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Diversity of Landraces of the White-flowered Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) and its Wild Relatives in Kenya: Fruit and Seed Morphology
Abstract
Kenyan landraces of the cultivated white-flowered gourd Lagenaria siceraria have highly variable morphology. In order to reveal the inter- and intra-specific variation in fruit and seed morphology
in L. siceraria and its wild relatives in Kenya, various traits were examined in a total of 425 strains from L. siceraria (269), Lagenaria sphaerica (124), Lagenaria abyssinica (27) and Lagenaria breviflora (5). Data analysis revealed the following patterns: (1) L. siceraria is more diverse than its wild relatives in both qualitative and quantitative and fruit traits are more variable than seed
traits within each species. (2) Principal component analysis of L. siceraria with 15 quantitative traits showed a continuous variation among strains, in which general size factor of fruit and seed,
shape factor of fruit and shape factor of seed were the principal causes of variation. (3) No correlation was found between
fruit and seed shape, or between size and shape. (4) Image analysis with elliptic Fourier descriptors revealed continuous
shape variation in the landraces of L. siceraria. Fruit shape features such as the contrast between a wide base with a distinct handle, and a slender base with an indistinct
handle and the degree of bulge of the elongated handle (bilobate shape) were evaluated quantitatively. (5) Analysis of variance
of 12 quantitative traits based on the progeny test demonstrated that the degree of heterozygosity is considerably low in
the white-flowered gourd existing in the natural environment in Kenya. (6) The quantitative evaluation of the intra-specific
variation in fruit and seed in L. siceraria was possible, but it was difficult to classify the landraces into distinct groups. Most of the variation observed in the
cultivated L. siceraria, including differences in fruit size and shape, shell thickness and handle development, probably resulted from selection
by the local human population.
... Bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl., 2n = 2x = 22] is a multi-purpose crop belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is a highly valued food security crop in Africa and Asia [1][2][3][4][5]. In Africa, the large and tender leaves are cooked and consumed as a leafy vegetable. ...
... It confers desirable qualities such as better fruit yield and quality and resistance to biotic (e.g., fungal and viral diseases) and abiotic (heat and drought) stress factors in grafted watermelons [17][18][19][20][21][22]. In Africa, bottle gourd is cultivated using genetically unimproved landrace varieties that are phenotypically and genetically diverse with low yield potential [2,5,23]. In farmers' fields, different accessions are often planted in companion with the major crops, mainly maize, sorghum, soybeans, and rice. ...
... Planting diverse accessions in close proximity by farmers allows for cross-pollination, leading to high genetic recombination and genetic variation. The reported genetic diversity in different regions includes bottle gourd fruit having long curved-neck shapes, fruits with long straight-neck lengths, circular, oblate, pyriform, cavate, cylindrical fruit shapes, dark green fruit color and and other traits such as variation in the number of leaves and plant height [2,5,[24][25][26][27]. In India, Turkey, India, China, and the USA, higher genetic variability of the crop has been reported [2,25,[28][29][30][31]. ...
Bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] is cultivated for multiple utilities, including as a leafy vegetable, for fresh and dried fruits and seeds. It is an under-researched and -utilized crop, and modern varieties are yet to be developed and deployed in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). There is a dire need for pre-breeding and breeding of bottle gourds for commercialization in SSA. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the combining ability and heterosis among selected genotypes of bottle gourd for fruit yield and related traits under drought-stressed and non-stressed conditions to select the best parents and hybrids. Eight preliminarily selected and contrasting parents with drought tolerance were crossed using a half-diallel mating design. The 8 parents and 28 crosses were evaluated under non-stressed (NS) and drought-stressed (DS) conditions across two growing seasons (2020/21 and 2021/22) using a 6 × 6 alpha lattice design with three replicates. Data were collected on fruit yield and related traits and subjected to analysis of variance, combining ability and heterosis analyses. Significant (p < 0.05) specific combining ability (SCA) and general combining ability (GCA) effects were computed for fruit yield per plant (FYPP). The SCA × environment and GCA × environment interaction effects were highly significant (p < 0.001) for FYPP and SYPP. The results suggest that genetic effects were affected by the test environment. Parental genotypes BG-58 and GC recorded positive and significant GCA effects for FYPP under the DS condition, whereas GC recorded positive and significant GCA effects for FYPP under the NS condition. The two genotypes are ideal breeding parents for population development to select genotypes with high fruit and seed yields. Crosses BG-27 × BG-79, BG-79 × BG-52, BG-79 × BG-70, BG-80 × BG-70, BG-80 × GC, and BG-70 × GC recorded high and positive SCA effects for FYPP and SYPP under DS condition. Crosses BG-81 × BG-52, BG-81 × GC, BG-27 × BG-79, BG-27 × GC, BG-79 × GC, BG-80 × BG-70, BG-81 × BG-58, BG-27 × BG-80, BG-27 × BG-58, BG-79 × BG-52, BG-52 × BG-58, BG-80 × BG-58, and BG-58 × BG-70 recorded high and positive SCA effects for FYPP and SYPP under NS condition. Crosses BG-80 × BG-58, BG-27 × BG-79, BG-79 × BG-52, BG-27 × BG-52, and BG-52 × BG-80 showed high and positive mid- and better-parent heterosis under DS condition for FYPP and SYPP. Crosses BG-27 × GC, BG-79 × GC, BG-27 × BG-58, and BG-27 × BG-79 showed high and positive mid- and better parent heterosis under NS condition for FYPP and SYPP. The newly selected families are recommended for multi-environment evaluation forrelease and commercialization in South Africa or similar agroecologies.
... (Cucurbitaceae) is an economically significant plant group known for its diverse fruit shape throughout the world and various horticultural, social, and cultural usages in Africa. It belongs to the family Curcurbitaceae, the second largest vegetable family after Solanaceae (Morimoto et al., 2005;Chinyere et al., 2009), and it is one of the neglected and underutilised cucurbits (Olvera-Vazquez et al., 2019). Modern musical instruments, plastic, ceramic and steel plates and cutleries have almost completely replaced the locally-used gourds (Morimoto et al., 2004;Yetişir et al., 2008). ...
... The pollen grains of Lagenaria siceraria have been reported to be spiny, sticky and not windborne, requiring pollinators to move them from male to female flowers (Morimoto et al., 2004). A chromo-some count of 2n = 22 has been documented in the genus with normal meiosis of 11 bivalents, metacentric chromosomes, and stable taxon cytology (Morimoto et al., 2005). Chromosome number was reported to have been used on several occasions to describe an organism's important essential genomic characters and lineage. ...
... In the present study, it took approximately 120 minutes for the flowers to be fully opened, and anther dehiscence occurred between 24 to 48 hours. However, Morimoto et al. (2005) have shown that it takes almost 60 to 90 minutes for the flowers to be fully opened, and the pollen is only viable for 48 hours (Sugiyama et al., 2014). Morimoto et al. (2004) have reported an estimated male: female flower ratio of 26:1 in Kenya, which is not significantly different from 23:1, which was observed in this study. ...
Okunlola B.O., Azeez S.O., Faluyi J.O., 2022: Reproductive biology of two Lagenaria (Curcubitaceae) species .-Botanica, 28(2): 133-144. https://doi.org/10.35513/Botlit.2022.2.5 The genus Lagenaria (Cucurbitaceae) members are underutilised, neglected and on the verge of being threatened to extinction. An investigation of their reproductive biology will serve as the basis for effective strategic planning towards their conservation. The plant materials used for this study were collected from Osun, Ekiti and Niger States in Nigeria. Reproductive parameters, including seed germination, phenology and pollination mechanism, were documented. The highest seed germination rate was observed in the accession of Lagenaria siceraria, Ekiti Bowl. The male flowers appeared first, followed by female flowers' emergence 14-28 days later, on the secondary shoots. The female flowers of each accession had unique inferior ovary shapes, which developed into different fruit shapes with distinct seed morphology. This study showed that the members of La-genaria performed better as climbers than as trailers, and the number of fruits produced per accession depends on the size or weight of the fruit. Chrysomelidae and Coryna apicicornis beetles were the primary pollinators observed. Furthermore, the pollens were predominantly monad, spheroidal and tricolporate, and pollen stai-nability ranged between 81% and 91% in all the accessions studied. Therefore, the fruit and seed morphology were diagnostic for each accession, and the flowers were pollinated mainly by beetles.
... Phenotyping provides a thorough visualization of individual germplasm and identification of possible groups for utilization in crop improvement. Even in the current era of molecular systematics, morphological characterization is essential for phylogenetic study [11,12]. Though strongly influenced by environmental factors and agronomic practices, it is highly recommended before studying the biochemical or molecular characters in detail [13]. ...
... Further, information on genetic diversity is useful to identify the promising diverse parents for hybridization to develop genetically improved cultivars of bottle gourd. Several studies determined the genetic diversity of bottle gourd germplasm [1,11,12,[21][22][23][24][39][40][41]. In this study, on the basis of the performance of various quantitative traits, all the genotypes were grouped into different clusters. ...
... Yetisir et al. [12] observed that the clustering of bottle gourd accessions from Turkey was mainly based around fruit morphology rather than on geographical origin. The fruit shape was a major component of the variation in bottle gourd accessions in Kenya [11]. Xu et al. [44] assessed the genetic diversity of 44 Chinese bottle gourd accessions by SSR markers. ...
Ninety-one bottle gourd genotypes were characterized for 13 different qualitative traits and 4 quantitative traits as per the DUS (Distinctiveness, Uniformity and Stability) guidelines of PPV&FRA. The observations pertaining to the morphological descriptor and quantitative traits, the genotypes were grouped into different categories. All the genotypes were monoecious with tri-lobed leaves except JBG-51 which had penta-lobed leaves. Ovary length (on the day of anthesis) and peduncle length were maximum in IC-0146365 and Pusa Santusthi, respectively. Fruit shape at marketable maturity was elongated curved in maximum number of genotypes and the check Arka Bahar. Most (79.1%) of the genotypes were with straight neck, few (2.2%) had crooked neck and 18.7% had no neck at marketable maturity stage. Variability was also observed for fruit skin colour at marketable maturity stage. Seventy-one (78%), 13 (14.28%) and 4 (4.39%) genotypes had light green, mottled and green skin colour, respectively. On the basis of shape of apex at peduncle end of fruit, the genotypes were grouped as raised, flat and depressed. There was variation in intensity of pubescence on the fruit surface of different genotypes. Seed texture at marketable maturity stage, seed shape, and intensity of brown colour of seed testa were also recorded in order to differentiate the genotypes morphologically. The expression of characters remained consistent over two consecutive seasons indicating their uniformity. These genotypes can be successfully utilized as reference for protection of other varieties under PPV&FR Act, identification and grouping of bottle gourd varieties and for development of elite varieties/hybrids.
... Phenotyping provides a thorough visualization of individual germplasm and identification of possible groups for utilization in crop improvement. Even in the current era of molecular systematics, morphological characterization is essential for phylogenetic study [11,12]. Though strongly influenced by environmental factors and agronomic practices, it is highly recommended before studying the biochemical or molecular characters in detail [13]. ...
