A famous painting entitled The Fruit Seller (Fruittivendola) painted in 1580 by Vincenzo Campi located in the Pinacoteca di Brera, Milan, depicts an elegant lady vender with a lapful of peaches holding a bunch of black grapes presiding over more than a dozen different fruits and vegetables for sale (Fig. 1), including several cucurbits. A large yellow, oblate, ribbed pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L. ...

We announce the draft genome of Methylobacterium radiotolerans, a Gram-negative bacterium isolated from Cucurbita pepo roots. This strain shows 2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene (DDE)-degrading potential and plant growth-promoting capacities. Analyses of its 6.8-Mb genome will improve our understanding of DDE-degradation pathways and aid in the deployment of phytoremediation technolo...

Lateral roots of intact summer squash seedlings (Cucurbita pepo L.) were used to quantify the effects of boron deficiency on DNA synthesis, protein synthesis, and respiration. The temporal relationship between changes in these metabolic activities and the cessation of root elongation caused by boron deprivation was determined. Transferring 5-day-old squash seedlings to a hydroponic culture medi...

In this study, we analyzed the modifications of antioxidant activity consequent to 3 typical home cooking practices (steaming, boiling, and microwave cooking) in fresh and home frozen vegetables. Six different vegetable species were examined: carrots (Daucus carota L.), zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.), tomatoes (Solanumn lycopersicum L.), green beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), peas (Pisum sativum L....

Background and objectives: Cucurbita Pepo L. is a one-year creeper plant with wide heart shaped leaves covered by tiny trichome with many benefits in its fruit, seed, leaf and root. Currently some studies has been directed to show its preventive and curetive properties for some diseases as an alternative or supplement for other methods. The purpose of present study was to investigate the mentio...