Cucumber Research Articles

N-Phenylnorbornenesuccinimide derivatives, agricultural defensive, and enzymatic target selection.

Faced with the need to develop new herbicides with modes of action different to those observed for existing agrochemicals, one of the most promising strategies employed by synthetic chemists involves the structural modification of molecules found in natural products. Molecules containing amides, imides, and epoxides as functional groups are prevalent in nature and find extensive application in synthesizing more intricate compounds due to their biological properties. In this context, this paper delineates the synthesis of N-phenylnorbornenesuccinimide derivatives, conducts biological assays, and carries out in silico investigation of the protein target associated with the most potent compound in plant organisms. The phytotoxic effects of the synthesized compounds (2-29) were evaluated on Allium cepa, Bidens pilosa, Cucumis sativus, Sorghum bicolor, and Solanum lycopersicum. Reaction of endo-bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-5-ene-3a,7a-dicarboxylic anhydride (1) with aromatic amines led to the N-phenylnorbornenesuccinic acids (2-11) with yields ranging from 75% to 90%. Cyclization of compounds (2-11) in the presence of acetic anhydride and sodium acetate afforded N-phenylnorbornenesuccinimides (12-20) with yields varying from 65% to 89%. Those imides were then subjected to epoxidation reaction to afford N-phenylepoxynorbornanesuccimides (21-29) with yields from 60% to 90%. All compounds inhibited the growth of seedlings of the plants evaluated. Substance 23 was the most active against the plants tested, inhibiting 100% the growth of all species in all concentrations. Cyclophilin was found to be the enzymatic target of compound 23. These findings suggest that derivatives of N-phenylnorbornenesuccinimide are promising compounds in the quest for more selective and stable agrochemicals. This perspective reinforces the significance of these derivatives as potential innovative herbicides and emphasizes the importance of further exploring their biological activity on weeds. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Selective Influence of Chromolaena odorata Extracts on the Germination and Growth of Vegetable Crops: A Comparative Study of Aqueous and Methanolic Solutions

This study conducted a thorough assessment of how germination and growth of shoots and roots in eight vegetable crops are influenced by aqueous and methanolic extracts from Chromolaena odorata. Findings reveal a broad spectrum of germination responses to leaf extracts (13.3% to 86.7%), signaling the intricate dynamics at play between the plant's chemical compounds and the germination mechanism. Notably, Cucumis sativus (70% at AQE 5%) and Phaseolus vulgaris (56.70% at AQE 10%), displayed remarkable resilience and even stimulation of germination under specific extract concentrations, suggesting a potential selective stimulatory effect. For root extracts, the introduction of AQE and MTE decreased germination percentages across crops. A. esculentus had the highest germination rate at AQE 20%, significantly lower than the control (60%). Solanum. melongena tolerated AQE 5% best, while MTE 20% was most inhibitory. Conversely, Solanum lycopersicum experienced complete germination inhibition in both AQE and MTE of leaf and root extracts, indicating species-specific vulnerability to the allelopathic compounds within the extracts. Shoot growth mostly declined with higher extract concentrations, except in Solanum melongena, Capsicum annuum, and Zea mays, which saw increased shoot lengths under certain conditions. Root growth responses were mixed; Abelmoschus esculentus and Zea mays showed growth increases at some concentrations, in contrast to Cucumis sativus and Solanum melongena, which had limited growth. Methanolic extracts had a stronger inhibitory effect, likely due to their potent bioactive compounds. These findings highlight the importance of extract type, concentration, and crop species in weed management, providing insights for sustainable agricultural practices.

Effect of Exogenous Plant Growth Regulators on Growth, Yield, and Quality of Parthenocarpic Cucumber/English Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under Protected Condition

This study was carried out during the Rabi season 2022-2023 to investigate the effect of different levels of NAA, GA3, and TIBA on the growth, yield, and quality of Pusa Parthenocarpic cucumber – 6 and to estimate the economics. The study was conducted from January to March 2023, the research revealed NAA's significant effect on vine length, earliness parameters, yield, and quality attributes. Treatment 8 (NAA@200ppm) emerged as particularly promising, demonstrating superior growth with an average plant height of 290 cm, accelerated development with an average fruit weight of 252.67 g, and a maximum benefit-cost ratio of 2.39.

