MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs, recognize their mRNA targets based on perfect sequence complementarity. MiRNAs lead to broader changes in gene expression after plants are exposed to stress. High-throughput sequencing is an effective method to identify and profile small RNA populations in non-model plants under salt stresses, significantly improving our knowledge regarding ...

Cucurbit crops are mostly produced for their immature or mature fruits. However, a relatively high proportion of cucurbit fields are destined for seed production, either for seed consumption or for propagation material. Production of cucurbits for seed consumption (as a snack food) is very popular in some parts of the globe and almost unknown in others. Open-pollinated cultivars (inexpensive se...

Approximately 45 years ago, Zeevaart (1962) wrote that the identification of florigen, a phloem-borne signaling molecule that acts to initiate photoperiodic-dependent flowering, was the most urgent problem in the study of the physiology of flowering and expressed hope that the recent isolation of a flower-inducing extract from Xanthium (Lincoln et al., 1960) would lead to a solution. In the ens...

Cucurbit-infecting tobamoviruses known so far belong to six acknowledged or tentative species. Except for cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV), which is present worldwide, they are geographically restricted, mostly Asia, and have not been observed in Africa far. A tobamovirus isolate infecting a wild Coccinia grandis plant was collected central Sudan 2012. Its host range appeared be limit...

Cucurbits are an important vegetable crop of the gourd family. Unfortunately, gummy stem blight (GSB) causes a major fungal disease on Cucurbitaceous crops. It is also known as black root when affecting fruits, and it found all over world. GSB caused by pathogen Didymella bryoniae. Research efforts have investigated different developmental stages various parts affected with this disease. In pre...

Patterns of species diversity and community structure of insects associated with fruits of domesticated cucurbits were investigated from January 2009 to 2011 in three localities from two agroecological zones in the southern part of Cameroon. Rarefaction curves combined with nonparametric estimators of species richness were used to extrapolate species richness beyond our own data. Sampling effor...

Northeast India is rich in genetic diversity of horticultural crops and colocasia one the important crops. This region for both cultivated wild species particularly jhum fields, homestead gardens, near water bodies, river banks, forests road sides. Wide range variability observed vegetative characters, corm cormel yield quality characters.  It field as a mixed crop along with paddy other l...