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Horticulturae
Special Issues
Cucurbitaceae Genetics, Physiology and Breeding
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Cucurbitaceae Genetics, Physiology and Breeding

A Special Issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524) belonging to the section "Developmental Physiology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 April 2027 | Viewed by 288

Editors

Dr. Gaopeng Yuan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Zhengzhou Fruit Research Institute, CAAS, Zhengzhou 450009, China
Interests: watermelon; abiotic stress; salt stress; growth and development
Dr. Chaonan Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi 830052, China
Interests: melon and watermelon; gene function; breeding; biotic and abiotic stress
Dr. Haonan Cui

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Horticulture Science and Technology, Hebei Normal University of Science and Technology, Qinhuangdao 066000, China
Interests: melon; cucumber; resistance; biotic stress
Dr. Gunārs Lācis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Horticulture, LV-3701 Dobele, Latvia
Interests: horticultural genetic resources; molecular biology; bioinformatics; resistance; horticulture; association analysis; plant breeding; genomics; marker assisted selection; molecular breeding; molecular marker development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cucurbitaceae crops—including watermelons, melons, cucumbers, pumpkins, and squashes—are vital components of global horticulture, offering high nutritional value, excellent taste, and substantial economic returns. In modern agriculture, establishing resilient production systems that ensure high, stable yields and superior fruit quality requires the continuous development of elite cultivars. The cultivar has become the cornerstone of sustainable agricultural ecosystems, playing a primary role in meeting escalating market, consumer, processor, and farmer demands. 

The purpose of this Special Issue, "Cucurbitaceae Genetics, Physiology and Breeding", is to gather and disseminate cutting-edge research and comprehensive reviews addressing the current challenges and future opportunities in cucurbit crop improvement. We welcome contributions exploring both traditional and modern breeding aims, innovative methods of inducing and exploiting genetic variability (such as germplasm evaluation, hybridization, mutation, polyploidy, and advanced molecular techniques), and the underlying physiological mechanisms governing crop development. Additionally, research focusing on the efficient use of cultivars adaptable to climate change, environmental stresses (both biotic and abiotic), and the evolving needs of modern society is highly encouraged. 

We invite the submission of original research articles and reviews covering topics including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Genetics and Genomics: Gene mapping, functional genomics, pangenome analysis, and molecular marker development for key agronomic traits.
  • Plant Physiology and Metabolism: Physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying growth regulation, fruit softening, nutrient use efficiency, and responses to environmental fluctuations.
  • Breeding Innovation: Conventional and biotechnological approaches (including gene editing) to enhance yield, pest/disease resistance, environmental resilience, and fruit quality.
  • By bridging genetic discovery, physiological insights, and advanced breeding, this Special Issue aims to foster the creation of next-generation cucurbits that support food security and high-quality production.

We look forward to receiving your innovative contributions.

Dr. Gaopeng Yuan
Dr. Chaonan Wang
Dr. Haonan Cui
Dr. Gunārs Lācis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Horticulturae is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • genetics and genomics
  • gene function
  • biotic and abiotic stress
  • plant physiology and metabolism
  • fruit quality and agronomic traits
  • climate resilience and environmental adaptation