Enhancing in vitro regeneration via somatic embryogenesis and Fusarium wilt resistance of Egyptian cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cultivars

BackgroundSomatic embryogenesis offers a reliable method for cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) regeneration and genetic enhancement against Fusarium wilt. This study aimed to establish a tailored somatic embryogenesis system for Egyptian cultivars, fostering genetic improvements and Fusarium wilt-resistance lines. ResultsEmploying the Optimal Arbitrary Design (OAD) approach, we optimized the induction medium, initiating prolific embryogenic calli (53.3 %) at 1 mg/L 2,4-D. The cotyledonary leaf (CL) was the preferred explant, showing 60 % embryogenic callus development. Bieth Alpha exhibited higher responsiveness, generating ∼ 18 somatic embryos per explant compared to Prince's ∼ 10. Somatic embryogenesis system validation used quantitative RT-PCR, showing Cucumis sativus splicing factor 3B subunit (CUS1) and an embryogenesis marker gene expression exclusively within embryogenic calli and mainly during embryogenesis initiation. Evaluating fungal toxin filtrate concentrations for selecting embryogenic calli, the S2 selection (25 % filtrate, four subculture cycles) was chosen for somatic embryo development. To gauge the ramifications of selection at the genetic stratum, an in-depth analysis was executed. A cluster analysis grounded in ISSR banding patterns revealed a distinct separation between in vivo-cultivated plants of the two cultivars and regenerated plants devoid of pathogen filtrate treatment or those regenerated post-filtrate treatment. This segregation distinctly underscores the discernible genetic impact of the selection process. ConclusionsThe highest embryogenic capacity (53.3%) was achieved in this study by optimizing the induction stage, which demonstrated the optimal concentrations of BA and 2,4-D for induced proembryonic masses. Moreover, consistent gene expression throughout both stages of embryogenesis suggests that our system unequivocally follows the somatic embryogenesis pathway.

Studies on Graded Levels of NPK on Growth and Yield of Parthenocarpic Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under Naturally Ventilated Polyhouse Condition

The present study highlights on graded levels of NPK on growth and yield of parthenocarpic cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under naturally ventilated polyhouse condition. The graded level of NPK applied in parthenocarpic Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under naturally ventilated polyhouse condition. The results in nutshell indicated that the growth, yield, quality, nutrient availability, nutrient uptake were significantly influenced by application of 125% NPK RDF of cucumber crop. The growth parameters viz., plant height 74.44, 99.18, 131, 153 and 194.58 cm at 30 DAT, 45 DAT, 60 DAT, 75 DAT and 90 DAT, Number of primary branches 8.24, 10.96, 15.40, 17.60 and 20.02 at 30 DAT, 45 DAT, 60 DAT, 75 DAT and 90 DAT, leaf area 163, 242.33, 307, 387.33 and 492.33 cm2 30 DAT, 45 DAT, 60 DAT, 75 DAT and 90 DAT, internodal distance, fruit length, fruit weight, fruit diameter, dry matter content, chlorophyll – a, chlorophyll – b and total chlorophyll content, number of leaves significantly increased with application of 125 % RDF with 7 days of intervals. Significantly higher number of fruits plant-1, number of primary branches, fruit yield plot-1, Leaf area and fruit yield ha-1, with application of 125 % RDF with 7 days of intervals. The improvement in quality parameters were recorded with application of 125 % RDF with 7 days of intervals. followed by treatments T6, T7, (100 % RDF with 2 and 7 days of intervals upto 90 DAT) and T8 (125% of RDF 2 days of interval up to 90 DAT).

