Pumpkin Crops Research Articles

The influence of genetic similarity, peroxidase activity and ascorbic acid content in the components of pumpkin crop grafts on their survival rate

Grafting of vegetable crops is widely used in industrial vegetable growing in Asia and Western Europe. However, the influence of the genetic relationship of the scion and rootstock, the activity of peroxidase and the content of ascorbic acid in the components of the graft during inosculation period on graft survival has been poorly studied. The objects of the research are nine species of the pumpkin family (Cucurbitaceae). The polymorphism of 11 taxa was studied based on ISSR-PCR of genomic DNA. The record of survival rate of scion-rootstock combinations was conducted on the 10-th day. The activity of peroxidase was determined by the spectrophotometric method, the content of ascorbic acid was determined by Murri. Significant differences in survival rate were noted when grafting momordica into pumpkin rootstock variants: large-fruited (94.6 %) and nutmeg (67.1 %). In experiments with watermelon, melon and trichosanthes, the influence of the type of rootstock on the viability of the graft was not revealed. According to the ISSR spectra, the taxa were divided into two clusters; interspecific groupings of each clade were supported by average bootstrap values (from 26 to 100 %). A medium effect (r = 0.36) of the degree of genetic similarity of the scion with the rootstock on the survival rate of watermelon and a weak effect on the survival rate of melon, momordica and trichosanthes were revealed. The activity of peroxidase and the content of ascorbic acid in the grafting components in different scionrootstock combinations had a weak and moderate effect on plant survival, respectively. The survival rate of trichosanthes on various types of rootstocks strongly depended on the content of ascorbic acid (r = 0.7). Genetic relatedness, peroxidase activity, and ascorbic acid content had a weak or moderate effect on the survival rate of plants in scion-rootstock combinations.

Adopsi Internet of Things dalam Budidaya Labu Madu di Kawasan Pertanian Urban

<span lang="EN-US">Badran Village is known for its signature honey pumpkin cultivation, which is managed by the village's Women Farmers Group (KWT). These honey gourds have a high selling value in the fruit market, ranging from Rp35,000 to Rp80,000 per kilogram. However, the crop watering system in Badran Village is still conventional, causing challenges in maintaining sufficient and regular irrigation for the honey pumpkin crop which is highly dependent on water supply. In an effort to increase productivity and water-use efficiency in honey pumpkin cultivation, the KKN Team of Sebelas Maret University Group 33 proposed a work program in the form of an Automatic Drip Irrigation System. This system utilizes Internet of Things (IoT) technology with NodeMcu ESP8266 as the control board and Blynk platform to allow remote supervision and control of the device via smartphone. The use of this technology is expected to help KWT and other urban farmers in maximizing their agricultural yields and reducing water wastage. The results of the KKN Group 33 activities in Badran Village show that the construction of the drip irrigation system went smoothly according to schedule. The construction of this automatic drip irrigation system is expected to help KWT in increasing the potential of honey pumpkin farming as well as agricultural tourism attraction in their village. This research also provides room for improvement by incorporating soil moisture sensors or automatic scheduling based on time, which can further increase the efficiency of this system</span>

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.

Classification of pumpkin disease by using a hybrid approach

Agricultural products are crucial for the long-term sustainability of developing economies. Agriculture is a vital sector for most developing countries, including Ethiopia. The pumpkin crop is one of the most significant agricultural products globally in terms of human food security. However, it is susceptible to several diseases, including pumpkin common rust diseased leaf, pumpkin Downy mildew diseased leaf, and pumpkin fruit rot, among others. Traditionally, farmers identify diseases through visual observation, which is both inaccurate and time-consuming. Previous research has indicated that binary classification has to be improved because some classes were more difficult to detect. In this paper, we proposed a hybrid method that incorporates the extract features of the ResNet and LeNet networks to construct a pumpkin disease classification model. Dataset gathering, image preprocessing, segmentation, augmentation, feature extraction, and classification are all processes in the proposed hybrid CNN ResLeNet model. Finally, the suggested hybrid method CNN model was assessed, yielding 99.78 % training accuracy, 98.18 % validation accuracy, and 97.21 % testing accuracy1. The study's findings suggest that the proposed hybrid model is suitable for recognizing pumpkin leaf and fruit diseases from digital images of pumpkin.

