Multiple Stressors in Vegetable Production: Insights for Trait-Based Crop Improvement in Cucurbits

Metabolomic Analysis of Different Parts of Black Wax Gourd (Cucurbita pepo)

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.

Widening Genetic Diversity Using Embryo Rescue in Cucurbit Crops: A Review

Embryo rescue is a vital technique in cucurbit breeding and propagation, addressing challenges such as embryo abortion, poor seed viability, and incompatibility barriers. This method involves the excision of immature embryos from seeds followed by their in vitro culture on a nutrient medium, providing an environment conducive to their growth and development. In cucurbits, embryo rescue has been extensively utilized to overcome barriers to hybridization, enabling the production of interspecific and intergeneric hybrids with desired traits. Various factors, including genotype, developmental stage of embryos, and culture conditions, influence the success of embryo rescue in cucurbits. Optimal nutrient formulations, growth regulators, and culture techniques are critical for promoting embryo germination, shoot elongation, and subsequent plantlet establishment. Additionally, embryo rescue facilitates the recovery of valuable genetic material from wild and exotic cucurbit species, expanding genetic diversity and developing novel cultivars with improved traits such as disease resistance, yield, and quality. This review highlights the principles, applications, and advancements in embryo rescue technology in cucurbits, emphasizing its significance in cucurbit breeding programs and crop improvement efforts.

Insights into cucumber (Cucumis sativus) genetics: Genome-wide discovery and computational analysis of the Calreticulin Domain-Encoding gene (CDEG) family

Cucumber is an essential vegetable crop throughout the world. Cucumber development is vital for accomplishing both quality and productivity requirements. Meanwhile, numerous factors have resulted in substantial cucumber losses. However, the calreticulin domain-encoding genes (CDEGs) in cucumber were not well-characterized and had little function. In the genome-wide association study (GWAS), we recognized and characterized the CDEGs in Cucumis sativus (cucumber). Through a comprehensive study of C. sativus, our research has unveiled the presence of three unique genes, denoted as CsCRTb, CsCRT3, and CsCNX1, unevenly distributed on three chromosomes in the genome of C. sativus. In accordance to the phylogenetic investigation, these genes may be categorized into three subfamilies. Based on the resemblance with AtCDE genes, we reorganized the all CsCDE genes in accordance with international nomenclature. The expression analysis and cis-acting components revealed that each of CsCDE gene promoter region enclosed number of cis-elements connected with hormone and stress response. According to subcellular localization studies demonstrated that, they were found in deferent locations of the cell such as endoplasmic reticulum, plasma membrane, golgi apparatus, and vacuole, according to subcellular localization studies. Chromosomal distribution analysis and synteny analysis demonstrated the probability of segmental or tandem duplications within the cucumber CDEG gene family. Additionally, miRNAs displayed diverse modes of action, including mRNA cleavage and translational inhibition. We used the RNA seq data to analyze the expression of CDEG genes in response to cold stress and also improved cold tolerance, which was brought on by treating cucumber plants to an exogenous chitosan oligosaccharide spray. Our investigation revealed that these genes responded to this stress in a variety of ways, demonstrating that they may adapt quickly to environmental changes in cucumber plants. This study provides a base for further understanding in reference to CDE gene family and reveals that genes play significant functions in cucumber stress responses.

Optimal transfer learning based nutrient deficiency classification model in ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula)

The efficient detection of nutrient deficiency and proper fertilizer for that deficiency becomes the critical challenges various farmers face. The family Cucurbitaceae includes members cultivated globally as a source of indigenous medicines, food, and fiber. Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb, generally called Ridge gourd, belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and is an annual herb originating in several areas of India, particularly in the coastal regions. Nutrient deficiency detection in ridge gourd is essential to improve crop productivity. In agricultural practises, the early identification and categorization of nutrient deficiencies in crops is essential for sustaining optimal growth and production. Addressing these nutrient deficiencies, we applied the Ring Toss Game Optimization with a Deep Transfer Learning-based Nutrient Deficiency Classification (RTGODTL-NDC) to Ridge Gourd (Luffa acutangula). This research proposes a new ring toss game optimization with a deep transfer learning-based nutrient deficiency classification (RTGODTL-NDC) method. The RTGODTL-NDC technique uses pre-processing, segmentation, feature extraction, hyperparameter tuning, and classification. The Gabor filter (GF) is mainly used for image pre-processing, and the Adam optimizer with SqueezeNet model is utilized for feature extraction. Finally, the RTGO algorithm with the deep hybrid learning (HDL) model is applied to classify nutrient deficiencies. The suggested framework has the potential to improve crop management practises by allowing for proactive and targeted interventions, which will result in improved agricultural health, production, and resource utilisation. The outcomes represented by the RTGODTL-NDC method have resulted in improved performance. For example, based on accuracy and specificity, the RTGODTL-NDC methodology rendered maximum [Formula: see text] of 97.16% and specificity of 98.29%. The outcomes show how effective the transfer learning-based model is in identifying nutrient deficits in ridge gourd plants, as seen by its high level of accuracy.