

In many agricultural areas, crop production has decreased due to a lack of water availability, which is having a negative impact on sustainability and putting food security at risk. In plants, the plasticity of the root system architecture (RSA) is considered to be a key trait driving the modification of the growth and structure of roots in response to water deficits. The purpose of this study was to examine the plasticity of the RSA traits (mean root diameter, MRD; root volume, RV; root length, RL; and root surface area, SA) associated with drought tolerance in eight Lagenaria siceraria (Mol. Standl) genotypes, representing three different geographical origins: South Africa (BG-58, BG-78, and GC), Asia (Philippines and South Korea), and Chile (Illapel, Chepica, and Osorno). The RSA changes were evaluated at four substrate depths (from 0 to 40 cm). Bottle gourd genotypes were grown in 20 L capacity pots under two contrasting levels of irrigation (well-watered and water-deficit conditions). The results showed that the water productivity (WP) had a significant effect on plasticity values, with the Chilean accessions having the highest values. Furthermore, Illapel and Chepica genotypes presented the highest WP, MRD, and RV values under water-deficit conditions, in which MRD and RV were significant in the deeper layers (20–30 and 30–40 cm). Biplot analysis showed that the Illapel and Chepica genotypes presented a high WP, MRD, and RV, which confirmed that these may be promising drought-tolerant genotypes. Consequently, increased root diameter and volume in bottle gourd may constitute a response to a water deficit. The RSA traits studied here can be used as selection criteria in bottle gourd breeding programs under water-deficit conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cucurbitaceae comprises 800 species, the majority of which are known for their nutritive, economic, and health-promoting effects. This study aims at the metabolome profiling of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) fruits in a comparative manner for the first time, considering that both species are reported to exhibit several in-common phytochemical classes and bioactivities. Nevertheless, bottle gourd is far less known and/or consumed than cucumber, which is famous worldwide. A multiplex approach, including HR-UPLC/MS/MS, GNPS networking, SPME, and GC/MS, was employed to profile primary and secondary metabolites in both species that could mediate for new health and nutritive aspects, in addition to their aroma profiling, which affects the consumers’ preferences. Spectroscopic datasets were analyzed using multivariate data analyses (PCA and OPLS) for assigning biomarkers that distinguish each fruit. Herein, 107 metabolites were annotated in cucumber and bottle gourd fruits via HR-UPLC/MS/MS analysis in both modes, aided by GNPS networking. Metabolites belong to amino acids, organic acids, cinnamates, alkaloids, flavonoids, pterocarpans, alkyl glycosides, sesquiterpenes, saponins, lignans, fatty acids/amides, and lysophospholipids, including several first-time reported metabolites and classes in Cucurbitaceae. Aroma profiling detected 93 volatiles presented at comparable levels in both species, from which it can be inferred that bottle gourds possess a consumer-pleasant aroma, although data analyses detected further enrichment of bottle gourd with ketones and esters versus aldehydes in cucumber. GC/MS analysis of silylated compounds detected 49 peaks in both species, including alcohols, amino acids, fatty acids/esters, nitrogenous compounds, organic acids, phenolic acids, steroids, and sugars, from which data analyses recognized that the bottle gourd was further enriched with fatty acids in contrast to higher sugar levels in cucumber. This study provides new possible attributes for both species in nutrition and health-care fields based on the newly detected metabolites, and further highlights the potential of the less famous fruit “bottle gourd”, recommending its propagation.

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]

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]

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]

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Germplasm collections are indispensable resources for the mining of important genes and variety improvement. To preserve and utilize germplasm collections in bottle gourd, we identified and validated a highly informative core single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker set from 1,100 SNPs. This marker set consisted of 22 uniformly distributed core SNPs with abundant polymorphisms, which were established to have strong representativeness and discriminatory power based on analyses of 206 bottle gourd germplasm collections and a multiparent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) population. The core SNP markers were used to assess genetic diversity and population structure, and to fingerprint important accessions, which could provide an optimized procedure for seed authentication. Furthermore, using the core SNP marker set, we developed an accessible core population of 150 accessions that represents 100% of the genetic variation in bottle gourds. This core population will make an important contribution to the preservation and utilization of bottle gourd germplasm collections, cultivar identification, and marker-assisted breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]