Blue LED trap and commercial lure improve western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) monitoring in cucumber crops

Blue sticky traps contribute substantially to monitoring the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), in greenhouses. Although sticky traps can detect the initial presence of thrips reliably, an estimation of the actual thrips density in the crop by counting number of thrips on the traps is often not accurate. To overcome this issue, we compared blue sticky traps and newly developed sticky LED-enlightened traps in combination with the commercial thrips kairomone Lurem-TR under commercial growing conditions. Therefore, an experiment was conducted in cucumber, Cucumis sativus L. (Cucurbitaceae), crop stands in greenhouse cabins investigating the correlation between thrips caught on (LED) traps and the thrips density in the crop for an accurate and reliable thrips monitoring. Additionally, experiments aiming to understand underlying mechanisms of thrips orientation towards traps in different scenarios were conducted under controlled conditions. Results show that thrips catches on sticky LED enlightened coloured traps correlated strongly positive with number of thrips in the crop, especially at low thrips population densities. Adding Lurem to this trap type further improved accuracy of the correlation in the greenhouse cabin experiment. Moreover, LED traps with and without Lurem were more attractive towards thrips in small follow-up experiments compared to standard blue sticky traps. The results are discussed in the context of general orientation of thrips and its behaviour towards visual and olfactory cues when considering different scenarios. Our study shows the successful integration of blue LEDs into an existing trapping system and underlines the advantages compared with standard sticky plates. In conclusion, sticky LED enlightened coloured traps have a potential as an improved thrips monitoring device that might improve pest management decisions.

Role of root plasma membrane H+-ATPase in enhancing Cucumis sativus adaptation to microcystins.

Microcystins (MCs) are the most widespread and hazardous cyanotoxins posing a huge threat to agro-ecosystem by irrigation. Some adaptive metabolisms can be initiated at the cellular and molecular levels of plant to survive environmental change. To find ways to improve plant tolerance to MCs after recognizing adaptive mechanism in plant, we studied effects of MCs on root morphology, mineral element contents, root activity, H+-ATPase activity, and its gene expression level in cucumber during exposure and recovery (without MCs) periods. After being exposed to MCs (1, 10, 100 and 1000μg L-1) for 7days, we found 1μg L-1 MCs did not affect growth and mineral elements in cucumber. MCs at 10μg ·L-1 increased root activity and H+-ATPase activity partly from upregulation of genes (CsHA2, CsHA3, CsHA8, and CsHA9) expression, to promote nutrient uptake. Then, the increase in NO3-, Fe, Zn, and Mn contents could contribute to maintaining root growth and morphology. Higher concentration MCs (100 or 1000µg L-1) inhibited root activity and H+-ATPase activity by downregulating expression of genes (CsHA2, CsHA3, CsHA4, CsHA8, CsHA9, and CsHA10), decreased contents of nutrient elements except Ca largely, and caused root growing worse. After a recovery, the absorption activity and H+-ATPase activity in cucumber treated with10 μg L-1 MCs were closed to the control whereas all parameters in cucumber treated 1000μg L-1 MCs were even worse. All results indicate that the increase in H+-ATPase activity can enhance cucumber tolerance to MC stress by regulating nutrient uptake, especially when the MCs occur at low concentrations.

Cucumber breeding for spring film greenhouses for resistance to real powdery mildew

Relevance. Powdery mildew is one of the most common and harmful diseases of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in open and protected ground. Moreover, in the closed ground, the harmfulness is higher than in the field. The yield of cucumber, due to the defeat of plants by powdery mildew, decreases by 30-50%, and in some cases by more than 70%. The creation of modern cucumber hybrids is impossible without the constant involvement in the breeding process of new sources of economically useful traits, including resistance to real powdery mildew. It is very important to combine in one line both a high degree of parthenocarpy, and the female type of flowering, and resistance to the most harmful diseases. We tried to solve this problem in our work.Materials and methods. The experience was laid in 2018-2022 in the Odintsovo district of the Moscow region on the basis of the head institution of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution Federal Scientific Vegetable Center (FSBSI FSVC) in the conditions of a spring ground greenhouse of the Block type, on a natural infectious background. On the basis of the laboratory of breeding and seed production of pumpkin crops, 27 collectible and about 50 breeding samples of parthenocarpic cucumber were studied. The article presents an assessment of the resistance to this powdery mildew of 36 of the most aligned and most valuable cucumber breeding samples in terms of a complex of economically useful features. 2-3 families, 6 plants in each, were evaluated for each sample for 2 years. During the entire growing season, the intensity of powdery mildew damage was assessed on a four-point scale and the spread of the disease in %.Results. Among the collection samples of cucumber, on a natural infectious background, two hybrids of the agrofirm BEJO ZADEN B.V. were not affected by powdery mildew: Amur 1801 F1, Artist F1, a hybrid without a name of the agrofirm MONSANTO HOLLAND B.V., conventionally named – Semenis F1 and hybrid Kibria F1 of the agrofirm RIJK ZWAAN. To a small extent, less than one point, they were amazed: Orpheus F1, Merengue F1, Marinda F1, Masha F1, Othello F1, List F1, Adam F1, SV 4097 F1 and Krasotka F1. 11cucumber breeding samples selected in previous years of research on a complex of economically useful signs that were not affected by this disease during 2 years of research were identified. Work will continue to evaluate these lines for resistance to real powdery mildew on an artificial infectious background.

