Recent Progress in the Regeneration and Genetic Transformation System of Cucumber

Abstract

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), belonging to the gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), is one of the major vegetable crops in China. Conventional genetic breeding methods are ineffective for improving the tolerance of cucumber to various environmental stresses, diseases, and pests in the short term, but bio-engineering technologies can be applied to cucumber breeding to produce new cultivars with high yield and quality. Regeneration and genetic transformation systems are key technologies in modern cucumber breeding. Compared with regeneration systems, genetic transformation systems are not yet fully effective, and the low efficiency of genetic transformation is a bottleneck in cucumber cultivation. Here, we systematically review the key factors influencing the regeneration and genetic transformation of cucumber plants, including the selection of genotype, source of explants and forms of exogenous hormones added to the medium, the methods of transgene introduction and co-cultivation, and selection methods. In addition, we also focus on recent advances in the study of molecular mechanisms underlying important agronomic traits using genetic transformation technology, such as fruit length, fruit warts, and floral development. This review provides reference information for future research on improvements in cucumber varieties.