Search Results (27)

Wax gourd (Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn.), a monotypic member of the Cucurbitaceae family, is a globally significant vegetable crop distinguished by its versatile nutritional and therapeutic properties. This review systematically synthesizes current knowledge on the phytochemical composition and pharmacological potential of various botanical parts, thereby bridging ethnobotanical history with modern molecular insights. Recent advancements in multi-omics technologies, particularly metabolomics and chromatography–mass spectrometry, have significantly deepened the characterization of its bioactive constituents, including specific proteins, enzymes, peptides, flavonoids, triterpenes, sterols, and polysaccharides. Special emphasis is placed on the molecular mechanisms and biosynthetic pathways underlying its pharmacological activities-ranging from antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects to metabolic regulation involving anti-ulcer, nephroprotective, and hypotensive properties. Recent investigations have identified over 60 bioactive compounds, including cucurbitacins, flavonoids, polysaccharides, and phenolic acids in wax gourd, and elucidated their anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and organ-protective effects through multiple signaling pathways. By integrating traditional medicinal applications with emerging genomic insights-including recent whole-genome sequencing and QTL mapping studies-this review highlights the current understanding of the genetic basis underlying fruit quality and discusses the potential for molecular breeding approaches and the development of functional nutraceuticals. Ultimately, wax gourd represents a valuable candidate for leveraging horticultural science to enhance human health and disease management. Full article

Zucchini tigre mosaic virus (ZTMV; Potyvirus pepotigris), which infects wax gourd (Benincasa hispida), was first identified in Taiwan in 2017 and designated ZTMV-TW. In this study, mild strains of ZTMV-TW were generated by modifying the pathogenicity factor HC-Pro to develop cross-protection strategies for cucurbit crops. A full-length infectious cDNA clone of ZTMV-TW was cloned in pCAMBIA1304 under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter (ZTMV-TWic). ZTMV-TWic induced typical potyvirus particles, cytoplasmic inclusion bodies, and severe symptoms in wax gourd, pumpkin, and zucchini plants. Conserved motifs of HC-Pro were mutated to generate four single mutants (F7I, R181I, F206L, and D397N) and three double mutants (F7I+F206L, R181I+D397N, and F206L+D397N). Mutants R181I and R181I+D397N caused mild or no symptoms in zucchini, while D397N and F206L+D397N were mild in wax gourd. Cross-protection assays showed that R181I and R181I+D397N provided complete protection against ZTMV-GFP in zucchini, whereas D397N and F206L+D397N conferred high protection in wax gourd. These results demonstrate the feasibility of host-specific mild strain selection for effective ZTMV cross-protection. Full article

Background: The short strand-related sequence (SRS) gene family is a class of plant-specific transcription factors related to a group of genes known as the short internode (SHI) or SRS/STY gene family, which plays important roles in regulating plant growth and development and stress responses. Although the SRS genes have been studied in many plants, in cucurbit crops, they have thus far only been identified in cucumber. Methods: In the Cucurbitaceae database from melon (Cucumis melo), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), wax gourd (Benincasa hispida), moschata pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata), and pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima), a total of 60 SRS genes were identified in seven Cucurbitaceae crops, which were classified into three subfamilies. Results: The same subfamily showed conserved motifs and gene structures. The differences in the number of SRS genes in different Cucurbitaceae crops implied likely gene loss or duplication events during evolution. Analysis of promoter cis-regulatory elements indicated that these SRS genes may be involved in hormone response, growth and development, and biotic and abiotic stress responses in plants. Most of the CmSRS genes in melons were expressed in the roots, with a few expressed in the leaves and ovaries. In addition, CmSRS expression was induced by biotic (wilt and powdery mildew) and abiotic (drought and salt) stresses. Subcellular localization of CmSRS proteins showed predominant expression in the nucleus. Conclusions: A total of 60 Cucurbitaceae SRS genes are present in the genomes of seven Cucurbitaceae crops. These cucurbit SRS genes seem to have maintained similar characteristics and functions during the evolutionary process. These results lay the foundation for the study of biological functions of SRS genes in Cucurbitaceae crops. Full article