Guanosine-specific single-stranded ribonuclease effectors of a phytopathogenic fungus potentiate host immune responses.

Plants activate immunity upon recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Although phytopathogens have evolved a set of effector proteins to counteract plant immunity, some effectors are perceived by hosts and induce immune responses. Here, we show that two secreted ribonuclease effectors, SRN1 and SRN2, encoded in a phytopathogenic fungus, Colletotrichum orbiculare, induce cell death in a signal peptide- and catalytic residue-dependent manner, when transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. The pervasive presence of SRN genes across Colletotrichum species suggested the conserved roles. Using a transient gene expression system in cucumber (Cucumis sativus), an original host of C. orbiculare, we show that SRN1 and SRN2 potentiate host pattern-triggered immunity responses. Consistent with this, C. orbiculare SRN1 and SRN2 deletion mutants exhibited increased virulence on the host. In vitro analysis revealed that SRN1 specifically cleaves single-stranded RNAs at guanosine, leaving a 3'-end phosphate. Importantly, the potentiation of C. sativus responses by SRN1 and SRN2, present in the apoplast, depends on ribonuclease catalytic residues. We propose that the pathogen-derived apoplastic guanosine-specific single-stranded endoribonucleases lead to immunity potentiation in plants.

Hormone Signals Involved in the Regulation of Cucumber Seedling Lateral Branch Elongation by Far-Red Light

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) lateral branch elongation is influenced by a variety of environmental signals, including light [e.g., far-red (FR) light] and hormones. In this experiment, the effect of FR light on the lateral branch elongation of cucumber (‘Zhongnong No. 26’) seedlings was investigated. The results showed that FR light significantly inhibited the lateral branch elongation of cucumber seedlings. In addition, FR light significantly increased the auxin (indole-3-acetic acid, IAA) content, decreased the cytokinin (CTK; Zeatin) content, and suppressed the expression of most CTK synthetic-related genes, such as IPTs, in cucumber seedlings. The lateral branch elongation of cucumber seedlings was assessed in response to decapitation and exogenous 6-BA treatment to further investigate the relationship between IAA and CTK on the lateral branch elongation of cucumber seedlings under FR light. Both decapitation and exogenous 6-BA treatment eliminated the inhibitory effect of FR light on the lateral branch elongation of cucumber seedlings. In conclusion, these results indicated that IAA and CTK were involved in the regulatory effects of FR light on cucumber seedling lateral branch elongation.

Synergistic effects of biochar and poultry manure on soil and cucumber (Cucumis sativus) performance: A case study from the southeastern Nigeria

Synergistic effects of biochar and poultry manure on soil and cucumber (Cucumis sativus) performance: A case study from the southeastern Nigeria

Multiplex gene editing reveals cucumber MILDEW RESISTANCE LOCUS O family roles in powdery mildew resistance.