... Further, information on genetic diversity is useful to identify the promising diverse parents for hybridization to develop genetically improved cultivars of bottle gourd. Several studies determined the genetic diversity of bottle gourd germplasm [1,11,12,[21][22][23][24][39][40][41]. In this study, on the basis of the performance of various quantitative traits, all the genotypes were grouped into different clusters. ...
... Yetisir et al. [12] observed that the clustering of bottle gourd accessions from Turkey was mainly based around fruit morphology rather than on geographical origin. The fruit shape was a major component of the variation in bottle gourd accessions in Kenya [11]. Xu et al. [44] assessed the genetic diversity of 44 Chinese bottle gourd accessions by SSR markers. ...
Background
The evaluation of the magnitude of genetic diversity present in the germplasm collection is prerequisite for bottle gourd improvement programme. The characterization of the diversity pattern of Indian bottle gourd accessions will facilitate the optimal use of genetic resources for breeding improved cultivars.
Methods
In the present study, the magnitude of genetic diversity was evaluated in ninety-one genotypes of bottle gourd collected across fourteen different agro-climatic zones of India.
Results
Significant variations were observed for all the studied ten quantitative and nine qualitative traits. The ninety-one genotypes were grouped into nine clusters based on cluster analysis of morphological characteristics. Eigen value from principal component analysis depicted first seven quantitative traits accounted for more than 97.5 cumulative percent of the total variations. The first two components accounted for 50 cumulative percent of the total variation, which signifies a high degree of correlation between the analyzed traits. Molecular diversity with the 40 SSR markers screened revealed 11 polymorphic markers in the genotypes studied. Population structure analysis divulged five populations, conforming to the Principal Coordinate Analysis. Molecular analysis revealed genetically diverse genotypes along with the morphologically divergent genotypes from the quantitative traits and highest inter-cluster distance would be the most appropriate parents for exploiting heterosis.
Conclusions
The results of this study will facilitate the optimal use of genetic resources for breeding improved cultivars of bottle gourd and the adoption of the identified superior genotypes directly by the breeders.
... Standl.] (2n = 2x = 22), also known as calabash or long melon, is a cultivated vegetable, medicinal plant, decorative cucurbit, and grafting rootstock belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, together with other major cucurbit crops, including cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), melon (Cucumis melo L.), and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) (Heiser, 1979;Beevy and Kuriachan, 1996;Erickson et al., 2005;Morimoto et al., 2005). Recently, a high-quality bottle gourd reference genome (contig N50 = 11.2 ...
... Molecular DNA markers are being used in an increasing number of crops for seed authentication, genetic diversity analysis, DNA fingerprint construction, and core collection development (Lv et al., 2012;Zhang et al., 2012;Hao et al., 2016;Yang et al., 2019). Several molecular markers have been developed for bottle gourd, including random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), simple sequence repeat (SSR), and insertiondeletion (InDel) markers (Morimoto et al., 2005;Xu et al., 2011;Sarao et al., 2014;Wu et al., 2017). In addition, 3,226 singlenucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified by restrictionsite associated DNA sequencing (RAD-Seq) genotyping of a natural population, and it was suggested that two sub-gene pools (Sub R and Sub L) were associated with fruit shape (Xu et al., 2014). ...
... Bottle gourd populations exhibit a tremendous diversity in fruit shape (Heiser, 1979;Morimoto and Mvere, 2004;Xu et al., 2014Xu et al., , 2021, based on which the bottle gourd populations are consistently grouped rather than the geographical origin (Xu et al., 2011;Mladenovic et al., 2012;Yildiz et al., 2015). Bottle gourd germplasm is preserved in several seed banks and is used in various research by different institutions across the world (Morimoto et al., 2005;Achigan-Dako et al., 2008;Gurcan et al., 2015;Xu et al., 2021). ...
Germplasm collections are indispensable resources for the mining of important genes and variety improvement. To preserve and utilize germplasm collections in bottle gourd, we identified and validated a highly informative core single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker set from 1,100 SNPs. This marker set consisted of 22 uniformly distributed core SNPs with abundant polymorphisms, which were established to have strong representativeness and discriminatory power based on analyses of 206 bottle gourd germplasm collections and a multiparent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) population. The core SNP markers were used to assess genetic diversity and population structure, and to fingerprint important accessions, which could provide an optimized procedure for seed authentication. Furthermore, using the core SNP marker set, we developed an accessible core population of 150 accessions that represents 100% of the genetic variation in bottle gourds. This core population will make an important contribution to the preservation and utilization of bottle gourd germplasm collections, cultivar identification, and marker-assisted breeding.
... ex Greb.) are important cucurbit crops cultivated for food and medicinal purposes in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Bottle gourd is referred to as "white-flowered gourd" or calabash and belongs to the genus Lagenaria of the Cucurbitaceae family (Beevy and Kuriachan, 1996;Morimoto et al. 2005). The genus Lagenaria comprises of five wild species: L. breviflora (Benth.) ...
... In SSA small-holder farmers cultivate both crops using genetically diverse and unimproved landrace accessions. This is despite the extensive phenotypic and genetic variation of these species available in SSA for cultivar development and release (Morimoto et al. 2005;Achigan-Dako et al. 2015;Mashilo et al. 2016aMashilo et al. , 2017bNgwepe et al. 2021). There is a need for well-established and dedicated pre-breeding and breeding programs in SSA to exploit the genetic resources of bottle gourd and citron watermelon and to design consumer-preferred varieties to serve the diverse value chain. ...
... Edible fruits can be harvested between 55À65 days after sowing in early varieties (Singh, 2008). Bottle gourd exhibits great diversity with respect to fruit shape and size (Morimoto et al. 2005;Singh, 2008;Yetişir et al. 2008). The fruit is often globular, bottle-or club-shaped, cylindrical, necked, oblate, flat, flat-round, conical, pear-shaped, white-yellow to dark green when young, with a hard and durable rind (Achigan-Dako et al. 2008). ...
Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] and citron watermelon (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides (L. H. Bailey) Mansf. ex Greb.) are amongst the widely grown yet under-researched cucurbits genetic resources in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Fresh immature leaves, fruit and seed are used for food and medicinal purposes in the region. Furthermore, both species are used as rootstock and donors of novel genes for commercial production and breeding of sweet dessert watermelon cultivars. Despite their economic value and contribution to food and nutrition security in the region, bottle gourd and citron watermelon genetic resources remain under-utilized and largely un-explored for commercial product development. The objective of this review was to document the unique values of bottle gourd and citron watermelon for genetic improvement and development of value-added food and non-food products, and to highlight regional and global efforts on conservation , production, processing, commercialization and various enterprise development of these important indigenous species. The review discussed on the value of both crops as a rootstock to improve fruit yield and quality of cultivated watermelon. This is followed by important summaries on phenotypic and genetic variation of bottle gourd and citron watermelon genetic resources and implications for new cultivar design. Finally, the review highlighted value-added non-food and food-based products developed based on indigenous knowledge systems in SSA and availability and access to genetic resources of bottle gourd and citron watermelon for breeding, product design and deployment.
... Keywords: abiotic stress, agronomic traits, biotic stress, bottle gourd, horticultural traits, watermelon INTRODUCTION Bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] is widely cultivated in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) for multiple uses (Morimoto et al., 2005;Abdin et al., 2014;Gürcan et al., 2015;Mashilo et al., 2015). It is grown for its young and succulent leaves and young fruit which are consumed as cooked vegetable (Morimoto and Mvere, 2004;Hart, 2011;Mashilo et al., 2017a,b,c). ...
... The seeds are rich sources of protein, amino acids, and essential microand-macro elements with health-promoting benefits (Ojiako and Igwe, 2007;Said et al., 2014;Sithole et al., 2015). The number of seeds per fruit is highly variable amongst bottle gourd genotypes (Morimoto et al., 2005) providing opportunities for genotype selection with high seed yield potential. Dried seeds of bottle gourd are mainly used as roasted snack. ...
... Considerable genetic variability exists in bottle gourd genetic resources for fruit horticultural traits (Decker-Walters et al., 2001;Morimoto et al., 2005Morimoto et al., , 2006Sivaraj and Pandravada, 2005;Mashilo et al., 2015Mashilo et al., , 2016bMashilo et al., , 2017b useful for strategic breeding and cultivar development. The crop show variation for fruit shape, size, length, color, and texture (Figure 1) (Morimoto et al., 2005;Sivaraj and Pandravada, 2005;Yetişir et al., 2008;Xu et al., 2014;Mashilo et al., 2015). ...
Bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] is an important multi-purpose cucurbit crop grown for its leaf, fruit, and seed. It is widely cultivated and used for human consumption in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) providing vital human nutrition and serving as food security crop. There is wide genetic variation among bottle gourd genetic resources in Africa for diverse qualitative and quantitative attributes for effective variety design, product development, and marketing. However, the crop is under- researched and -utilized, and improved varieties are yet to be developed and commercialized in the region. Therefore, the objective of this review is to provide the progress on bottle gourd genetic improvement and genetic analysis targeting agronomic and horticultural attributes, nutritional composition, biotic, and abiotic stress tolerance to guide current and future cultivar development, germplasm access, and conservation in SSA. The first section of the paper presents progress on breeding of bottle gourd for horticultural traits, agronomic performance, nutritional and anti-nutritional composition, and biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. This is followed by important highlights on key genetic resources of cultivated and wild bottle gourd for demand driven breeding. Lastly, the review summaries advances in bottle gourd genomics, genetic engineering and genome editing. Information presented in this paper should aid bottle gourd breeders and agronomists to develop and deploy new generation and promising varieties with farmer- and market -preferred attributes.
... In its primary and secondary centers of origin, bottle gourd shows great morphological and genetic variability (Given, 1987). Multiple research groups have studied fruit size and shape (Morimoto et al., 2005;Xu et al., 2014;Yetis xir et al., 2008), fruit rind thickness, fruit length, fruit width (Harika et al., 2012;Koffi et al., 2009;Morimoto et al., 2005), seed morphotypes (Morimoto et al., 2005;Yetis xir et al., 2008), and other agromorphological characteristics (Achigan-Dako et al., 2008;Morimoto et al., 2005Morimoto et al., , 2006Sivaraj and Pandravada, 2005;Xu et al., 2014;Yetis xir et al., 2008). A substantial variation among bottle gourd landrace in seed dimensions and seed yield was also reported by Buthelezi et al. (2019). ...
... In its primary and secondary centers of origin, bottle gourd shows great morphological and genetic variability (Given, 1987). Multiple research groups have studied fruit size and shape (Morimoto et al., 2005;Xu et al., 2014;Yetis xir et al., 2008), fruit rind thickness, fruit length, fruit width (Harika et al., 2012;Koffi et al., 2009;Morimoto et al., 2005), seed morphotypes (Morimoto et al., 2005;Yetis xir et al., 2008), and other agromorphological characteristics (Achigan-Dako et al., 2008;Morimoto et al., 2005Morimoto et al., , 2006Sivaraj and Pandravada, 2005;Xu et al., 2014;Yetis xir et al., 2008). A substantial variation among bottle gourd landrace in seed dimensions and seed yield was also reported by Buthelezi et al. (2019). ...
