The watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai var. lanatus) has high variability for fruit size, shape, rind pattern, and flesh color. This study was designed to measure the qualitative inheritance of rind phenotypes (solid dark green vs. light green). For each of the 2 families, "Mountain Hoosier" × "Minilee" and "Early Arizona" × "Minilee," 6 generations (P(a)S(1), P(b)S(1), F(1)...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Watermelons, Citrullus species (Cucurbitaceae), are native to Africa and have been cultivated since ancient times. The fruit flesh of wild watermelons is watery, but typically hard-textured, pale-coloured and bland or bitter. The familiar sweet dessert watermelons, C. lanatus, featuring non-bitter, tender, well-coloured flesh, have a narrow genetic base, suggesting that they...

A study was conducted to evaluate the use of reflective mulch and host plant resistance for the management of the sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), in watermelon [Citrullus lanatus var. lanatus (Thunberg) Matsum & Nakai]. Whitefly abundance data were collected under both greenhouse (caged and uncaged) and field conditions. Consistently, a reflective mulc...

Watermelon is a natural product that contains high level of antioxidants and may prevent oxidative damage in tissues due to free radical generation following an exposure to ionizing radiation. The present study aimed to investigate the radioprotective effects of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai) juice against oxidative damage induced by low dose X-ray exposure in mice. T...

Watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai var. lanatus] is a diverse species, with fruits of different sizes, shapes, rind patterns, and flesh colors. This study measured the inheritance of novel rind phenotypes and verified the genetics of white, red, salmon yellow, and canary yellow flesh colors. For each of the 11 crosses, six generations (P(a)S1, P(b)S1, F1, F2, BC1P(a), and BC...

A study of the after-ripening of ‘egusi’ melon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsun and Nakai] fruits was undertaken at the Teaching and Research farm of the University of Agriculture Makurdi in the wet and dry season productions of 2005 and 2007. The aim was to monitor its effects on seed quality. Fruits were harvested at two leaf colour stages [i.e. when leaves started turning yellow (LTY), and...

Objective: Aim of the present study is to evaluate the antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effect of methanolic extract of Citrullus lanatus seeds (MECL) in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Methods: Diabetes was induced by a single dose of STZ (65 mg/kg) in citrate buffer, while the normal control group was given the vehicle only. After three days of induction of diabetes, the diabet...

The use of engineered nanomaterials has increased as a result of their positive impact on many sectors of the economy, including agriculture. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are now used to enhance seed germination, plant growth, and photosynthetic quantum efficiency and as antimicrobial agents to control plant diseases. In this study, we examined the effect of AgNP dosage on the seed germination ...

Pseudoperonospora cubensis, the causal agent of cucurbit downy mildew (CDM), is known to exhibit host specialization. The virulence of different isolates of the pathogen can be classified into pathotypes based on their compatibility with a differential set composed of specific cucurbit host types. However, the genetic basis of host specialization within P. cubensis is not yet known. Total genom...