Powdery mildew (PM) is one of the most widespread and prevalent diseases that affects a wide range of crops. In cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), previous forward genetic studies have identified MILDEW RESISTANCE LOCUS O 8 (CsMLO8) as necessary but alone insufficient for cucumber PM resistance (PMR) and suggested the involvement of other members of the CsMLO family. However, the function of other CsMLO family members in cucumber remains largely unknown. Here, we developed a highly efficient multiplex gene editing system in cucumber to generate a series of Csmlo mutants from all the 13 family members. Systematic analysis of these mutants revealed growth effects of these CsMLO family members on development and PMR. Importantly, we obtained the Csmlo1/8/11 triple mutant with complete resistance to PM. Transcriptome and proteome analysis of PM-resistant Csmlo mutants suggested that the kinesin-like calmodulin-binding protein (KCBP)-interacting Ca2+-binding protein (CsKIC), calmodulin-like protein 28 (CsCML28), and Ca2+-dependent protein kinase 11 (CsCPK11)-mediated calcium signaling pathway is involved in PMR. CsMLO8 interacted directly with CsKIC, and the simultaneous silencing of both genes resulted in a phenotype that resembled the silencing of CsKIC alone. Silencing CsCML28 and CsCPK11 increased susceptibility to PM, whereas overexpressing CsCPK11 through genetic transformation enhanced cucumber's PMR, demonstrating their positive regulatory roles in PMR. Given the importance of PMR for cucurbit crops, this research provides unprecedented insights into the function of the proteins encoded by the CsMLO gene family as well as the plant defense response to PM pathogen.

Effect of moisture deficiency on the apple stress-associated protein expression level .

In plants, stress-associated proteins (SAP) are involved in response to adverse biotic and abiotic factors. In order to study the drought effect on changes in the SAP expression level in apple trees and their involvement in stress response, an expression level of fourteen genes belonging to this family was analyzed using qPCR. Their participation in a stress response to drought in the genome of the MM-106 apple tree rootstock was shown. At that, the genes demonstrated a tendency to increase their expression by the fourth hour of drought exposure followed by its decrease by the twenty-fourth hour.A comparison of the data obtained during the described experiment with the data obtained when modeling drought under milder conditions showed that under more severe drought conditions, an expression of a greater number of gene encoding stress-associated proteins increases, and a more pronounced response occurs. Evaluation of the effect of an identity degree of nucleotide sequences of gene encoding stress-associated proteins on the similarity of their expression profiles under drought exposure did not reveal any direct relationship between the primary structure of genes and the nature of their expression.In the structure of stress-associated proteins encoded by the genes most strongly response to drought in Malus, Solanum lycopersicum, Gossypium hirsutum, and Cucumis sativus, the A20-AN1 type domain occurs more frequently than other types of zinc finger domains. Analysis of the similarity of stress-associated protein sequences and the expression levels of genes encoding them under drought conditions in different plant species (apple, cotton, tomato, and cucumber) suggests that in each species, the evolution of adaptation mechanisms, including SAP encoding genes, occurred independently and, most likely, after separation of those species from their common ancestor. The results obtained will make it possible to clarify the role of individual genes, encoding SAP, in the formation of an apple stress response to the drought effect.

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) with heterologous poly-γ-glutamic acid has skin moisturizing, whitening and anti-wrinkle effects

Three genes involved in poly-γ-glutamic acid(γ-PGA)synthesis cloned from Bacillus licheniformis were transformed into cucumber for the first time. Compared with control, its water content increased by 6–14 % and water loss rate decreased by 11–12 %. In zebrafish and human skin experiments, the moisturizing effect of transgenic cucumber was significantly higher than that of CK, γ-PGA and hyaluronic acid group. Transgenic cucumber reduced facial wrinkles and roughness by 19.58 % and 24.97 %, reduced skin melanin content by 5.27 %, increased skin topological angle and L-value by 5.89 % and 2.49 %, and increased the R2 and Q1 values of facial elasticity by 7.67 % and 5.64 %, respectively. The expressions of aqp3, Tyr, silv and OCA2 were down-regulated, eln1, eln2, col1a1a and col1a1b were up-regulated in zebrafish after treated with transgenic cucumber. This study provides an important reference for the endogenous synthesis of important skin care functional molecules in plants.