Fasciation in cucurbits

The article presents a literature review on fasciation in pumpkin crops. In almost all pumpkin crops, you can find such a phenomenon as fasciation. However, it is more common in cucumbers and pumpkins than in melons and watermelons. Fasciation (or crystallization) is a change that can occur in the morphology of plant organs and usually includes expansion of the apical meristem of the shoot, flattening of the stem and changes in the arrangement of leaves. In pumpkin crops, the fasciated organs are often whips, flowers and fruits. A number of authors divide fasciations into inherited and non-inherited. The first are caused by internal reasons. The second is the effect of external factors, such as insect damage, injury, weather conditions. According to literature data, fasciation is caused by 1-2 recessive genes with incomplete manifestation and variable expression, which depends on a number of factors, including environmental conditions. The opp gene may have a pleiotropic effect on fasciation and leaf arrangement. In Federal Scientific Vegetable Center in spring film greenhouses, among the selection and collection samples of cucumber, fasciated plants ranged from 0 to 1.9%, depending on the genotype of the studied samples and the year of research (growing conditions). According to literature data, fasciation is more often observed in short-fruited, but it can also be detected in long-fruited forms of cucumber. Fused fruits are more likely to appear on cucumber hybrids with a large number of ovaries in the node. It should be noted, that highly fasciated plants are usually less productive, and most fasciated fruits are often classified as non-standard and rejected. Regular culling by breeders of fasciated samples and plants, within individual samples, will allow to create varieties less prone to fasciation. And compliance with the recommended varietal agrotechnics, improvement of the ecological situation will help to significantly reduce the number of fasciated plants and fruits and improve the marketability of products.

Genetics of begomovirus resistance in Cucurbita moschata Duchesne: A novel resistant source PVR-1343

Whitefly transmitted begomoviruses are the most destructive virus(es) that causes quantitative and qualitative losses to pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) crop worldwide. In present study we have molecularly characterized three types of viral infections, which were caused by squash leaf curl China virus (SLCCNV), tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV), and their mixed infection (MI-Sq/To). Screening of diverse germplasm through whitefly (Bemisia tabaci mitotype Asia II) mediated artificial inoculation and PCR confirmed the 'PVR-1343' genotype as a resistance source against identified begomoviruses. To understand the genetic control of begomovirus resistant gene(s), segregating populations derived from crosses of 'PVR-1343' and four susceptible genotypes (MVSR-6711, Punjab Samrat, MBN-6242 and P-278) inoculated with SLCCNV, ToLCNDV and MI-Sq/To by whitefly in closed environment for three consecutive years (2018–2020). Disease scoring at 75 days after sowing rendered all F1 progenies as susceptible indicating recessive nature of resistance with no maternal or cytoplasmic effects. Chi-square analysis indicated a good fit of 9(S):3(MS):3(MR):1(R) ratio in F2 progenies of all crosses. Backcross of the F1’s to the resistant parent segregated into 1:1:1:1 ratio, while all progeny were susceptible in backcross of the F1’s with susceptible parent. Phenotypic segregation ratio of F2:3 confirmed the F2 genotypic ratio of 1:2:2:4:1:2:1:2:1. This substantiated that multiple begomovirus resistance in 'PVR-1343' is controlled by digenic recessive genes. Moreover, F2:3 progenies resistant to SLCCNV were also resistant to ToLCNDV and MI-Sq/To and vice versa, suggesting that common or tightly linked gene(s) might be involved in resistance to both viruses.

Effectiveness of the use of various biostimulants in increasing the productivity of squash crops

This article examines the problem of using natural biostimulants and creating new biologically active substances, introducing them into production, and increasing medicinal properties to increase the productivity of pumpkin crops in Uzbekistan. In this case, moisturising of pumpkin and cucumber seeds in biostimulators before planting, spraying during the growing season, and mixed (seed moisturising and spraying during the growing season) methods were used. As a solution to this problem, it was determined that it is useful to study the effect of biostimulants on pumpkin crops and to improve the quality of the product, to enrich its biochemical composition and to determine its medicinal properties. Research was conducted in 2018-2020 at Gulistan State University and Andijan Institute of agriculture and agrotechnology. In the cultivation of pumpkin and cucumber, plants were treated with Gossipren, Uchqun, Uchqun plus and Verva biostimulants, and the efficiency of Uchqun plus biostimulant at different rates was determined. When 0.01% Uchqun plus biostimulant was used in a mixed method, it was determined that the productivity of Ispanskaya 73 variety of pumpkin increased by 31.5 t/ha and that of Palov kadu 268 variety increased by 31.8 t/ha. When cucumber plants were affected by this method - Orzu F1 - 35.1 t/ha and 34.5 t/ha were obtained in Navruz variety.