... In its primary and secondary centers of origin, bottle gourd shows great morphological and genetic variability (Given, 1987). Multiple research groups have studied fruit size and shape (Morimoto et al., 2005;Xu et al., 2014;Yetis xir et al., 2008), fruit rind thickness, fruit length, fruit width (Harika et al., 2012;Koffi et al., 2009;Morimoto et al., 2005), seed morphotypes (Morimoto et al., 2005;Yetis xir et al., 2008), and other agromorphological characteristics (Achigan-Dako et al., 2008;Morimoto et al., 2005Morimoto et al., , 2006Sivaraj and Pandravada, 2005;Xu et al., 2014;Yetis xir et al., 2008). A substantial variation among bottle gourd landrace in seed dimensions and seed yield was also reported by Buthelezi et al. (2019). ...
Bottle gourd [ Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] is widely produced in some Asian and African countries as a fresh vegetable as well as for seed consumption. A major use of bottle gourd is for rootstocks in grafted watermelon production. There are several centers where bottle gourd genetic resources are maintained, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) germplasm collection being one of the most important. There is little published information on the relationship between seed morphology and the early establishment of seedlings in bottle gourd. The objective of this study was to determine seed characterization, morphology, and cotyledon shape in 163 Lagenaria spp. accessions and measure any relationship between seed and cotyledon characteristics. In USDA Lagenaria germplasm, it has been determined that the common character in seeds was medium in terms of seed size (53% of accessions), intermediate in seed surface lustre (39% of accessions), brown in seedcoat color (89% of accessions), thin and uniform in seed margin (35% of accessions), and tan in seed margin color (64% of accessions). According to the research results, seed weight ranged from 0.11 g (PI 500820) to 0.36 g (PI 675112), seed length from 13.17 mm (PI 500820) to 23.68 mm (PI 675112), and seed width from 5.86 (PI 500808) to 11.21 mm (PI 491274). Cotyledon length ranged from 5.46 cm (PI 368640) to 2.47 cm (PI 381850). The widest cotyledon was 3.00 cm (PI 534552), and the narrowest was 1.50 cm (PI 381831). Interesting correlations were observed for seed weight with seed length ( R ² = 0.259), and cotyledon length with cotyledon width ( R ² = 0.547).
... Bottle gourd fruit shape has high-genetic variability and can be perfectly round, club, pyriform, Hulu (double-gourd), slender straight, dipper, tubby, and more (Heiser 1979;Morimoto and Mvere 2004;Xu et al. 2014;Gurcan et al. 2015). Furthermore, there is a wide range of variation in fruit traits, such as fruit color, the presence or absence of fruit necks, warts, and corrugation (Morimoto et al. 2005;Yetişir et al. 2008;Mashilo et al. 2015) (Fig. 22.1d, e). ; f, the seeds of bottle gourd (Zhang 1981). The bitterness genes were recently mapped, uncovering their relationships with known bitterness genes in related cucurbits ). ...
... Standl.] (2n = 2x = 22), also known as calabash or long melon, is a cultivated vegetable, and decorative plant that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family which also includes cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), melon (Cucumis melo L.), and a watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) (Heiser 1979;Beevy and Kuriachan 1996;Morimoto et al. 2005 ...
Somatic embryogenesis (SE), like zygotic embryo development, is a progressive process. Early SE is the beginning of a switch from a somatic to an embryogenic state and is an important stage for initiating chromatin reprogramming of SE. Previous studies suggest that changes in chromatin accessibility occur during early SE, although information on the 3D structure of chromatin is not yet available. Here, we present a chromosome-level genome assembly of longan (Dimocarpus longan) using PacBio combined with Hi-C scaffolding, which resulted in a 446 Mb genome assembly anchored onto 15 scaffolds. During early SE, chromatin was concentrated and then decondensed, and a large number of long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) were enriched in the local chromatin interaction region, suggesting LTR-RTs were involved in chromatin reorganization. Early SE was accompanied by the transformation from A to B compartments, and the interactions between B compartments were enhanced. Results from chromatin accessibility, monomethylation of histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4me1) modification, and transcription analyses further revealed a gene regulatory network for cell wall thickening during SE. Particularly, we found that the H3K4me1 differential peak binding motif showed abnormal activation of ethylene response factor (ERF) transcription factors and participation in SE. The chromosome-level genomic and multi-omics analyses revealed the 3D conformation of chromatin during early SE, providing insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying cell wall thickening and the potential regulatory networks of TFs during early SE in D. longan. These results provide additional clues for revealing the molecular mechanisms of plant SE.
... Bottle gourd fruit shape has high-genetic variability and can be perfectly round, club, pyriform, Hulu (double-gourd), slender straight, dipper, tubby, and more (Heiser 1979;Morimoto and Mvere 2004;Xu et al. 2014;Gurcan et al. 2015). Furthermore, there is a wide range of variation in fruit traits, such as fruit color, the presence or absence of fruit necks, warts, and corrugation (Morimoto et al. 2005;Yetişir et al. 2008;Mashilo et al. 2015) (Fig. 22.1d, e). ; f, the seeds of bottle gourd (Zhang 1981). The bitterness genes were recently mapped, uncovering their relationships with known bitterness genes in related cucurbits ). ...
... Standl.] (2n = 2x = 22), also known as calabash or long melon, is a cultivated vegetable, and decorative plant that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family which also includes cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), melon (Cucumis melo L.), and a watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) (Heiser 1979;Beevy and Kuriachan 1996;Morimoto et al. 2005 ...
We focus on reviewing the genomic progress of sacred lotus, a widely consumed aquatic vegetable and medicinal food in Asia in this chapter. We summarize current genomic, population, functional gene studies of sacred lotus, and discuss the unexplored area in conclusion.
... Bottle gourd fruit shape has high-genetic variability and can be perfectly round, club, pyriform, Hulu (double-gourd), slender straight, dipper, tubby, and more (Heiser 1979;Morimoto and Mvere 2004;Xu et al. 2014;Gurcan et al. 2015). Furthermore, there is a wide range of variation in fruit traits, such as fruit color, the presence or absence of fruit necks, warts, and corrugation (Morimoto et al. 2005;Yetişir et al. 2008;Mashilo et al. 2015) (Fig. 22.1d, e). ; f, the seeds of bottle gourd (Zhang 1981). The bitterness genes were recently mapped, uncovering their relationships with known bitterness genes in related cucurbits ). ...
... Standl.] (2n = 2x = 22), also known as calabash or long melon, is a cultivated vegetable, and decorative plant that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family which also includes cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), melon (Cucumis melo L.), and a watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) (Heiser 1979;Beevy and Kuriachan 1996;Morimoto et al. 2005 ...
The genus Passiflora comprises a large group of plants popularly known as passion fruits, much appreciated for their exotic flowers and edible fruits. The genus has long attracted considerable attention due to its economic value, broad geographic distribution and remarkable species diversity, which are found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Neotropics. Despite their biological attributes and economic importance, the species are largely neglected when it comes to conducting genomic studies. However, in 2021, a chromosome-scale genome assembly was published for a purple passion fruit cultivar (Passiflora edulis) and a genome sequence resource of the wild species, P. organensis, was assembled by adopting short- and long-read technologies. In contrast to P. edulis (1,327 Mbp), P. organensis has a small genome (259 Mbp). In this chapter we summarize some interesting results that emerged from the analysis of the Passiflora sequences, including satellite DNAs and transposable element characterization in the context of cytogenetics and evolution of the genus, organellar genome organization, and the MADS-box gene family that is known to have important biological roles in Passiflora, especially with regard to reproductive development. Although understudied, over the last decades, work on breeding passion fruit varieties has been conducted in some private and public institutions with a view to releasing cultivars of P. edulis, the main cultivated species worldwide. Therefore, studies related to genetics and breeding are also summarized.
... Bottle gourd fruit shape has high-genetic variability and can be perfectly round, club, pyriform, Hulu (double-gourd), slender straight, dipper, tubby, and more (Heiser 1979;Morimoto and Mvere 2004;Xu et al. 2014;Gurcan et al. 2015). Furthermore, there is a wide range of variation in fruit traits, such as fruit color, the presence or absence of fruit necks, warts, and corrugation (Morimoto et al. 2005;Yetişir et al. 2008;Mashilo et al. 2015) (Fig. 22.1d, e). ; f, the seeds of bottle gourd (Zhang 1981). The bitterness genes were recently mapped, uncovering their relationships with known bitterness genes in related cucurbits ). ...
... Standl.] (2n = 2x = 22), also known as calabash or long melon, is a cultivated vegetable, and decorative plant that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family which also includes cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), melon (Cucumis melo L.), and a watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) (Heiser 1979;Beevy and Kuriachan 1996;Morimoto et al. 2005 ...
Yams are clonally propagated crops, cultivated mainly for their starchy tubers. The genus has a pantropical distribution encompassing species with variable ploidy levels. Greater and guinea yams are the two main edible species whilst around ten species have a local importance. Breeding programmes target mainly the improvement of tuber quality, the increasing of tuber yield and biotic resistance. Tremendous efforts have been dedicated to assess the ploidy level and diversity of the cultivated species and their wild relatives using microsatellite markers. In only the last ten years have we seen an increase in yam genomics resources. This has been amplified by the advent of the next generation sequencing. To date, draft genomes were produced for five species, together with eight transcriptomes from different species. However, yams stand behind the major crops. These new resources have not been fully harnessed yet and their use for breeding programmes remains underutilised.KeywordsGenomicsOrphan crop
Dioscorea
PolyploidClonalityPlant breeding
... Bottle gourd fruit shape has high-genetic variability and can be perfectly round, club, pyriform, Hulu (double-gourd), slender straight, dipper, tubby, and more (Heiser 1979;Morimoto and Mvere 2004;Xu et al. 2014;Gurcan et al. 2015). Furthermore, there is a wide range of variation in fruit traits, such as fruit color, the presence or absence of fruit necks, warts, and corrugation (Morimoto et al. 2005;Yetişir et al. 2008;Mashilo et al. 2015) (Fig. 22.1d, e). ; f, the seeds of bottle gourd (Zhang 1981). The bitterness genes were recently mapped, uncovering their relationships with known bitterness genes in related cucurbits ). ...
... Standl.] (2n = 2x = 22), also known as calabash or long melon, is a cultivated vegetable, and decorative plant that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family which also includes cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), melon (Cucumis melo L.), and a watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) (Heiser 1979;Beevy and Kuriachan 1996;Morimoto et al. 2005 ...
Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is an important vegetable crop as well as a rootstock for other cucurbit crops. It belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family which contains many other crops, including cucumber, melon, and watermelon. Despite its long history of cultivation, genomic research on bottle gourd started very late. Two bottle gourd reference genomes assembled from Illumina short reads were released, one for the rootstock-type, an Indian-origin accession “USVL1VR-Ls”, and the other for the food-type, a Chinese landrace “Hangzhou Gourd”. To overcome the disadvantages of short reads, including low (<30 kb) contig N50 scores and large numbers of gaps, recently, the genome assembly and annotation have been improved in a new genome version with a long-read-based, high-quality reference genome (ZAAS_Lsic_2.0) with a contig N50 value over 390-fold greater than the existing reference genomes. The bottle gourd genomes are useful for comparative genomics analysis with other cucurbit crop genomes, as well as the discovery of candidate genes for agronomic traits.KeywordsBottle gourdGenome sequencingGenome assemblyAnnotationGenes
... Research indicates significant morphological differences in fruit attributes between the cultivated bottle gourd and its wild relatives (Morimoto et al., 2005). Among the species, L. breviflora, L. siceraria, L. abyssinica, and L. sphaerica show intraspecific variations, with L. sphaerica displaying notable genotypic diversity (Morimoto et al., 2006). ...