Phosphorus, as an essential nutrient, plays an important role in plant growth and development. Although Phosphate Starvation Response 1 (PHR1) or PHR1-like have been recognized as central regulators of phosphorus (Pi) homeostasis in several plants, they have not been systematically studied in Cucurbitaceae. In this study, 11, 10, 8, 12, 12, and 22 PHR genes were identified in cucumber, melon, bottle gourd, watermelon, wax gourd, and pumpkin, respectively, by genome-wide analysis. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Cucurbitaceae PHR genes were divided into seven distinct subfamilies. These genes were further phylogenetically analyzed for their chromosomal localization, gene structure, protein structure, and synteny. Genomic homology analysis showed that many PHR genes existed in the corresponding homology blocks of six Cucurbitaceae species. qRT-PCR analysis showed that the CmoPHR genes exhibited differential expression under different concentrations of phosphate treatment. Transcriptional self-activation assays showed that CmoPHR2, CmoPHR9, CmoPHR16, and CmoPHR17 proteins had transcriptional self-activating activity. The results of this study provide a basis for the further cloning and functional validation of genes related to the phosphate regulatory network in pumpkin. Full article

Squash leaf curl China virus (SLCCNV) belongs to the species Begomovirus cucurbitachinaense in the genus Begomovirus and can infect some Cucurbitaceae crops except for watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). In this study, watermelon plants showing symptoms typical to begomovirus infection in field were observed in Zhejiang Province of China, and SLCCNV presence was identified through PCR and next-generation sequencing (NGS). The pairwise sequence identity of the DNA-A genome shows that SLCCNV watermelon isolate belongs to the SLCCNV/CN strain and shares 96% nucleotide identity with the previously sequenced SLCCNV/CN. An infectious clone of SLCCNV watermelon isolate was constructed using the tandem repeat fragment method. Through agrobacterium-mediated inoculation, the clone could induce systemic infection with typical symptoms in watermelon, melon (Cucumis melo), squash (Cucurbita pepo), pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima), wax gourd (Benicasa hispida), cucumber (Cucumis sativus), and N. benthamiana. It was further demonstrated that the progeny virions derived from the cloned watermelon isolate could be transmitted by whitefly rather than the sap. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a natural infection of SLCCNV on watermelon in China, and the first complete report on the molecular characteristics and pathogenicity of watermelon-infecting SLCCNV in the world. Full article

Frankliniella intonsa (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a polyphagous pest that causes significant economic agricultural losses by damaging flowers, vegetables, and fruit trees. We performed an age-stage two-sex life table analysis to evaluate the performance and adaptability of F. intonsa against nine common vegetable crops cultivated in Guangxi: cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) (Fabales: Leguminosae), green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) (Fabales: Leguminosae), soybean (Glycine max) (Fabales: Leguminosae), catjang cowpea (Vigna cylindrica) (Fabales: Leguminosae), courgette (Cucurbita pepo) (Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae), wax gourd (Benincasa hispida) (Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae), bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) (Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae), cucumber (Cucumis sativus) (Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae), and chieh-qua (Benincasa hispida) (Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae). Among the tested host crops, green beans, cowpea, and courgette significantly accelerated the growth rate and favored the reproductive success of F. intonsa. Green beans, cowpea, and courgette facilitated rapid growth and reproductive success. The mean generation times (T) and net reproductive rates (R₀) were as follows: 14.90 d, 17.09 d, 21.03 d, and 104.04, 45.51, 32.61. Bitter gourd and chieh-qua significantly suppressed population growth (T: 49.49 d, 0 d; R₀: 0.73, 0). Wax gourd, catjang cowpea, cucumber, and soybean exhibited moderate effects characterized by delayed development and lower reproductive output (T: 22.30 d, 20.30 d, 19.51 d, 32.73 d; R₀: 7.17, 25.22, 13.74, and 12.54). These findings highlight the critical role of crop type in F. intonsa population dynamics. Therefore, the agricultural production of green beans, cowpea, and courgette crops necessitates improved control measures and monitoring. Similar measures are needed for cucumber, catjang cowpea, soybeans, and wax gourds because they pose risks as potential hosts. Full article