Selection of cucumber for parthenocarpy for spring greenhouses

Scientific relevance. Currently, in the protected ground, the main areas are occupied by parthenocarpic hybrids of cucumber of foreign origin. Therefore, the selection of domestic cucumber hybrids of the parthenocarpic type is very relevant.Material and conditions. The experience was laid in 2018-2022 in the Odintsovo district of the Moscow region in the conditions of a spring film ground greenhouse of the "Block" type on the basis of the head institution of the FSBSI FSVC. Agrotechnics of cultivation is generally accepted for the conditions of spring film greenhouses. In breeding nurseries where there were no bees, the degree of parthenocarpy was determined as the ratio of the fruit set to the number of female flowers formed on the plant, as a percentage. The records were carried out from the 5th to the 20th node inclusive, only on plants of the female type of flowering. On the basis of the laboratory of breeding and seed production of pumpkin crops, 27 collectible and more than 50 breeding samples of parthenocarpic cucumber were studied.Results. During three years of research, 7 hybrids of cucumber of the parthenocarpic type of foreign breeding were selected based on the sum of economically useful traits.These hybrids were distinguished by a high degree of parthenocarpy. With their participation, as a result of multiple selections and self-pollination, more than 50 breeding lines were created. Analysis of the obtained material showed that the degree of manifestation of parthenocarpy on the plant (the arithmetic mean between the indicators of parthenocarpy on the main and lateral shoots) in the best half of the samples in 2021 was in the range of 30-50%, whereas in 2022 it already reached 50-70%. The parthenocarpy severity coefficient above 70% was noted only in 2022 in 4% of samples. About half of the samples showed a fairly low parthenocarpy: in 2021 no more than 30%, and in 2022 no more than 50%. Most of them were rejected. The parthenocarpy of the best breeding samples in 2022, compared with 2021, increased by an average of 17.7%. Breeding lines obtained even from the same collection sample often differed greatly, sometimes by 4 times, in the degree of parthenocarpy. The families of the most stable parthenocarpy samples had differences on this basis in 2021 only 3-6%, and in 2022 – 10-11%. Families with the greatest severity of this trait were selected annually. It can be concluded that the degree of parthenocarpy in cucumber strongly depends on both the genotype of the sample and the growing conditions. 3 breeding lines were selected, characterized by high indicators of the degree of manifestation of parthenocarpy in 2021 (61.5-70.5%) and the stability of the manifestation of this trait by families and years.

The main directions and tasks of pumpkin crop breeding of the FSBSI "Federal Scientific Vegetable Center»

Pumpkin crops are an important segment in the structure of cultivated vegetable crops. Their selection is mainly aimed at precocity, increased resistance to adverse climatic factors and the most harmful diseases (true and downy mildew, olive, angular and brown spots, anthracnose, viruses and other diseases). The article presents the main directions of selection work on cucumber, squash, zucchini and pumpkin in the FSBSI "Federal Scientific Vegetable Center". A network of branches of FSBSI "FSVC" engaged in the creation of new varieties, with specified parameters, for the above crops is presented. The features of breeding work on pumpkin crops in various regions of the Russian Federation are shown.