Do DEEPER ROOTING 1 Homologs Regulate the Lateral Root Slope Angle in Cucumber (Cucumis sativus)?

The architecture of the root system is fundamental to plant productivity. The rate of root growth, the density of lateral roots, and the spatial structure of lateral and adventitious roots determine the developmental plasticity of the root system in response to changes in environmental conditions. One of the genes involved in the regulation of the slope angle of lateral roots is DEEPER ROOTING 1 (DRO1). Its orthologs and paralogs have been identified in rice, Arabidopsis, and several other species. However, nothing is known about the formation of the slope angle of lateral roots in species with the initiation of lateral root primordia within the parental root meristem. To address this knowledge gap, we identified orthologs and paralogs of the DRO1 gene in cucumber (Cucumis sativus) using a phylogenetic analysis of IGT protein family members. Differences in the transcriptional response of CsDRO1, CsDRO1-LIKE1 (CsDRO1L1), and CsDRO1-LIKE2 (CsDRO1L2) to exogenous auxin were analyzed. The results showed that only CsDRO1L1 is auxin-responsive. An analysis of promoter-reporter fusions demonstrated that the CsDRO1, CsDRO1L1, and CsDRO1L2 genes were expressed in the meristem in cell files of the central cylinder, endodermis, and cortex; the three genes displayed different expression patterns in cucumber roots with only partial overlap. A knockout of individual CsDRO1, CsDRO1L1, and CsDRO1L2 genes was performed via CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing. Our study suggests that the knockout of individual genes does not affect the slope angle formation during lateral root primordia development in the cucumber parental root.

Total arsenic contamination in soil, vegetables, and fruits and its potential health risks in the Chitral Valley, Pakistan

Total arsenic (TAs) contamination is a serious health issue that affects many parts of the world. The sources of TAs in the Himalayas and Hindu Kush Mountains are rocks containing sulfide minerals and coal. The current study investigated the concentrations of TAs in soil, vegetables, and fruits collected from the Chitral Valley in the Hindukush Mountains of Pakistan. Vegetables consisted of Solanum tuberosum (potatoes), Mentha spicata (mint), Chenopodium album (goosefoot), Coriandrum sativum (coriander), Cucumis sativus (cucumber), Amaranthus viridis (green amaranth), and Medicago sativa (alfalfa); and fruits consisted of Prunus armeniaca (apricot), Morus alba (mulberry), Juglans regia (nut), Malus domestica (apple), and Vitis vinifera (grapes). The average concentration of TAs was the highest in the Gabur soils and lowest in the Bamborait soils. In vegetables, the highest TAs concentration was found in goosefoot (11.11 ± 1.9 mg·kg−1) and the lowest in cucumbers (1.38 ± 0.3 mg·kg−1). In fruits, the highest TAs concentration was found in grapes (4.3 ± 0.5 mg·kg−1), while no TAs concentration was detected in nuts (± indicates the one standard deviation range). The transfer factor (TF) values were high only in Bomborait soils (TF > 1). Leafy vegetables and juicy fruits (possessing high water content) were found to be more susceptible to TAs contamination. The daily intake of metals (DIA), human health risk index (HRI), and cancer risk demonstrated that the Chitral Valley is at high risk due to TAs contamination, which may pose a threat to the concerned community and ecosystem. The current findings suggest that leafy vegetables and juicy fruits in the study area should be carefully consumed.

Residue behavior and consumer risk assessment of combination product of betacyfluthrin and imidacloprid on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Residue behavior and consumer risk assessment of combination product of betacyfluthrin and imidacloprid on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Impact of Different Irrigation and Fertigation Practices on the Growth and Productivity of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under Protected Environment

The study assessed the impact of various drip irrigation and fertigation strategies on cucumber growth under protected cultivation. Over two seasons, surface drip (I1) was compared with subsurface drip irrigation (I2) under five fertigation treatments (F1-F5). Results revealed that I2 significantly improved growth parameters and yield over I1, including 5.5% reduction in days to 50 per cent flowering and 4.3% decrease in days to first picking. Fruit count and plant height increased by 14.1% and 7.8%, respectively, with a 14.9% rise in yield. Among fertigation treatments, F3 (compost tea with 75% NPK) outperformed the recommended practice F5 (100% NPK), showing a 7.8% faster approach to 50% flowering and reduced the number of days to first picking by 7.7%. F3 led to a 1.2% higher fruit count and a 6.2 and 14.7% increase in plant height and yield, respectively. The findings underscore the effectiveness of subsurface drip irrigation and integrated fertigation, particularly the F3, in enhancing cucumber production under protected conditions. The research highlights the potential of these practices in improving crop productivity and sustainability, especially in water-scarce areas.