This study employed ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) combined with multivariate analysis to investigate tissue-specific metabolic profiles in the peel, pulp, and seeds of black wax gourd (Benincasa hispida). A total of 1020 metabolites were identified, including 520 primary metabolites (e.g., amino acids, lipids, and organic acids) and 500 secondary metabolites (e.g., phenolic acids, flavonoids, and alkaloids). Significant metabolic divergence was observed across tissues: 658, 674, and 433 differential metabolites were identified between the peel and the pulp, the peel and the seeds, and the pulp and the seeds, respectively. Unique metabolites such as methyl 5-glucosyloxy-2-hydroxybenzoate and 3,5-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid were exclusive to the peel, while 4-O-(6′-O-glucosyl-imino)-4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol and fertaric acid were specific to the seeds. KEGG pathway enrichment revealed distinct metabolic priorities: flavonoids and phenolic acids dominated in the peel, amino acids and phenylpropanoids in the pulp, and nucleotides and lipids in the seeds. The peel exhibited the highest secondary metabolite abundance (14.27%), whereas the seeds accumulated the most primary metabolites (26.62%), including essential amino acids like L-tryptophan and functional lipids such as linoleic acid. These findings underscore the nutritional and bioactive potential of underutilized by-products (peel and seeds), providing a biochemical foundation for valorizing wax gourd tissues in the food, pharmaceutical, and agricultural industries. Full article

In plants, calcium (Ca) serves as an essential nutrient and signaling molecule. Melatonin is a biologically active and multi-functional hormone that plays an important role in improving nutrient use efficiency. However, its involvement in plant responses to Ca deficiency remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to assess the effects of melatonin on Ca absorption, the antioxidant system, and root morphology under low-Ca (LCa) stress conditions, as well as to identify key regulatory factors and signaling pathways involved in these processes using transcriptome analysis. Under LCa conditions, wax gourd seedling exhibited significant decreases in Ca accumulation, showed inhibition of root growth, and demonstrated the occurrence of oxidative damage. However, melatonin application significantly enhanced Ca content in wax gourd seedlings, and it enhanced the absorption of Ca²⁺ in roots by upregulating Ca²⁺ channels and transport genes, including BhiCNGC17, BhiCNGC20, BhiECA1, BhiACA1, and BhiCAX1. Furthermore, the application of exogenous melatonin mitigated the root growth inhibition and oxidative damage caused by LCa stress. This was evidenced by increases in the root branch numbers, root tips, root surface area, and root volume, as well as enhanced root vitality and antioxidant enzyme activities, as well as decreases in the reactive oxygen species content in melatonin treated plants. Transcriptome results revealed that melatonin mainly modulated the brassinosteroids (BRs) and auxin signaling pathway, which play essential roles in root differentiation, elongation, and stress adaptation. Specifically, melatonin increased the active BR levels by upregulating BR6ox (a BR biosynthesis gene) and downregulating BAS1 (BR degradation genes), thereby affecting the BR signaling pathway. Additionally, melatonin reduced IAA levels but activated the auxin signaling pathway, indicating that melatonin could directly stimulate the auxin signaling pathway via an IAA-independent mechanism. This study provides new insights into the role of melatonin in nutrient stress adaptation, offering a promising and sustainable approach to improve nutrient use efficiency in wax gourd and other crops. Full article

The three-amino-loop-extension (TALE) family involves key transcription factors vital for maintaining different aspects of growth including leaf, flower, and fruit development and responses to stressful stimulus. Thus far, a deep understanding of the TALE gene family in wax gourd subjected to low calcium and magnesium stress has been missing. Here, we isolated 24 BhTALE genes from a wax gourd genome database. Comprehensive bioinformatic analysis, including evolutionary tree, gene structures, conserved motifs, and chemical properties, provide structural and functional insights into the BhTALE gene family. Gene ontology (GO) analysis of TALE genes unveils their involvement in growth and stress responses. Promoter analysis indicates that hormones and stresses can influence the expression of BhTALE genes. Tissue-specific expression under low calcium and magnesium stress showed that BhTALE genes were more active in the leaves and roots. Notably, BhTALE7, BhTALE10, and BhTALE14 were expressed differentially in leaves under low calcium and magnesium applications. Similarly, the induced expression pattern of BhTALE4 was recorded in the roots under low calcium and magnesium applications. Our findings underscore the pivotal role of the BhTALE gene family in dealing with low calcium and magnesium stress in the wax gourd. Full article