Species composition and identification of pathogens of real powdery mildew of pumpkin crops

When cultivating pumpkin crops in most agricultural regions of the world, one of the most aggressive diseases is real powdery mildew, the damage of plants in which, under optimal soil and climatic conditions for the pathogen, reaches 100%. In the open and protected ground, among the cultivated representatives of the Cucurbitaceae family, the most widespread and harmful are the species Sphaerotheca fuliginea (Schlecht ex Fr.) Poll and Erysiphe cichoracearum f. sp. cucurbitacearum (DC ex Merat). In regions where both phytopathogens are present, mixed infections may occur, making identification difficult, and, accordingly, further plant protection measures. The pathogens of this powdery mildew of pumpkin crops have different requirements for temperature and humidity. During the growing season, there may be a change in species composition when conditions change, for example, when a new season begins. Symptoms of the disease in the form of a white or yellowish powdery plaque in the form of rounded spots (mainly on the leaves) can manifest themselves at all stages of plant development, the susceptibility of which increases by the beginning of fruiting. According to biological characteristics, S. fuliginea and E. cichoracearum are obligate biotrophic pathogens, unable to exist independently without living photosynthetic tissue, except for the wintering (sexual) stage of teleomorphs in the form of globular kleistothecia. At this stage, it is not difficult to differentiate pathogens by the morphology of kleistothecium. When analyzing the plant material of melons with the naked eye, S. fuliginea and E. cichoracearum cause similar symptoms of damage, but by microscopy these organisms can be distinguished by a complex of morphological characteristics. Taxonomically significant features are: the location of the mycelium, the formation of conidia (single or chain), the presence or absence of noticeable fibrosin bodies, the features of the appressoria, the size and shape of the conidia, as well as the position and type of their sprout tubes. The works of Russian and foreign scientists have shown the possibility of determining the types and physiological races of pathogens using an indirect method: reactions to differentiator plants. To date, about 30 physiological races of the pathogen Podosphaera xanthii (Sphaerotheca fuliginea) and 2 races of E. cichoracearum are known. However, this method does not always correlate with the methods of molecular analysis. Determination of the species composition of powdery mildew pathogens is a starting point for the development of a further strategy for the cultivation of pumpkin crops and in breeding work for resistance to this disease.

HISTORY, DIRECTIONS, RESULTS OF WORK WITH PUMPKIN AND GOURD CROPS

В статье представлена история развития лабораторий селекции и агротехники тыквенных и бахчевых культур на ЗападноСибирской овощной опытной станции. Показаны направления работы в разные годы, итоги селекционной работы и освещены технологические разработки.

The opposite arrangement of the leaves of the cucumber

Actuality. The opposite arrangement of the first two leaves in cucumber seedlings can be attributed to undesirable morphoses. The task was set: "To find out how often this sign occurs in cucumber seedlings and whether it is transmitted in the next generations during seed propagation."Material and conditions. The research was carried out on the cucumber breeding material of the laboratory of selection and seed production of pumpkin crops (100-142 samples) on the basis of the Federal Scientific Vegetable Center in 2019-2021 in the Moscow region in the conditions of the seedling department of the winter greenhouse. Sowing of cucumber seeds for seedlings was carried out on January 10-13, March 15 and May 5. Seedlings were grown on racks in plastic pots with a 0.7 l peat mixture in accordance with the generally accepted cultivation technology. In winter – with additional illumination, in spring – without artificial illumination.Results. From year to year, almost the same selection samples of cucumber had plants with the opposite arrangement of the first real leaves. These samples differed significantly in the number of plants with an unconventional arrangement of the first true leaves, but there were differences, sometimes very strong, between families of the same origin. All this suggests that the trait is genetically determined. When sowing cucumber seeds for seedlings on January 10-13, depending on the year of research and the genotype of the material used, from 18.3 to 25.6% of samples were identified that had plants with the opposite arrangement of the first and second true leaves. In seedlings for a spring heated greenhouse (sowing on March 15), there were about 15% of such samples, and 11.0% for non-heated ones (sowing on May 5). In general, the total number of plants with the opposite arrangement of real leaves in the first node was small and varied, depending on the growing conditions and the genotype of the studied samples, from 4.2 to 11.5% of the total number of studied plants. When sowing cucumber seeds at the same time, in the winter of 2019, compared to 2020 and 2021, there were 2.4 and 1.5 times more plants with the opposite arrangement of the first two real leaves. This can be explained by the fact that when planting seedlings, families with a large number of plants with opposite leaves were rejected. Weakened plants with opposite leaves within the family were also rejected. As a result, the material involved in further work had fewer plants with an unconventional arrangement of the first true leaves. It should be noted that plants with opposite leaf arrangement had only those F1 hybrids whose parent forms also differed in this disadvantage. It can be concluded that by selecting parent forms that do not have opposite leaf arrangement, it is possible to create hybrids that will not react sharply to the deterioration of growing conditions by laying opposite leaves.