... es una de las especies más importantes en términos culturales de la familia botánica Cucurbitaceae (calabazas y demás parientes). Conocida popularmente como guaje, acocote, bule, entre otros nombres, esta planta es una herbácea monoica anual de hábito trepador, con flores blancas y pentámeras, cuyo fruto pepónide (véase figura 1) en ejemplares domesticados presenta una gran variación, adoptando desde formas cilíndricas, globosas, e incluso hasta la figura de una botella, pudiendo presentar segmentos divididos por constricción (Whitaker, 1948;Morimoto et al., 2005;Yetişir et al., 2008). ...
... The most positive, and significant GCA effects were found in the following lines: Narendra Dharidar, IC-321747, Pusa Sandesh, IC-321460, Pusa Santusti, and tester viz., Pusa Naveen, and Kashi Ganga, which were the best combiner for average fruit weight (cm). Similar reports were registered by (14,15). The maximum positive and significant GCA effect was observed in lines IC-321747, IC-338119, IC-321460, IC-321412, IC-498541, Vallabh Saral, IC-592210, Pusa Santusti, and tester Arka Bahar for days to the first fruit harvest. ...
General and specific combining ability variance and their effects were studied for thirteen characters in line × tester mating design in bottle gourd. Based on overall per se performance and among the parents, Narendra Dharidar, Punjab Long, and parents Narendra Rashmi were identified as good specific combiners for a maximum of 5 to 6 attributes, including yield for other contributing traits, suggesting that these parents may be used in the hybridization program aimed at the development of superior genotypes/varieties in bottle guard. Tester Arka Bahar and Narendra Madhuri were considered to be good general combiners for 6 to 8 characters. These parents must be utilized in a suitable breeding programme visa-vis selection breeding for improvement productivity of yield and per unit area in bottle gourd. Based on overall results and per se performance, the F1 hybrids, i.e. Pusa Sandesh × Kashi Ganga, IC-321747 × Narendra Madhuri, and NDBG-132 × Narendra Madhuri emerged to be the good specific combiners for maximum traits, including yield, which may be utilized for obtaining transgressive segregants in the next generation. Out of sixty-four cross combinations, only seventeen hybrids revealed superiority over better parents for yield. The seventeen cross combinations that showed more than 24% heterobeltiosis over better parents include: IC-498541×Narendra Madhuri, IC-592210×Arka bahar, Pusa Sandesh×Narendra Madhuri, NDBG-132×Pusa Naveen, Narendra Rashmi×Kashi Ganga, IC-321412×Pusa Naveen, Narendra Rashmi×Arka bahar, Narendra Rashmi×Pusa Naveen, Narendra Dharidar×Narendra Madhuri, Pusa Sandesh×Kashi Ganga, NDBG-132×Arka bahar, NDBG-132×Narendra Madhuri, Punjab long×Narendra Madhuri, Narendra Jyothi×Narendra Madhuri, IC-592210×Arka bahar, IC-338119×Arka bahar and IC- 498541×Kashi Ganga. This suggests that there is a great possibility to produce higher yielding varieties/genotypes.
... Rural poultry farmers have been using its extract indiscriminately to treat a variety of ailments, but no significant research has been done to confirm its effectiveness against various disease conditions. Lagenaria breviflorus whole fruit is used to treat and prevent measles in people as well as Newcastle disease in poultry (Yasuyuki et al., 2005;Hanno et al., 2009;Adedapo and Bankole, 2011). Additional reported uses of the plant include antibacterial (Tomori et al., 2007), haematinic and immune-stimulatory (Saba et al. 2009, Onasanwo et al., 2011, and miracicidal and cercaricidal (Ajayi et al.. 2002). ...
Investigating how Laganaria breviflorus affected the broiler chickens' growth metrics was the aim of the experiment. The study included one hundred and fifty (150) day old broiler chicks. The birds were placed in a brooding pen after being weighed upon arrival. 28 days were used for the purpose of the experiment. Each of the five treatments (each containing thirty birds) was reproduced three times (each containing ten birds). Treatment 1 was the positive control (received all vaccinations), Treatment II was the negative control (received no dose of vaccination nor Laganaria breviflorus), Treatment III was 0.1 ml of Laganaria breviflorus), Treatment IV was 0.2 ml of Laganaria breviflorus) and Treatment V was 0.3 ml of Laganaria breviflorus). The acquired data were compared using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and the significance level was set at (P< 0.05). From the results, there was a significant (p>0.05) difference in the final weight, average weight, and FCR, with the maximum value being recorded by the birds on 0.1 ml. Mortality was also observed to be significant. The study concluded that 0.1 ml (T III) of Laganaria breviflorus influences the growth indices of broiler chicks at the starter phase.
... Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.), is a versatile crop within the Cucurbitaceae familywith a chromosome number of 2n = 2x = 22. It plays a crucial role in food security, particularly in Asia and Africa [1]. The tender young fruits are harvested according to consumer preference, while mature seeds from dried fruits are processed for animal feed. ...
A half diallel mating design was employed to cross eight parental lines of bottle gourd, resulting in 28 F1 hybrids (excluding reciprocals). These F1 hybrids, along with the parental lines and a commercial check (Pant Lauki-3), were evaluated during the summer of 2024 at Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. The study aimed to assess the combining ability for yield and yield-related traits using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The genetic variance ratio being less than unity suggested that non-additive gene action was dominant for all the characters. The analysis indicated that none of the parents 377 consistently exhibited good general combining ability across all traits. However, the cross combination NDBG-104 × Pusa Sandesh followed by Pant Lauki-4 × Kashi Kirti emerged as the best for most of the traits analyzed. The results suggest that it may be possible to further enhance fruit yield and earliness through hybridization and selection in transgressive segregants.
... Jeffrey, L. abyssinica (Hook f.) Jeffrey and L. sphaerica (Sonder) Naudin (Whitaker, 1971). For quantitative fruit attributes, the cultivated bottle gourd exhibits significant variation morphologically when compared to its wild relatives (Morimoto et al., 2005). According to reports intra-specific variations exist between L. breviflora, L. siceraria and L. abyssinica, and L. sphaerica. ...
In the vast realm of agriculture, the significance of vegetable breeding cannot be
overstated. The field of vegetable breeding plays a pivotal role in the advancement
of agricultural practices, particularly in the Indian subcontinent. With India standing
as one of the largest vegetable producers in the world, it is imperative to explore and harness the potential of breeding approaches to further enhance crop productivity and nutritional value. This comprehensive book, titled "Breeding Approaches for Vegetable Crops" delves into the intricacies of scientific methods employed in vegetable breeding. Drawing upon extensive research and the latest advancements in the field, this book aims to shed light on the diverse approaches and techniques that can revolutionize vegetable crop improvement. Within the pages of this book, readers will embark on a scientific journey, exploring the fundamental principles of vegetable breeding. The book encompasses a wide range of topics, including traditional breeding methods such as selective breeding and hybridization, as well as modern techniques like molecular breeding and genetic engineering. this book strives to inspire Students, researchers, and agricultural enthusiasts to embrace innovative breeding approaches. It emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, where scientists from various fields join forces to unravel the genetic complexities of vegetable crops and develop improved varieties. Through the integration of cutting-edge technologies and scientific methodologies, this book aims to address the challenges faced in vegetable breeding, such as disease resistance, climate resilience, and nutritional enhancement. It explores the potential of advanced breeding tools like marker-assisted selection, genome-wide association studies, and gene editing, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of the current state and future prospects of vegetable crop improvement.
... Previous studies reported that bottle gourd is a morphologically diverse crop with variations in different morpho-agronomic traits, which can be used for variety and rootstock design [3,36]. There is high genetic and morphological variation for some qualitative fruit traits, including fruit shape and color; seed size, color, and shape [2,3,19]; and quantitative traits, such as plant architecture, flowering date, fruit, and seed traits [17]. These reports demonstrate that bottle gourds possess extensive phenotypic and genetic variation that can be exploited for breeding and cultivar development. ...
Phenotypic characterization of the variability present within bottle gourd has been limited to morpho-agronomic traits, and this evaluation is a prerequisite for a bottle gourd breeding program. Despite playing an important role in the phenotypic variation in plants, the root system has limited use in studies of morphological diversity. Thus, the objective of this study was to characterize the morphological diversity present in bottle gourd accessions of different countries based on roots and morpho-agronomic traits. The magnitude of morphological diversity and divergence among nineteen bottle gourd accessions that represent nine different countries of origin were evaluated with analysis of variance, principal component analysis, and an agglomerative hierarchical clustering (AHC) analysis. ANOVA for morpho-agronomic and root traits revealed significant morphological effects among the accessions, suggesting substantial differences among the bottle gourd accessions. The nineteen accessions were grouped into three clusters, and while these were not grouped according to the country of origin, clear differences among the roots and flowering traits were observed between the L. siceraria var. hispida with L. siceraria var. siceraria accessions, which were confirmed with the AHC analysis, revealing the divergence between these varieties and the opportunities for rootstock breeding programs.
... Jeffrey, L. abyssinica (Hook f.) Jeffrey and L. sphaerica (Sonder) Naudin (Whitaker, 1971). For quantitative fruit attributes, the cultivated bottle gourd exhibits significant variation morphologically when compared to its wild relatives (Morimoto et al., 2005). According to reports intra-specific variations exist between L. breviflora, L. siceraria and L. abyssinica, and L. sphaerica. ...
The bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is an economically and culturally important
vegetable crop known for its versatile use in culinary, medicinal, and handicraft
applications. Breeding programs for bottle gourd aim to enhance various agronomic
and quality traits to meet the demands of diverse markets. This abstract provides an
overview of breeding approaches employed to improve bottle gourd cultivars.
Conventional breeding methods involve controlled crosses between carefully
selected parental lines, followed by successive generations of selection for desired
traits. These traits include fruit shape, size, color, and shelf life, as well as resistance
to prevalent diseases and pests. Genetic diversity is a critical consideration, as it
contributes to the development of resilient cultivars. Furthermore, the integration of
molecular markers and DNA-based techniques allows for the identification and
selection of desirable traits with higher precision, speeding up the breeding process.
In recent years, advanced breeding techniques like hybrid development and
biotechnological interventions have gained prominence. Hybrid breeding exploits
heterosis, resulting in improved yields and vigor in F1 hybrid plants.