Megalurothrips usitatus (Bagnall) feeds on the young tissues of plants, causing wilting and deformity of leaves as well as damage to flowers and fruits, thereby seriously affecting plant yield. Due to its small size and difficulty of control, the species is one of the most important pests in the legume family. To clarify the occurrence and damage pattern of M. usitatus on field crops, a study was conducted using eight different crops as experimental materials, and an age-stage, two-sex life table was constructed. The population density of M. usitatus was the highest on cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.), followed by green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and Vigna cylindrica (Vigna unguiculata subsp. cylindrica (L.) Verdc.) in terms of net reproductive rate and the intrinsic rate of increase. In terms of reproductive capacity, cowpeas and V. cylindrica were more suitable for M. usitatus growth and reproduction, followed by green beans. M. usitatus could develop into adults on courgettes (Cucurbita pepo L.), wax gourds (Benincasa hispida Thunb. Cogn.), Momordica charantia (Momordica charantia L.), and soybeans (Glycine max L. Merr.) but had difficulty reproducing on those plants. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) was the least suitable for the survival of M. usitatus. Population parameter analysis showed that the cowpea was the most suitable host plant for M. usitatus, followed by green beans and V. cylindrica. M. usitatus had difficulty reproducing on courgette, wax gourd, M. charantia, and soybeans, and feeding on cucumbers inhibited M. usitatus development and reproduction. Full article

Biochar is widely used to maintain crop yields and the sustainability of agroecosystems due to its characteristics. However, its effect on vegetable yield and quality in southern acidic soils has not been fully elucidated. The effects of two kinds of biochar application rates (3 t ha⁻¹ and 12 t ha⁻¹) on the nutrient availability, nutrient absorption, yield, and fruit quality of sandy acid oxide soil in South China were studied in a 2-year field experiment using two varieties of wax gourd (Tiezhu No. 2 and Dadao). The results showed that optimized fertilization (OPT, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were reduced by 20.0%, 20.6%, and 21.1%, respectively) did not reduce the yield of the different varieties of wax gourd compared to FP (farmer practice). On the basis of the OPT treatment, the application of biochar increased the yield of Tiezhu No. 2 and Dadao wax gourd by 16.0–27.3% and 7.7–13.3%, respectively. The increase in yield was attributed to the improvement in soil organic carbon content which increased by 4.5–19.7%, nutrient effectiveness (NO₃⁻-N and Olsen-P content enhanced by 23.7–27.0% and 15.3–23.4% in Tiezhu No. 2), and nutrient uptake (N, P, K, Ca, and Mg accumulation increased significantly by 21.1%, 46.1%, 36.8%, 25.7%, and 31.9%, respectively) by the plant after the biochar application. Different types of biochar also have some differences in these three aspects. Specifically, under the same dosage, rice biochar has a more significant effect on increasing the yield of winter melon, and has a better effect on the improvement of soil physical and chemical properties, while sawdust biochar has a more significant effect on nutrient absorption. In addition, the commercial quality, namely hardness and glossiness, and the nutritional quality, namely soluble sugar, soluble protein, VC content, and sugar–acid ratio of wax gourd fruits, were significantly improved after the biochar application. In summary, biochar application on acidic soils in South China could achieve a win–win situation in terms of increasing soil nutrient effectiveness to improve vegetable yield and quality while reducing chemical fertilizer. Full article