Assessment of genetic divergence in pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata)

Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata L.) is one of the most important Cucurbitaceous crops having a huge potential ofnutritional security and has vast diversity in Indian condition. Forty diverse genotypes of pumpkin were evaluated for phenotypical variations and assessment of genetic diversity, at G B Pant University of Agriculture and Technology Pantnagar during spring-summer of 2018 and 2019. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. The data was subjected to Principal Component Analysis, where a total of 8 components were identified. First four components account for about 60.26% and 60.33% cumulative effects during first and second season, respectively. During first year the Eigen root of the first principal component caused 20.24% variation of total variation while, during second year the Eigen root of first principal component accounted 25.58% variation of total variation. A relative positive weight by each of the component to each single trait indicated that there was great scope for improvement in these traits through selection. Presence of sufficient phenotypic and genotypic diversity showed the scope in pumpkin crop for further improvement.

FUZZY MODELING OF SALINITY EFFECTS ON PUMPKIN (Cucurbita pepo) DEVELOPMENT

The low quality of the water currently used for irrigation purposes harms the quality of the products and can lead to a reduction in production. Thus, the objective of this work was to verify the effect of saline water in irrigation water, on biometric variables of pumpkin crop using a system based on fuzzy rules. The agronomic experimental part of this work was carried out in a greenhouse. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with 5 doses of salinity (0, 1.25, 2.5, 3.75, and 5 dS m-1) and with 5 repetitions. The salinity doses and evaluations carried out throughout the cycle (days after transplanting) were defined as input variables in the mathematical model. For the output variables, the collected biometric responses were defined: number of leaves, number of flowers, leaf fresh mass, leaf dry mass, stem fresh mass, stem length, root fresh mass, and root length. After evaluation, the mathematical model was developed and its validation was carried out using statistical methods and Receiver Operating Characteristic Curves (ROC). It was observed that salinity affects the bush pumpkin crop with a reduction in the evaluated parameters. The mathematical model proved to be efficient for this evaluation.

Effect of Sowing Dates on the Bacterial Leaf Spot of Bottle Gourd and Pumpkin Caused by Xanthomonas cucurbitae

An experiment was conducted at Experimental Farm, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri, Hamirpur during May 2019 to October, 2019 cropping season to study the effect of different sowing dates viz., 17th May (1st), 7th June (2nd), 27 June (3rd) and 17th July (4th) on the development of bacterial leaf spot of bottle gourd and pumpkin caused by Xanthomonas cucurbitae. It was observed that the mean disease severity in both bottle gourd and pumpkin crops decreased with delay in the date of sowing from mid May (40.15 and 31.73%, respectively) to the end of June (27th June, 31.65 and 27.06%, respectively) or mid July (17th July, 23.32 and 20.13%, respectively). The disease incidence was also found to be minimum in the fourth (31.31%) and third (39.60%) dates of sowing in case of bottle gourd fruits and no incidence of the bacterial spot was recorded in case of pumpkin fruits. In the case of bottle gourd, the expected yield loss was minimum in crops sown mid July (31.44%) while in pumpkin, the fruit yield was more in mid July (9.59 kg vine-1) sown crop in comparison to mid May and early June sown crops. So, it was concluded that late June and mid July sown crops of both bottle gourd and pumpkin are less vulnerable to the disease leading to reduced crop losses and higher yield.

ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТЬ ПРИМЕНЕНИЯ ОТЕЧЕСТВЕННЫХ ПОДВОЕВ ТЫКВЫ ДЛЯ ПРИВИВКИ ОГУРЦА В ЗАЩИЩЕННОМ ГРУНТЕ