Biotechnological tools such as genetic transformation enable the incorporation of
genes for specific traits, including enhanced disease resistance and improved fruit quality. However, careful consideration of regulatory aspects and public acceptance
is vital when employing these technologies. Climate change adaptation is also a
priority in bottle gourd breeding. Developing varieties that are tolerant to heat,
drought, and changing pest dynamics is essential for ensuring stable production in
the face of evolving environmental challenges. Breeding approaches in bottle gourd
encompass traditional methods, marker-assisted selection, hybrid breeding, and
biotechnology-based interventions. These approaches collectively contribute to the
development of bottle gourd cultivars with improved agronomic performance,
nutritional content, and resilience to changing environmental conditions. Continued
research and collaboration between traditional breeding and cutting-edge
technologies will pave the way for sustainable bottle gourd cultivation and its
diverse applications.
... The bottle gourd exhibits considerable variation in terms of various morphological traits, including fruit bearing capacity, fruit length, fruit girth, length of main shoot, number of branches per plant, number of seeds per fruit, seed weight, seed length and breadth, seed shape and seed colour (Morimoto et al., 2005;Andrew et al., 2006;Achigan Dako et al., 2008 andYetisir et al., 2008). Fruit size, seed size, fruit shape and seed shape are important components that account for majority of the variance in bottle gourd (Emina et al., 2012). ...
Bottle gourd is a white-flowered, monoecious annual belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. It has a pan-tropical distribution with regional economic importance. It is grown as a spring-summer as well as rainy season vegetable in home gardens, fields and riverbeds, but its fruits are available in the market throughout the year. Fruits differ in shape and size, and preference of the fruit form depends on eating style and market demand. Bottle gourd has recently become more popular among consumers because of its nutritional and therapeutic components necessary for good health and well-being. This has led to the year-round cultivation of bottle gourd in all regions of the country. Improved varieties and hybrids, and agronomic practices with scientific interventions like nursery raising, bower or single trellis system, use of plant growth regulators and proper management of diseases and insect-pests, contribute to increase the productivity and profitability of bottle gourd in India. Recent developments in postharvest handling have improved the keeping quality of the vegetable, which is an essential requirement in the foreign markets.
... The trials were regularly monitored throughout the growing season and nine agronomic characters selected from several studies on various cucurbits (Maggs-Kölling et al., 2000;Morimoto et al., 2005;Marr et al., 2007) were scored. For each plant, the length was measured. ...
Being difficult to regenerate and maintain the seeds, the oleaginous bottle gourd was investigated using nine agromorphological traits and 31 amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. Specifically, the study was conducted to determine the intra-specific variability of a total of 173 accessions, which were identified from five agro-ecological regions from Côte d'Ivoire (Centre, East, North and South). Then, the genetic diversity and relationships within accessions were studied using AFLP markers. This characterization using both morphological and AFLP markers was realized in order to ultimately build a reliable core collection. The discriminant analysis, using nine quantitative traits, reveals plant length and seeds number per fruit as discriminating characteristics. From the accessions used for the agromorphological study, 148 were able to be differentiated by the AFLP markers. A range of 52 to 113 bands were amplified per primer combination. As revealed by the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), 28% of the total variation resides among accessions and 72% occurs within populations. The AMOVA computed in order to differentiate cultivars, displayed the same trends when no prior grouping of accessions was considered. The differentiation within cultivar (97%) was more than that, among cultivars (3%). Tree topologies inferred by neighbour-joining analysis reflected no clear cut off grouping.
To group accessions, we used a Bayesian clustering analysis which exhibited two clusters. Using the informativeness of the primer combinations analysed in the present study, an orientation was given for the choice of the accessions which would be used to build a core collection.
... During the project period, the group collected 197 landraces of Kitete from within Kitui and neighbouring counties. These were referred to by approximately 70 different local names (Morimoto & Maundu 2002;Morimoto et al. 2005;2008;2010). Seeds of various landraces were propagated in the group's field and also by group members. ...
Background
The current way our food systems operate does not result in healthy and nutritious diets for all, nor are we producing food in a manner that the planet can sustain. Food biodiversity, or the range of animal and plant species used for food is one solution to improve the health of both people and the planet.
Scope/approach
Case studies were used to illustrate current initiatives and programs aimed to bring greater food biodiversity into our food systems. Case studies were developed by subject matter experts and reviewed for demonstrated and potential impact on four food system outcomes: healthy diets and nutrition, agro-ecological resilience, livelihoods and income and socio-cultural wellbeing.
Key findings/conclusion
The six case study examples demonstrate that there are multiple approaches that confer benefits across a range of food system outcomes. The case studies demonstrate contributions to the body of knowledge on food composition, dietary diversification, strategies to prioritize crops that regenerate soil and purify water, require few inputs or can grow in harsh conditions, as well as provide increased income to communities and rebuild cultural knowledge. Some approaches were initiated by government and others at community level; they all demonstrate ways to achieve greater integration of food biodiversity into food systems. This collection of case studies illustrates a fraction of what is currently being done to support biodiverse food production and consumption. The evidence base for how to bring greater food biodiversity back into our food systems should be improved and should not be an isolated occurrence, but rather a continuous process.
... Upon returning, members shared their experiences with group members and compiled the information in a 700-page compendium about the species. Nearly 200 bottle gourd types (landraces) referred to by approximately 70 different local names were collected and catalogued for propagation in community fields (Morimoto & Maundu, 2002;Morimoto et al., 2005Morimoto et al., , 2008Morimoto, 2010). ...
Abstract Degradation of socio-ecological production landscapes (SEPLs) triggered
mainly by the impoverishment of biodiversity and the increasing incidence
of climate catastrophes significantly challenges human health and food and nutritional
security. Critical concern needs to be placed on ensuring both human and
ecosystem health and contributing to nutrition-sensitive local food production and
protection of SEPLs. As case points, we describe herein a few interventions and
their impacts in promoting the conservation, cultivation, consumption, and commercial
aspects regarding the medicinal and food plant diversity of a biocultural
diversity hotspot in the Malabar region of India. The local communities of this
region have historically possessed a wide array of local health traditions (LHTs)
and local food baskets (LFBs) based on a landscape approach. Yet, this richness is
being eroded or oversimplified, and as a result, many plants important for their
local food and health value are becoming rare. The need for revitalisation of the
LHTs and LFBs through homestead and landscape-level interventions is discussed
in view of human immunity to infectious diseases. Recommendations are also
suggested to address some of the policy gaps in promoting the sustainable management
of SEPLs.
Keywords Biodiversity · Local health and food traditions · Self-help groups ·
Primary healthcare training · Home nutrition gardens · Immunity
... Upon returning, members shared their experiences with group members and compiled the information in a 700-page compendium about the species. Nearly 200 bottle gourd types (landraces) referred to by approximately 70 different local names were collected and catalogued for propagation in community fields (Morimoto & Maundu, 2002;Morimoto et al., 2005Morimoto et al., , 2008Morimoto, 2010). ...
The Forest and Milpa Landscape (FML) is a territory comprising 64 municipalities in the Yucatan Peninsula where the rainforest and the milpa system coexist. The ecosystems that predominate in the FML are sub deciduous and subtropical evergreen forests, which represent an essential carbon reservoir worldwide. The use of natural resources for food security of FML families is associated with the milpa, which is a system that depends on rainfall and the soil's ability to retain water. Within the framework of the 2020 – 2030 Country Strategy of the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), twenty indicators associated with the FML's resilience were evaluated through a participatory approach. The methodological route consisted of adapting the Toolkit for the Indicators of Resilience in Socio-ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS). A topic that generated much concern among participants was human health. The reflection generated around this indicator recognised problems associated with water contamination by agrochemicals and changes in diet, resulting in recurrent diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, and obesity. The solutions proposed by the small producers are linked to the sustainable management of ecosystems and education on values towards traditional and agroecological food production.
... Upon returning, members shared their experiences with group members and compiled the information in a 700-page compendium about the species. Nearly 200 bottle gourd types (landraces) referred to by approximately 70 different local names were collected and catalogued for propagation in community fields (Morimoto & Maundu, 2002;Morimoto et al., 2005Morimoto et al., , 2008Morimoto, 2010). ...
The Jamtal Environmental Education Centre is a joint effort of the local communities of Galtür and Ischgl and the Alpinarium museum, dedicated to high mountain livelihoods and landscapes. For this study, we compiled available scientific evidence and personal views in the two communities on the co-evolution of human health and the biodiversity of local ecosystems. Main sources are historical records and maps, chronosequencing in the glacier forefields, and an analysis of contemporary land cover and glacier changes. In both communities, a large part of the area has remained unused since the start of the records in 1857. While the glacier area has shrunk by 70% since then, the forest area has increased as a result of changing land use and climate. Chronosequencing reveals that the glacier forefields are refugia for cold-adapted species under pressure from climate warming. Although land cover has changed, no type of land use recorded in the historical data has disappeared completely. While health services and infrastructure are thought to be sufficient, interviewees saw the largest potential for improvement in today’s lifestyle. Traditional practices involving usage of herbs or food culture, for example related to Gentiana punctata, are still alive and important for the communities.
... Upon returning, members shared their experiences with group members and compiled the information in a 700-page compendium about the species. Nearly 200 bottle gourd types (landraces) referred to by approximately 70 different local names were collected and catalogued for propagation in community fields (Morimoto & Maundu, 2002;Morimoto et al., 2005Morimoto et al., , 2008Morimoto, 2010). ...
The Forest and Milpa Landscape (FML) is a territory comprising 64 municipalities in the Yucatan Peninsula where the rainforest and the milpa system coexist. The ecosystems that predominate in the FML are sub-deciduous and subtropical evergreen forests, which represent an essential carbon reservoir worldwide. The use of natural resources for food security of FML families is associated with the milpa, which is a system that depends on the rainfall and the soil’s ability to retain water. Within the framework of the 2020–2030 Country Strategy of the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP), 20 indicators associated with the FML’s resilience were evaluated through a participatory approach. The methodological route consisted of adapting the Toolkit for the Indicators of Resilience in Socio-ecological Production Landscapes and Seascapes (SEPLS). A topic that generated much concern among participants was human health. The reflection generated around this indicator recognised problems associated with water contamination by agrochemicals and changes in diet, resulting in recurrent diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. The solutions proposed by the small producers are linked to the sustainable management of ecosystems and education on values towards traditional and agroecological food production.KeywordsForest and milpa landscapeResilienceSEPLS
Milpa
Yucatan Peninsula
... Upon returning, members shared their experiences with group members and compiled the information in a 700-page compendium about the species. Nearly 200 bottle gourd types (landraces) referred to by approximately 70 different local names were collected and catalogued for propagation in community fields (Morimoto & Maundu, 2002;Morimoto et al., 2005Morimoto et al., , 2008Morimoto, 2010). ...
Traditionally managed socio-ecological production landscapes (SEPLs) provide communities with a range of goods and services vital for livelihoods, including nutrition and health. In Kenya, many of these landscapes, encompassing the resources therein and the indigenous knowledge vital for optimising their value, are now under threat.