Stem color is an important agronomic trait of wax gourds. However, its regulatory genes have not been identified. In this study, 105 inbred lines constructed from two parents (GX-71 and MY-1) were sequenced and quantitative trait loci sequencing was used to mine the genes that regulate stem color in wax gourds. The results identified two quantitative trait loci related to stem color, qSC5 and qSC12, located on Chr05 (11,134,567–16,459,268) and Chr12 (74,618,168–75,712,335), respectively. The qSC5 had a phenotypic variation rate of 36.9% and a maximum limit of detection of 16.9. And the qSC12 had a phenotypic variation rate of 20.9%, and a maximum limit of detection of 11.2. Bch05G003950 (named BchAPRR2) and Bch12G020400 were identified as candidate genes involved in stem color regulation in wax gourds. The chlorophyll content and expression of BchAPRR2 and Bch12G020400 were significantly higher in green-stemmed wax gourds than in white-stemmed ones. Therefore, BchAPRR2 and Bch12G020400 were considered the main and secondary regulatory genes for wax gourd stem color, respectively. Finally, InDel markers closely linked to BchAPRR2 were developed to validate the prediction of wax gourd stem color traits in 55 germplasm lines, with an accuracy of 81.8%. These findings lay the foundation for exploring the genetic regulation of wax gourd stem color and future research on wax gourd breeding. Full article

The Cucurbitaceae family comprises economically valuable vegetables such as cucumber, melon, and pumpkin. GRAS proteins, which are crucial transcription factors, play diverse roles in plant growth and development. However, comparative investigations of GRAS proteins across Cucurbitaceae species are limited. Here, we identified 241 GRAS family genes in six cucurbit crops. The number of GRAS genes in cucumber, melon, wax gourd, watermelon, and bottle gourd ranged from 36 to 37, while the pumpkin genome contained 57 GRAS genes, possibly due to a recent whole-genome duplication. We classified cucurbit GRAS genes into 16 subfamilies and identified species-specific motifs and specific-expression patterns in the SCLB and RAD1 subfamilies. Notably, we identified 38 tissue-specific expressed genes, particularly fruit-specific genes potentially involved in fruit development. Additionally, we predicted the role of GRAS genes in regulating hypocotyl elongation under weak or dark light conditions in cucurbit plants. These findings enhance our understanding of the characteristics, evolution, and potential functions of GRAS genes in six cucurbit crops, providing valuable resources for genetic research in the Cucurbitaceae family as well as important agronomic traits. Full article

Fresh-cut vegetables are exposed to the risk of Salmonella spp. contamination. Effective sterilization methods and early warning systems play important roles in ensuring food safety of fresh-cut products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of tea polyphenols (TP) combined with thermosonication (TS) treatment on inactivation of Salmonella enterica in fresh-cut wax gourd and to develop and estimate models using adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) with different membership functions (MFs) for predicting S. enterica population during storage at 25, 10, and 4 °C, respectively. The results showed that both TP and TS treatment can effectively reduce the population of S. enterica in fresh-cut wax gourd. The combination of TP (1.0%) and TS (50 °C, 1 min) treatment followed by storage at 4 °C may be a suitable bacteriostatic scheme for the preservation of fresh-cut wax gourd. Fluorescence microscopy analyses indicated that TP and TS treatment could lead to the destruction of the cell membrane, followed by the leakage of cytoplasm, and, finally, cell death. ANFIS with the gaussmf function performed well in modeling and predicting the population of Salmonella in fresh-cut wax gourd and provided a powerful tool for modelling and predicting microbe population and the shelf life of food products. Full article

A three-dimensional (3D) anode is essential for high-performance microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In this study, 3D porous carbon monoliths from a wax gourd (WGCM) were obtained by freeze-drying and carbonization. Nano-TiO₂ was further coated onto the surface of WGCM to obtain a nano-TiO₂/WGCM anode. The WGCM anode enhanced the maximum power density of MFCs by 167.9% compared with the carbon felt anode, while nano-TiO₂/WGCM anode additionally increased the value by 45.8% to achieve 1396.2 mW/m². WGCM enhancement was due to the 3D porous structure, the good conductivity and the surface hydrophilicity, which enhanced electroactive biofilm formation and anodic electron transfer. In addition, nano-TiO₂ modification enhanced the enrichment of Acinetobacter, an electricigen, by 31.0% on the anode to further improve the power production. The results demonstrated that the nano-TiO₂/WGCM was an effective anode for power enhancement in MFCs. Full article