Attenuation of Zucchini mosaic virus disease in cucumber plants by mycorrhizal symbiosis

Key messageArbuscular mycorrhizal fungi generated systemic acquired resistance in cucumber to Zucchini yellow mosaic virus, indicating their prospective application in the soil as a sustainable, environmentally friendly approach to inhibit the spread of pathogens.The wide spread of plant pathogens affects the whole world, causing several plant diseases and threatening national food security as it disrupts the quantity and quality of economically important crops. Recently, environmentally acceptable mitigating practices have been required for sustainable agriculture, restricting the use of chemical fertilizers in agricultural areas. Herein, the biological control of Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants using arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi was investigated. Compared to control plants, ZYMV-infected plants displayed high disease incidence (DI) and severity (DS) with various symptoms, including severe yellow mosaic, mottling and green blisters of leaves. However, AM fungal inoculation exhibited 50% inhibition for these symptoms and limited DS to 26% as compared to non-colonized ones. The detection of ZYMV by the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay technique exhibited a significant reduction in AM-inoculated plants (5.23-fold) compared with non-colonized ones. Besides, mycorrhizal root colonization (F%) was slightly reduced by ZYMV infection. ZYMV infection decreased all growth parameters and pigment fractions and increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, however, these parameters were significantly enhanced and the MDA content was decreased by AM fungal colonization. Also, the protein, proline and antioxidant enzymes (POX and CAT) were increased with ZYMV infection with more enhancements due to AM root colonization. Remarkably, defence pathogenesis-related (PR) genes such as PR-a, PR-b, and PR-10 were quickly expressed in response to AM treatment. Our findings demonstrated the beneficial function of AM fungi in triggering the plant defence against ZYMV as they caused systemic acquired resistance in cucumber plants and supported their potential use in the soil as an environment-friendly method of hindering the spread of pathogenic microorganisms sustainably.

Pengaruh bentuk morfologi bunga tanaman refugia terhadap ketertarikan serangga polinator dan musuh alami Ordo Hymenoptera

The refugia plant is a flowering plant that functions as a shelter and food source for natural enemy insects and pollinator insects. The number of natural enemy insects and pollinators visiting plants is due to differences in morphological characters, flower color, nectar, flowering time and aroma. insects like small flowers, open petals, easy-to-reach pollen locations and also a longer flowering time. Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 4 replications and 8 treatments of flower types, namely Cosmos caudatus, Zinna elegans, Melampodium divaricatum, Tegestes erecta, Cucumis sativus L., Bassica rapa, Solanum melongena L., Lycopersicum esculentum Mill. The results showed that the percentage of Melampodium divaricatum Produced the percentage of parasitoid insects from the Chalcidade family is 17% and Braconidae 16?. Most of the visitors to C. caudatus flowers are parasitoid insects from the Braconidae family, 18%. In Zinnia sp flowers, parasitoid insect visits from the Pompilidae family were 19%. T. erecta flowers that visit pollinator insects from the family Apidae 23%. In the type of horticultural flower, namely C. sativus , the largest in the predatory insect family Ampulicidae is 25%. , whereas in the flowers of the B. rapa family Barconidae 39%, S. melongena L. Ichenumonidae and Braconidae 33% , L. esculentum Mill. Icneumonidae as much as 38% of these insects as parasitoids. Best treatment for M. divaricatum flowers with open flower types, pollen location outside, crown diameter 23.44 mm, base diameter 11.48 mm, flower tube length 5.22 mm, flowering time 24.25 days.