Utilising diverse traditional foods for the benefit of local communities has often been hampered by insufficient knowledge about the foods and negative attitudes towards them. For over two decades, a team from the National Museums of Kenya, Bioversity International, and their partners has been working with local communities to find out how local food resources can contribute more to community livelihoods, especially with regard to nutrition, health, and income. Understanding local food systems is a vital step. The team developed a methodology for involving local communities, and the youth in particular, to inventory their foodways. The documentation opened opportunities for research and development interventions. This chapter highlights three development and conservation case studies founded on foodways documentation: (1) promoting African leafy vegetables in Kenya; (2) safeguarding kitete (bottle gourd) by Kyanika Women’s Group in Kitui, Kenya; and (3) utilising digital technology to educate consumers about healthy eating using local foods.
All cases have shown that converting underutilised local foods into main sources of nutrition and income opportunities, as well as conserving these foods in their environment, requires foodways documentation, community participation, and multi-stakeholder and multidisciplinary collaboration. Awareness on the nutritional and health benefits of local foods was a key incentive for their conservation and a catalyst for the change in attitudes and eating habits.
... Upon returning, members shared their experiences with group members and compiled the information in a 700-page compendium about the species. Nearly 200 bottle gourd types (landraces) referred to by approximately 70 different local names were collected and catalogued for propagation in community fields (Morimoto & Maundu, 2002;Morimoto et al., 2005Morimoto et al., , 2008Morimoto, 2010). ...
Since 2016, a 600 hectare “ridge-to-reef” watershed of the Jialang River in Xinshe Village, Hualien County, Chinese Taipei, has been adaptively co-managed by a multi-stakeholder platform uniting two indigenous tribes (Fuxing and Xinshe) and four regional government agencies subordinate to the Council of Agriculture. The Five Perspectives of the Satoyama Initiative formed the core of the Xinshe SEPLS adaptive co-management model. The year 2020 marked the end of the short-term phase (2016–2019) and a transition period to the midterm phase (2021–2026) of the Xinshe “Forest-River-Village-Ocean” Eco-Agriculture Initiative (the Xinshe Initiative). How could the midterm management of the Xinshe Initiative most effectively enhance the Xinshe SEPLS well-being by 2026? To answer this question, we developed a set of 20 Localised Indicators of Resilience in the Xinshe SEPLS, analysed the concept of SEPLS well-being on the basis of the 5R conceptual framework (“ridge-to-reef”, risks, resources, and resilience), and contributed the results of our study to the midterm action plan of the Xinshe Initiative.
... Upon returning, members shared their experiences with group members and compiled the information in a 700-page compendium about the species. Nearly 200 bottle gourd types (landraces) referred to by approximately 70 different local names were collected and catalogued for propagation in community fields (Morimoto & Maundu, 2002;Morimoto et al., 2005Morimoto et al., , 2008Morimoto, 2010). ...
Ghana’s Western North and Central Regions are biodiversity-rich landscapes. Cocoa is a major commodity produced in these two regions, accounting for over 50% of Ghana’s cocoa output. As part of the efforts to further improve productivity and ecological health of the landscape, the Government of Ghana initiated the Cocoa Disease and Pests Control Programme primarily to control cocoa pests and diseases, including the use of pesticides. In recent times, however, there has been an upsurge in the use of highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) that have far-reaching consequences on human and ecological health of the cocoa production landscape. To gain a better understanding of pesticide-use patterns on cocoa farms and address HHP-driven biodiversity loss, Conservation Alliance International (CA) conducted a study within the landscape. The study was based on both qualitative and quantitative research approaches to understand pesticide use and resulting impacts on human and ecological health. In all, 306 cocoa farmers were surveyed. Analysis of the data revealed that about 81% of the cocoa farmers use pesticides to address pests and diseases, causing visible impacts on humans and the environment, including skin irritation, eye irritation, and death of pollinators. Pesticide use was exacerbated by the adverse economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Policymakers are therefore advised to take steps to phase out HHPs, promote integrated pest management, and tackle the spread of COVID-19 infections.
... Upon returning, members shared their experiences with group members and compiled the information in a 700-page compendium about the species. Nearly 200 bottle gourd types (landraces) referred to by approximately 70 different local names were collected and catalogued for propagation in community fields (Morimoto & Maundu, 2002;Morimoto et al., 2005Morimoto et al., , 2008Morimoto, 2010). ...
Agricultural biodiversity plays a vital role in enhancing food security and human health. Sustainable agriculture practices that conserve soil and water can result in good environmental and human health. In view of this, a project on capacity-building for sustainable agricultural practices targeting extension officers was implemented between September 2017 and February 2021 in Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia, by the Institute of Environmental Rehabilitation and Conservation (ERECON), Japan. The project involved government agencies, educational institutes, NGOs, and farmers, and employed a multi-stakeholder approach to promote sustainable farming practices among local farmers and enable conditions for the sale of agricultural products with low chemical inputs, especially in a province where agrochemical application is prevalent. A questionnaire survey, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and observations from farmers were used for programme monitoring. Farmers reported that soil quality was improved after applying compost, and more beneficial insects were found after integrated pest management techniques were applied. The amount of agrochemicals applied to farmlands decreased compared to usage before the project start, implying that the project was successful in promoting sustainable agriculture in the province. During the COVID-19 pandemic, communities in the project areas are struggling to cope with food and health insecurity. The intervention has helped communities become more resilient during this hard time. After 3 years, many of the approximate 1500 farmers involved in the project are applying organic fertilisers and enhancing agricultural biodiversity in their farmlands. This case is a grassroots-level activity, but the concept of multi-stakeholder activities for agricultural biodiversity conservation can be replicated in other areas of Cambodia for achieving the sustainable development goals.
... Upon returning, members shared their experiences with group members and compiled the information in a 700-page compendium about the species. Nearly 200 bottle gourd types (landraces) referred to by approximately 70 different local names were collected and catalogued for propagation in community fields (Morimoto & Maundu, 2002;Morimoto et al., 2005Morimoto et al., , 2008Morimoto, 2010). ...
This chapter synthesises major findings from the eleven case studies presented in the previous chapters, offering policy recommendations arising from the synthesis. It distills key messages to address questions on the following issues: (1) how to conceptualise the nexus between biodiversity, health, and sustainable development in the context of SEPLS management; (2) how to measure, evaluate, and monitor the effectiveness of SEPLS management in regard to securing and improving both ecosystem and human health; and (3) how to address the challenges and seize the opportunities of SEPLS management in minimising trade-offs and maximising synergies between different efforts augmenting both ecosystem and human health, as well as well-being, so as to move towards more sustainable futures. The chapter identifies several policy recommendations to better manage the biodiversity-health-sustainability nexus in SEPLS and facilitate transformative change for sustainable development. It also revisits the concept of the biodiversity-health-sustainability nexus to offer perspectives on the complex interlinkages in the context of managing SEPLS on the ground.
... The principal component (PC) axes that result can be used as phenotypic data. SHAPE software (Iwata and Ukai 2002) has been used to analyze organ shape based on EFDs and PCA in rice (Iwata et al. 2015), wheat (Williams and Sorrells 2014), maize (Tian et al. 2011), Japanese radish (Iwata et al. 1998), cucumber (Shimomura et al. 2016), bottle gourd (Morimoto et al. 2005), and tomato (Lockhart 2013;Chitwood et al. 2014). ...
Throughout the history of sorghum domestication, kernel traits have been subject to extensive selection. Breeding of grain sorghum is highly dependent on kernel morphology, which influences yield and quality. This study examined the genetic variation and architecture of kernel size, shape, and color among two BC1F2 subpopulations, H4 and H6, derived from crossing Sorghum bicolor BTx623 and Sorghum halepense Gypsum 9E. We phenotyped 246 BC1F2 families and their parents in two locations for two years using high-throughput digital imaging techniques, to determine fourteen kernel traits in five broad categories: size (area, length, width, and aspect ratio), shape (circularity and PC1), density (factor form density; FFD), weight (1000-kernel weight) and color (RGB and CIE-L*a*b*). Based on single-trait, interval mapping, we identified 76 and 71 significant QTLs in the H4 and H6 subpopulations, respectively. Both parent genotypes contributed QTL alleles that conferred positive additive effects, indicating that Sorghum halepense contains alleles that may enhance some kernel-related traits of elite sorghums. Some genomic regions affect many traits—for example, a linkage group 6 homolog in the H4 subpopulation was associated with several kernel traits in the region between 0 and 57.3 cM, including FFD, area, length, and width; and in H6 between 56.8 and 185.9 cM contained QTLs associated with kernel color parameters (R, G, L* and B*), FFD, kernel shape (PC1), kernel area, aspect ratio, kernel width, and 1000-kernel weight. These results contribute to a better understanding of genetic factors governing sorghum kernel traits, providing a foundation for improving grain and quality traits in both annual and perennial sorghums using genomic tools.
... In bottle gourd, molecular markers that have been used to assess genetic variability are chloroplast markers, simple sequence repeat (SSRs) or microsatellite markers, sequence related amplified polymorphisms (SRAP), random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR), amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP), single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and allozyme markers (Table 4.5) (Koffi et al. 2009;Saxena et al. 2015;Xu et al. 2011). A limited number of anonymous random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) molecular markers have been used for various studies in bottle gourd (Morimoto et al. 2005). Decker-Walters et al. (2004) initially used RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) markers to study genetic resources in bottle gourd. ...
Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.) is an important vegetable crop bearing health benefits and medicinal properties. Continuous increase in bottle gourd consumption, especially in the tropics and subtropics, is attributed to its purported health benefits. Successful cultivation of bottle gourd in these regions requires proper breeding strategies to develop superior genotypes with desired traits aimed at market-driven quality and high yield. For effective bottle gourd breeding, genetic diversity of this crop needs to be studied and documented. The monoecious and open-pollinated nature of bottle gourd supports conventional breeding by pure line selection, pedigree selection, recurrent selection and heterosis breeding. Besides traditional breeding, transgenic breeding, gene editing and marker-assisted selection are also needed to fully exploit the genetic resources of this crop to achieve desirable yield and quality. The main objective of this chapter is to provide an overall assessment of the importance of bottle gourd and its breeding strategies to develop high-yielding and nutritionally-rich varieties using conventional and advanced breeding tools.
... In addition, the data was further subjected to principal component (PCA) and cluster analysis procedures using Genres (Genres, 2008) and SAS (SAS, 2000) statistical soft wares. Principal components (PC's) with eigen values > 1.0 were selected and morphological traits with load coefficient values > 0.5 were considered highly relevant to that PC (Morimoto et al., 2005). ...
Genetic diversity present within and between populations is crucial for breeding and conservation. The objective of this study was to assess the genetic diversity in yam landraces by using agro-morphological and microsatellite markers. Phenotypic diversity of 36 landraces collected from southwest Ethiopia was determined using diversity indices, principal component and cluster analyses. High phenotypic diversity indices were recorded, ranging from 0.53 to 1.50, with a mean of 0.985. Principal component analysis identified seven PCAs which contributed 88.4% of the total phenotypic variation among the landraces. The test primers amplified a total of 30 fragments, of which 80% was polymorphic. The number of alleles detected per locus ranged from 1 to 5, with a mean of 3. Number of effective alleles ranged from 1 to 3.57. Gene diversity ranged from 0.00 to 0.80 with a mean of 0.53. The mean polymorphic information content ranged from 0.00 to 0.72, with a mean of 0.30. The Simple Sequence Repeat markers and phenotypic traits showed similar clustering patters of landraces except some differences. The results obtained in this study are useful for future yam breeding and conservation program.