When growing herbaceous vegetable crops in the world practice, great importance is given to the use of grafting method. The development of environmentally safe methods to increase the yield and resistance of plants to adverse growing conditions is very relevant in vegetable production. One such method in pumpkin crops is grafting. The aim of our work was to study the effect of domestic pumpkin rootstock on growth, development and yield characteristics of cucumber hybrid using grafting method. Grafting on pumpkin species improved the growth and development of plants depending on the rootstock, compared with rootstock plants. The aim of our research was to study the influence of domestic pumpkin rootstock on the growth, development and yield characteristics of the cucumber hybrid (scion). As a scion, the variety (Asylum), recommended for cultivation in protected ground conditions, was used, which was grafted on five domestic rootstocks: 1 (Mozoleevskaya 10), 2 (Karina), 3 (Aphrodite), 4 (Mindalnaya) and Russian selection 5 (Stofuntovaya) pumpkins from vegetable and melon crops. According to the generally accepted method, the graft was grafted (cucumber Asylum) on the rootstocks of pumpkin. Using a sample of pumpkin 1 (Mozoleevskaya 10), flowering began on the fifth day earlier in comparison with non-grafted plants, and when grafting on a sample of pumpkin 4 (Aphrodite), the fruit ripened earlier by six days. To get the greatest increase in early productivity by 30%, it is possible to use both rootstocks. A significant increase in total yield was provided by samples of rootstocks 2 (Karina) – 3.9 kg/m2 and 3 (Stofuntovaya) - 8.0 kg/m2. The grafted cucumber plants with all the rootstocks used were superior to the root ones in height, in terms of the percentage of marketability of fruits and in terms of fruit weight. At the beginning of fruiting on grafted cucumber plants, the number of female flowers increased depending on the sample. In all grafted plants, the dry matter content in the fruit increased significantly. Because of our research, rootstocks 2 (Karina) and 3 (Stofuntovaya) were noted, which are recommended for use in further research breeding work and the production of grafted plants.

РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ ИНТРОДУКЦИИ MOMORDICA CHARANTIA L. ПРИ ПРИВИВКЕ НА ВИДЫ ТЫКВ В УСЛОВИЯХ СРЕДНЕГО ПРЕДУРАЛЬЯ

In the context of tremendous changes in the world community, one of the main factors is introduction of new plant varieties for reliable development of agriculture. To improve the quality of adaptive capabilities of thermophilic pumpkin crops in the Middle Urals, grafting on resistant stocks can be used. The studies were carried out in 2018-2020 on protected ground, at Udmurt Federal Research Center of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the city of Izhevsk. The soil is organo-mineral, humus content is 5.0 %, pH - 5.8. The total plot area is 24 m2, the record area is 16 m2. The repetition was fourfold, the placement of the plots was randomized. The experiment is one-factor. Experimental variants are: 1. Momordica charantia L. without grafting (control), stocks - 2. Cucurbita pepo L., 3. Cucurbita maxima Duch., 4. Cucurbita moschata Duch., 5. Cucurbita ficifolia Bouche., 6. Lagenaria siceraria Molina , Standl. This work presents the stages of the study on compatibility of Momordica charantia when it was grafted onto various types of stocks, based on the analysis of the characteristics of growth and development, survival and productivity of plants. Conclusions were made about the prospects of growing Momordica charantia indoors. The data obtained indicate a high survival rate of Momordica charantia - over 72 % of the studied stocks. At the same time, it should be noted that the highest survival rate among grafts had Cucurbita maxima variant. The dry matter and total sugar content in the fruits of Momordica charantia increased in all variants with grafting (to 26.8 % by dry matter and to 16.2 % by total sugar, respectively) compared to the control, and the accumulation of nitrates was maximum - 384.6 mg / kg in the variant of grafting on Lagenaria siceraria, while there was no excess of MAC.

Assessment of the Current Status of Potyviruses in Watermelon and Pumpkin Crops in Spain: Epidemiological Impact of Cultivated Plants and Mixed Infections.

