Cucurbitaceae Genetics, Physiology and Breeding
A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Developmental Physiology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 April 2027 | Viewed by 176
Editors
Interests: watermelon; abiotic stress; salt stress; growth and development
Interests: melon and watermelon; gene function; breeding; biotic and abiotic stress
Interests: melon; cucumber; resistance; biotic stress
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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