... Bottle gourd or calabash which can be infected by ZYMV belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family and its genetic origin is Africa [21]. Cultivated BG known as the white-flowered gourd is an annual, monoecious, vigorous climber species and five wild perennial dioecious Lagenaria species were reported from Africa [22]. L. siceraria has been utilized as a vegetable, music instrument, decoration tools, pipe, and multipurpose containers, corresponding to properties of the raw and dry ripe fruits [23]. ...
This study was carried out to screen Turkish bottle gourd (BG) [Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.] germplasm against Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) disease. In 2015, the response of bottle gourd accessions to disease was determined by mechanical inoculation in a greenhouse (101) and by natural infection in a field (158). Plant leaf samples collected from the field were first tested by DAS-ELISA and RT-PCR methods and resistant, sensitive, and tolerant accessions were determined. In the natural infection study in an open field, 47-02, 63-12, 63-05, PI442368, and PI381822 were determined to be resistant. The first viral symptoms were observed one week later on the plants that were mechanically inoculated under greenhouse conditions. In the mechanical inoculation study, the accessions 63-04, 66-02, 42-07, and PI442368 were found to be resistant. 63-04 and PI442368 were found resistant to ZYMV in both natural infection and mechanical inoculation experiments. As a result of the DAS-ELISA tests, Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) was also determined in the BG population and the population was found clean in terms of other viruses in the open field study. Seeds were extracted from 14 sensitive accessions with viral symptoms and resistant accessions PI442368. The seeds were germinated on Whatman filter paper and the presence of ZYMV in each organ was tested by RT-PCR. According to the RT-PCR results, one accession in embryo, seven accessions in cotyledons and six accessions in true leaf produced 791 bp band showing the presence of the ZYMV in tested tissue. This shows that a certain percentage of the virus can be transported via seed in BG.
Salinity is one of the most important global environmental problems that negatively affects plant productivity, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, as it causes a decrease in yield and quality. Breeding of salt-tolerant varieties/rootstocks can enable production under saline conditions. One of the strategies used to develop stress-resistant plants is to increase the number of plant chromosomes. Polyploid plants with increased chromosome numbers are more tolerant to abiotic and biotic stress factors than diploids. The aim of the study is to determine the vegetative growth performances of tetraploid and original diploid plants developed by applying colchicine to the bottle gourd genotype (39- 01-D) under control (1.8 dS/m) and saline (10 dS/m) conditions in hydroponic culture. The least affected genotypes in terms of 0-5 visual scale values under salt stress conditions are; 39-01-4-T and 39-01-2-T were tetraploid bottle gourd genotypes. 39-01-4-T tetraploid bottle gourd genotype in saline conditions; The original diploid 39-01-D commercial rootstock showed higher performance than Forza and other tetraploid plants in terms of stem diameter, stem length, number of leaves, shoot and root (fresh and dry) weights, root length, volume and diameter parameters. While tetraploid bottle gourd genotypes had the highest leaf relative water content under salt stress, 39-01-4-T genotype had the lowest ion leakage in leaf and root tissues. While a positive correlation was detected between SPAD and leaf relative water content parameters and all biomass parameters, a negative correlation was detected between ion leakage in leaf and root tissues and biomass parameters. . As a result of the study, it was found important that tetraploid bottle gourd rootstocks showed higher performance in salty conditions than diploid origin bottle gourd and commercial rootstocks, showing that polyploid rootstocks may lead to commercial use of different vegetable species in the near future.
Bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.]) is a relatively drought-tolerant cucurbit due to the high composition of unique biochemical compositions, including cucurbitacin. The objective of this study was to determine the concentrations of cucurbitacins in bottle gourd and their relationship to drought tolerance. The study assessed 12 bottle gourd accessions grown under two moisture levels (i.e., non-stressed (NS) and drought-stressed (DS)) and three drought stress intensities (i.e., mild, moderate, and severe) using a 12 × 2 × 3 factorial experiment designed in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Control studies were undertaken under glasshouse conditions. The content of cucurbitacins B, E, and I were quantified in leaves and roots using high-performance liquid Cchromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The free radical scavenging activities of pure cucurbitacins B, E, and I were quantified using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and a ferrulic acid power assay (FRAP). Results revealed that cucurbitacins B and I were present in accessions BG-48, BG-58, BG-70, BG-78, BG-79, BG-81, BG-52, and GC in leaves and roots under DS condition. The contents of cucurbitacins B and I were enhanced under increased drought intensity for accessions BG-48, BG-81, and GC. In all the leaf and root samples, cucurbitacin E was not detectable. Based on the DPPH test, pure cucurbitacins I, B, and E reduced free radicals at maximum values of 78, 60, and 66%, respectively. Based on the FRAP assay, pure cucurbitacins I, B, and E had maximum ferric-reducing powers of 67, 62, and 48%. Additionally, cucurbitacin I recorded the highest antioxidant activity compared to cucurbitacins B and E. Increased cucurbitacin accumulation and antioxidant properties indicate their role in minimising cell damage caused by oxidative stress under drought-stressed environments. The present study revealed that cucurbitacins B and I serve as novel biochemical markers for screening drought tolerance in bottle gourd or related cucurbits.
Genetic characterization of plant genetic resources is a prerequisite for a strategic breeding programme. Bottle gourd is an important cucurbit grown throughout India for its tender fruits used for culinary purposes. For the present investigation, twenty-four genotypes of bottle gourd were collected from Eastern India to examine the magnitude of genetic diversity based on 16 quantitative traits and seven ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeats) markers. In the morphological study, genotypes performed significantly in all traits; however, BRBG-65 (591.10 q/ha) proved to be a high yielder with other attributing traits in a pooled analysis of two growing seasons, compared to all three check cultivars of the region. Almost all the traits under study showed a high percentage of genotypic coefficient of variation, phenotypic coefficient of variation and heritability with genetic advance. Quantitative traits like fruit weight, number of fruits per vine and yield of marketable fruits per vine displayed a strong character association with the yield per hectare. The principal component analysis of quantitative traits depicted six principal components, accounting for 79.33% of the total variations. The first two components accounted for 44.92 cumulative percent of the total variation, signifying a high degree of correlation between the analyzed traits. In the molecular study, the average polymorphism percentage was obtained by the ISSR marker pattern studied by seven primers. Totally, 48 reproducible amplicons were generated, with an average of around 6.85 amplicons per primer. The values of polymorphic information content, major allele frequency, Nei’s gene diversity, and Shannon’s information index were obtained in a wide range. A wide range of values regarding Jaccard’s similarity coefficient was also ensured through ISSR markers. Dendrogram and similarity matrix produced from ISSR data were then compared and confirmed the discrimination among genotypes within these clusters. Most genotypes studied in the present experiment differed according to their geographic origin. The investigation highlights the potential utilization of these germplasms for further genetic analysis.
The study investigated the awareness and perceived efficiency of Tagiri (Lagenaria breviflorus) among poultry farmers in Ido Local Government Area, Oyo State, Nigeria using data obtained from eighty well-structured questionnaires. The result showed that 90.0% of the respondents were male, 60% had primary and secondary education and 68.8% practice intensive system of management. The result also revealed that 50.0% are aware of the antimicrobial property used to treat and control bacterial infection, 46.6% are aware that it has antibacterial property which suppresses the growth of bacterial and their ability to reproduce. It also revealed that 93.1% of the respondents used Lagenaria breviflorus for medicinal purpose. In conclusion, it was examined that majority of the farmers used Tagiri in treating poultry diseases. It was therefore recommended that the extension agents should further put more effort by sensitizing the farmers on the benefits of this medicinal plant for healthy growth in poultry management and since it is effective in treating poultry disease, it should also be adopted for other livestock.
Genetic characterization of plant genetic resources is a pre-requisite for a strategic breeding program. Bottle gourd is an important cucurbit grown throughout India for its tender fruits used for culinary purpose. For the present investigation twenty-four genotypes of bottle gourd were collected from Eastern India to examine the magnitude of genetic diversity based upon 16 quantitative traits and seven ISSR (Inter simple sequence repeats) markers. In morphological study genotypes performed significantly in all traits, however BRBG-65 (591.10 q/ha) was proved to be high yielder with other attributing traits in pooled analysis of two growing seasons than compare to the all three check varieties of the region. Almost all the traits under study showed high percentage of genotypic coefficient of variation, phenotypic coefficient of variation and heritability with genetic advancement. Quantitative traits like fruit weight, number of fruits per vine and yield of marketable fruits per vine shown strong character association with yield per hectare. Principal component analysis on quantitative traits depicted six principal components, accounted for 79.33% of the total variations. The first two components accounted for 44.92 cumulative percent of the total variation, which signifies a high degree of correlation between the analyzed traits. In the molecular study, average polymorphism percentage was obtained by ISSR marker pattern studied by seven primers. Total 48 reproducible amplicons were generated of an average around 6.85 amplicon per primer. The values of average polymorphic information content, major allele frequency and major gene diversity were obtained in wide range. Wide range of value regarding Jaccard’s similarity coefficient was also ensured through ISSR markers. Dendrogram and similarity matrix produced from ISSR data then compared and concluded the discrimination among genotypes within these clusters. Most genotypes studied in the present experiment differed with their geographic origin. The investigation highlights the potential utilization of these germplasm for further genetic analysis.
The balance and stability of the earth’s weather is significantly influenced by the cover of the tropical evergreen forest. This is especially relevant in the century of industrialization and modernization. These two profusely contribute to the worldwide increase in atmospheric CO2 content. The exponential deposit of atmospheric CO2 has increased the possibility of global warming and climate change. Thereby, tropical green forests provide hope and confidence to serve as potential sinks to mitigate overgrowing carbon dioxide imbalance in the atmosphere. Narpuh Wildlife Sanctuary is a primary and tropical evergreen Forest in the East Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya. This study stresses the application of various allometric equations and henceforth their best suitability for carbon stock and above-ground biomass estimation in Narpuh Wildlife Sanctuary. For the study, eleven permanent plots of size 31.6 m2 have been set up inside the wildlife sanctuary. A total of 155 woody species and 746 trees were recorded from the permanent plots. The recorded trees were then grouped into two girth classes of 15–70 cm and above 70 cm. It was recorded that carbon content and biomass above ground were higher in trees with girths greater than 70 cm. Many allometric equations which have been derived in the past and in recent years have been justified to be the most suitable ones for forests of a particular country, state or province that falls under government-protected forests or privately-owned forests. It has been noticed that the best suitable model to estimate Biomass above ground in Narpuh Wildlife Sanctuary is the Chambers model with an R2 value of 0.8038 and adjusted R2 of 0.8035. Incidentally, the model given by FAO has an R2 value of 0.5902 and an adjusted R2 value of 0.5897. Hence, it is the least suitable model due to its low R2 value.KeywordsAllometric equationCarbon stockBiomassWildlife sanctuary
Experimental studies were carried out at the experimental farm of the Horticulture Department of the North Eastern Hill University to assess the germplasm lines of bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.] traits. To do so, thirty genotypes of the vegetable were considered and studied in the year 2018. Engaging three replicas, a block design through a randomized protocol was followed as the experimental methodology. The germplasm lines were chosen from various avenues in the districts of the Garo Hills of Meghalaya. The assessment was conducted in terms of 31 conventional parameters such as vine length (cm), internode length (cm), petiole length (cm), yield, etc. The study confirmed wider alteration in all evaluated parameters and thereby signified the greater possibility to improve further some of the genotypes with advanced plant biotechnology techniques. The incidental statistical parametric analysis of the study accounted for highly profound alterations in all evaluated parameters including yield. This confirmed that the chosen genotypes offered a wider choice for all parameters and count upon the maturity of the sampling procedures. Thereby, the regional factors and their influence on the morphological characteristics of bottle gourd plants in Garo Hills, Meghalaya, have been indicated to provide good scope for further enhancement and breeding of the best variety bottle gourds. In other words, plant biodiversity conservation in the region for bottle gourds is very sound and efforts can be made to further enhance the plant characters through advanced plant biotechnological procedures being applied to superior genotypes.Keywords
Lagenaria siceraria
GermplasmGrowthQuantitativeYield
Human agriculture is a universal subject of study across all disciplines of the natural, humanities and social sciences. Since the Renaissance, however, “agricultural science” has mainly focused on European agriculture, and it is only relatively recently that indigenous African agriculture has been fairly treated as an object of modern science. In this paper, the brief history of studies on African agriculture in Europe and Japan and outline the main issues and trends in the field in recent years.