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 4564 KB  
Article
Genome-Wide Characterization of the Cinnamyl Alcohol Dehydrogenase (CAD) Gene Family and Expression Profiling of Candidate ClCAD3 Gene Associated with Lignin Biosynthesis in Watermelon
by Tiantian Yang, Liyuan Yang, Jiejun Xu, Xiya Sun, Yi Tang and Chaonan Wang
Horticulturae 2026, 12(9), 1126; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12091126 (registering DOI) - 5 Sep 2026
Abstract
Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) catalyzes the final step in lignin monomer biosynthesis and is crucial for plant cell-wall lignification. However, the CAD gene family and its role in watermelon rind lignification are poorly understood. In this study, we performed genome-wide bioinformatics analysis to [...] Read more.
Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) catalyzes the final step in lignin monomer biosynthesis and is crucial for plant cell-wall lignification. However, the CAD gene family and its role in watermelon rind lignification are poorly understood. In this study, we performed genome-wide bioinformatics analysis to identify the CAD gene family in watermelon. We identified predicted gene expression in two contrasting cultivars [WRH (hard rind, high lignin) and WRS (soft rind, low lignin)]. A total of seven CAD-like genes (ClCAD1–ClCAD7) were identified on three chromosomes (1, 2, and 5), all encoding full- or near-full-length proteins with CAD-related domains. Genomic collinearity revealed one segmental duplication (ClCAD3–ClCAD4) in watermelon; however, the comparative genomes of Arabidopsis and melon identified five and eight homologous gene pairs, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that ClCAD-like genes are more closely related to melon than to Arabidopsis. ClCAD3 and ClCAD4 proteins were grouped with AtCAD4 and AtCAD5 from Arabidopsis, which are important for lignin biosynthesis. Promoter analysis predicted elements responsive to jasmonic acid, abscisic acid, cytokinin, light, and stress. Subcellular localization analysis in the epidermal cells of Nicotiana benthamiana leaves was consistent with a cytosolic distribution for ClCAD3. STRING analysis predicted functional associations of ClCAD3 with proteins involved in aldehyde metabolism, branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis, and basal carbon metabolism, including ClALDH1/2, ClALS, Cl2HACL, and ClKBA1. qRT-PCR analysis of roots, stems, leaves, and fruit rind (21 days after pollination, DAP), as well as rind at 1, 14, and 28 DAP, indicated that ClCAD3, ClALS, and ClALDH2 are expressed at higher levels in WRH than in WRS. ClCAD3 transcript abundance in roots, leaves, and fruit rind was consistently higher in WRH. Together, these findings clarify the evolutionary features and organ-level expression of the CAD-like gene family in watermelon and identify ClCAD3 as a candidate gene associated with lignin biosynthesis. The results provide genetic insights into candidate genes potentially involved in lignification-associated rind hardness and a theoretical foundation for improving rind texture in watermelon fruit through modern molecular breeding approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cucurbitaceae Genetics, Physiology and Breeding)
18 pages, 15910 KB  
Article
Identification and Expression Analysis of SHN Gene Family in Melon
by Zhu Lian, Mengze Li, Xiaoyu Wang, Meng Li, Lan Li, Xuxu Niu, Xiang Li, Juan Hou, Qiong Li, Wenwen Mao, Lili Li, Chen Luo, Jianbin Hu and Panqiao Wang
Horticulturae 2026, 12(9), 1125; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12091125 (registering DOI) - 5 Sep 2026
Abstract
SHN (SHINE) transcription factors belong to the AP2/ERF superfamily. They regulate cuticular wax biosynthesis and abiotic stress responses in plants, and play crucial roles in fruit netting development of cucurbit crops. However, a systematic genome-wide analysis of the SHN gene family in melon [...] Read more.
SHN (SHINE) transcription factors belong to the AP2/ERF superfamily. They regulate cuticular wax biosynthesis and abiotic stress responses in plants, and play crucial roles in fruit netting development of cucurbit crops. However, a systematic genome-wide analysis of the SHN gene family in melon has not yet been reported. In this study, the thick-skinned melon cultivar ‘L5283’ was used as experimental material, and nine CmSHN family members were identified at the whole-genome level. We systematically analyzed their physicochemical properties, chromosomal distribution, evolutionary conservation, promoter cis-acting elements, and expression patterns under four types of stresses. The results showed that the nine CmSHN genes were unevenly distributed across six chromosomes. Extensive synteny was observed among SHN genes of cucurbit species including melon, watermelon and cucumber, with higher genomic structural conservation detected between cucumber and melon. Six categories of cis-elements were enriched in CmSHN gene promoters, namely light-responsive, hormone-responsive, stress-related, and development-associated elements, along with circadian rhythm and flavonoid biosynthesis elements. Light-responsive elements were the most abundant, suggesting that light signals may contribute to the regulation of CmSHN transcription. RT-qPCR analysis under ABA, cold, drought and salt stresses revealed that all CmSHN genes were induced to varying degrees, with obvious differences in response patterns and duration. Notably, CmSHN7 exhibited markedly higher fold induction than other family members under all four stress treatments. This study systematically characterizes the fundamental features and stress response patterns of the CmSHN family in melon, provides baseline data for elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying wax biosynthesis and fruit netting formation, and supplies candidate genes for molecular breeding of stress resistance in cucurbit crops. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cucurbitaceae Genetics, Physiology and Breeding)
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