Viral infections on cucurbit plants cause substantial quality and yield losses on their crops. The diseased plants can often be infected by multiple viruses, and their epidemiology may depend, in addition to the agro-ecological management practices, on the combination of these viral infections. Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV) is one of the most prevalent viruses in cucurbit crops, and Moroccan watermelon mosaic virus (MWMV) emerged as a related species that threatens these crops. The occurrence of WMV and MWMV was monitored in a total of 196 apical-leaf samples of watermelon and pumpkin plants that displayed mosaic symptoms. The samples were collected from 49 fields in three major cucurbit-producing areas in Spain (Castilla La-Mancha, Alicante, and Murcia) for three consecutive (2018–2020) seasons. A molecular hybridization dot-blot method revealed that WMV was mainly (53%) found in both cultivated plants, with an unadvertised occurrence of MWMV. To determine the extent of cultivated plant species and mixed infections on viral dynamics, two infectious cDNA clones were constructed from a WMV isolate (MeWM7), and an MWMV isolate (ZuM10). Based on the full-length genomes, both isolates were grouped phylogenetically with the Emergent and European clades, respectively. Five-cucurbit plant species were infected steadily with either WMV or MWMV cDNA clones, showing variations on symptom expressions. Furthermore, the viral load varied depending on the plant species and infection type. In single infections, the WMV isolate showed a higher viral load than the MWMV isolate in melon and pumpkin, and MWMV only showed higher viral load than the WMV isolate in zucchini plants. However, in mixed infections, the viral load of the WMV isolate was greater than MWMV isolate in melon, watermelon and zucchini, whereas MWMV isolate was markedly reduced in zucchini. These results suggest that the impaired distribution of MWMV in cucurbit crops may be due to the cultivated plant species, in addition to the high prevalence of WMV.

Impact of the low and high concentrations of fly ash amended soil on growth, physiological response, and yield of pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch. Ex Poiret L.).

Fly ash, a result of coal burning in thermal power plants, is sustainably used in agriculture and has been regarded as a problematic solid waste worldwide. The presence of some desired nutrients (macro and micro) and its porosity makes it a marvelous soil amendment for plant growth and development. The present study was done to evaluate the effect of different fly ash levels on pumpkin crop (Cucurbita moschata). Pot experiment in randomized block design was conducted with different fly ash supplement treatments to analyze the impact of fly ash on growth, chlorophyll, carotenoid, biochemical parameters, and pumpkin crop yield. The results show variation in soil's physical and chemical properties after the application of fly ash (30 and 50%). Also, the lower levels (10-30%) of fly ash amended soil significantly (P ≤ 0.05) enhanced the growth (plant height, plant fresh and dry biomass, no. of leaves, and average area of the leaf), chlorophyll content, and biochemical contents (protein, carbohydrate, mineral, and leaf water content) in pumpkin crop. The proline content was also observed to enhance by the increasing levels of fly ash to soil. The yield parameters in terms of a number of flowers and fruits, fruits' length and diameter, and fresh and dry weight of fruits were also significantly increased in amended soil with 10-30% fly ash. On the other hand, the higher doses, i.e., 40% and 50% of fly ash showed a negative effect and reduced the growth, chlorophyll, carotenoid, biochemical content, proline, and yield in pumpkin crop. We concluded that the lower level of fly ash (up to 30%) could be used as fertilizer in agricultural fields for the improvement of vegetable as well as other food crops in a sustainable manner but the higher level of fly ash (40 and 50%) is toxic to the plant.

Cucumber resistance to downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) in the Non-Black earth zone of the Russian Federation

Relevance.Currently, downy mildew of cucumber (peronosporosis) is the most harmful disease onthis crop in the open ground, has an epiphytotic character and causes significant damage to thecrop of greens.Material and methods.The research was carried out on selection and collection material of the laboratory of selection and seed production of pumpkin crops in the open and protected ground of theMoscow region. At least 300 collection and selection samples of cucumber were sown in the openand protected ground (Moscow region) every year, for phytopathological evaluation. Their defeatby downy mildew was taken into account on a 5-point scale.Results.Among the varieties of FSBSI FSVC selection, were less affected by this disease: Edinstvo,Electron 2, Vodoley, Vodopad, F1Debut, F1Krepish, F1Brunette, F1Frant, F1Krasotka and F1VNIISSOK 1. The most resistant to peronosporosis were Japanese varieties – Sadao rishu, Jibai, HiganFushinari, Tropical slicer and others. Some Polish hybrids – Aladyn (SKW 190), Heron (SKW 290)and Parys (SKW 390), also had increased resistance to downy mildew. It should be noted that thevarieties Jerelo and Geim from Ukraine; Dutch hybrids – F1Sequenza, F1Bejo 1612, F1Pontia,85/2292, F1Donia mix; from the United States – F1Calypso. In the selection for resistance todowny mildew you can to use varieties created in the Far East, the Crimean experimental breedingstation. As a result of the annual assessment of parent forms on a natural infectious background,samples with increased resistance to downy mildew were selected.