Since the 2000s, studies on African agriculture in Japan has been vigorously pursued with a generally impartial and objective attitude in the fields of agricultural origins and history, anthropology of farming and pastoralism, crop science and breeding, soil and environment, crop protection, animal husbandry and veterinary science, agricultural economics and rural sociology. Modern agriculture faces fundamental problems how it produces more food and how it produces food sustainably while conserving biodiversity. Overcoming these conflicting problems is the ultimate challenge in African agricultural studies, and further development of research by various methods in various fields is expected.
Bottle gourd is amongst the widely grown yet under-researched cucurbit vegetable in India and sub-Saharan Africa. The fresh immature leaves, fruit and seed are used for food and medicinal purposes, as rootstock for watermelon. Despite the economic and culinary importance, availability of wide variation in Africa and India, the bottle gourd genetic resources remains under-utilized, particularly with respect to harnessing the nutritional quality. In the present study, we evaluated 91 bottle gourd accessions from India and identified promising bottle gourd accessions for quality traits such as total phenol content, total antioxidant capacity, magnesium, iron, zinc and copper contents. High genotypic coefficient of variation and phenotypic coefficient of variation (>20%) were recorded for all the biochemical traits and mineral nutrients. High heritability (h²) with high genetic advance was recorded for phenol content (99.00/62.76%) and antioxidant activity (99.71/62.58%) whereas high heritability (h²) with low genetic advance was recorded for all the mineral nutrients except magnesium (98.79/49.84%). Simple correlation coefficients among the different traits revealed a highly significant positive association of total phenol content with antioxidant activity, magnesium, iron and zinc content. Euclidian cluster analysis grouped 91 accessions into 12 clusters based on Ward's distance. Eigen value from principal component analysis depicted the first two components accounted for 62.43 cumulative percent of total variation which signifies a high degree of correlation between the analyzed traits. The promising accessions IC-0336825, IC-0385814, IC-0418246 and IC-0284925 and check cultivar Pusa Santusthi for phenol content, antioxidant activity and mineral nutrients (Mg, Fe, Zn and Cu) may be used as donors in the quality breeding program in bottle gourd. The implication of identified promising bottle gourd accessions for development of new cultivars in bottle gourd is discussed.
A set of 6 x 6 diallel crosses was made using the inbred lines from the Miyashige group of Japanese radish varieties. The root shape contours were delineated by elliptic Fourier descriptors, and information contained in the coefficients of the descriptors was summarized as the score of principal component analysis. The coefficients related to symmetrical (group A) and asymmetrical variations (group B) were handled separately. It was shown that the 1st and 2nd components of group A were associated with the aspect ratio and bluntness of the distal part of the root, respectively. The 1st component of group B was related to the degree of curvature of the root. The 1st and 2nd components of group A showed high broad and narrow sense heritabilities, and incomplete dominance. The 1st component of group B was also heritable, and showed incomplete dominance. Correlation between the proportion of dominant alleles of the parents (Vr + Wr) and the parental values showed that most alleles of the genes related either to thin shape or to straight shape were dominant. The size of the roots as expressed by their projection area was analyzed in a similar fashion. The size showed a high broad sense heritability but a low narrow sense heritability, and overdominance. The alleles producing larger root sizes were mostly dominant. Thus, symmetrical and asymmetrical variations and, also, shape and size showed different modes of inheritance.
The inheritance of citrus leaf shape was investigated by analyzing a diallel set of crosses of five citrus varieties/selections. Leaf contours were extracted by image processing, and described by elliptic Fourier descriptors. Mathematically independent shape characteristics were then identified by principal component analysis of the descriptors. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th components accounted for 51%, 20%, 10% and 6% of the total shape variation, and were good measures of the ratio of length to width, the position of the centroid, the curvature and the leaf wing size, respectively. Diallel analyses indicated that these components differed substantially in their mode of inheritance. The broad sense heritability was fairly high (> 0.90) in the 2nd and 4th components and high (> 0.70) in the 1st component, whereas the narrow sense heritability was high only in the 2nd component. There was no significant genetic effect in the 3rd component. The 1st, 2nd and 4th components showed over-, incomplete- and complete- dominance, respectively. The results indicate that elliptic Fourier descriptors can be successfully applied to the quantitative genetic analysis of citrus leaf shape.
This study concerns the knowledge and selection of biological diversity of maize (Zea mays) within its center of domestication in Mesoamerica. Maize farmers in central Chiapas of Southern México keep local varieties
(landraces) belonging to six races and four race mixtures. Fifteen local varieties are recognized. In spite of widespread
adoption of a modern, high yielding variety, maize farmers continue to select local varieties for specific soils and because
of agronomic and use criteria. Farmers maintain maize varieties primarily through seed selection. Spatial and temporal separation
do not seem sufficient to maintain varieties. The management of improved varieties can lead from a uniform population to a
heterogeneous one as hybridization with local maize populations occurs.
Este estudio trata sobre el conocimiento y la selectión de la diversidad bioldgica de maíz (Zea mays) en su centro de domesticatión
en Mesoamerica. Pequeños productores de maíz en la parte central del Estado de Chiapas en el sureste de México mantienen variedades
pertenecientes a seis razas y cuatro mezclas raciales. Se reconocen quince variedades locales. A pesar de la adoption de variedades
mejoradas de alto rendimiento, estos agricultores continúan seleccionando variedades locales para suelos particulares y debido
a criterios agronómicos y de uso. Estos agricultores mantienen sus variedades de maíz através the la selectión de la semilla.
La separatión espacial y temporal no parecen ser suficientes para mantener estas variedades. El manejo de las variedades mejoradas
puede conducir de una población uniforme a una heterogénea en la medida que occurre una hibridazación con las poblaciones
locales de maíz.
Biological diversity in cradle areas of crop origins has been an important source of genetic resources for world agriculture. The loss of biological resources in agricultural systems due to the introduction of high-yielding varieties is a potential cost of agricultural development. Our econometric analysis using data from Peru indicates that the adoption of high-yielding potato varieties results in a reduction but not a complete loss of biological diversity on individual farms and a possible loss in aggregate diversity. We conclude that on-site conservation of seed resources may be a viable complement to the off-site methods now in place.
Bean germplasm collections in northern Malawi revealed the existence of diverse landraces, which have probably been maintained
by the local farmers as heterogeneous mixtures since the precolonial introduction of Phaseolus vulgaris into eastern Africa.
The various seed types comprising these mixtures are known by an array of local names, reflecting farmer perceptions of seed
color and pattern, eating quality, plant structure, origin, and other characteristics. A principal components analysis of
morphological, phenological, and agronomic metrical traits for 375 lines randomly selected from 15 landraces revealed a clinal
pattern, with the northern and southern areas forming the extremes. Genetic distances, based on the first six PCs, indicated
greater between-area variability than within-area variability. Bean landrace diversity in Malawi is likely the result of a
complex interplay among forces that generate variability such as outcrossing and human and environmental selection.
Variation was of root shape in Japanese radish, due to genotypes, soil types and growth stages, were quantitatively evaluated
by principal components scores based on elliptic Fourier descriptors. Photographic images of sampled roots on 35mm color reversal
films were converted into digital images. After image processing, the contour of each root was expressed as chain-code and
then described by 77 coefficients of elliptic Fourier descriptors. After normalization about size, rotation, and starting
point of the contour, two groups of the coefficients, which are related to the symmetrical and asymmetrical variations of
shape, were analyzed separately, since artificially determined direction of curvature of the root may influence the results.
Principal component analysis of the coefficients showed that the major part of the symmetrical (A) and asymmetrical (B) variations
were summarized by at most 5 components. The cumulative contribution was 95.2% and 97.1%, respectively. Analysis of variance
of each component indicated that the variety effect was highly significant for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd principal components derived
from group A coefficients, which were related to the aspect ratio, bluntness of the distal part of the root, and swelling
of the middle part, respectively. This suggests that these traits are heritable and can be effectively selected through quantified
measures based on elliptic Fourier descriptors presented in this report. Direction and degree of curvature of root could be
analyzed independently of the symmetrical variation.
In field studies carried out at Cuyo-Cuyo, southern Peru, an area of traditional agriculture, the varietal and ploidy richness of two potato fields cultivated by the Quechua Indians was determined. Tetraploid primitive varieties were the most common, representing 95% of all plants sampled, but diploids and triploids were also found. The tuber crops agricultural system on the Incaic terraces was documented, and factors affecting the selection of potato varieties were assessed. Flavour and dry matter content were the most important quality factors indicated by local farmers.
There is a remarkably high level of variation within cultivated sesame and sorghum in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan although
the region is relatively small. The Nuba people are geographically isolated and culturally diverse in religion, language,
material inventory, agricultural practices and in their rituals involving crop plants, and this contributes to the diversity
in their cultivars. Nuba crop husbandry is sophisticated and high levels of genetic diversity are maintained by deliberate
selection of crop varieties that are well adapted to each of the microenvironments of the region and best suited for different
economic uses.
The Gourd Book: A Thorough and Fascinating Account of Gourds from Throughout the World University of Oklahoma Press Evaluation of variation of root shape of Japanese radish (Raphanus sativas L.) based on image analysis using elliptic Fourier descriptors
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Bottle gourds of the world
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Yuasa H. 1983. Bottle gourds of the world. Garden Life 181: 44–59 (in Japanese).
Ethnobotanical Study on Lagenaria siceraria
- Y S Cheng
Gourd Book: A Thorough and Fascinating Account of Gourds from Throughout the WorldUniversity of Oklahoma PressNorman
- C B Heiser
Interdependence of cultural and biological diversity: the case of the common gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) (Abstract)
- P M Maundu
- Y Morimoto