CucCAP researchers assemble genomic tools to study the development of giant pumpkin fruit

Cucurbit fruits come in different shapes and sizes, controlled by genes underlying cell size and number. In a recent study, a team at West Virginia State University (WVSU) identified genetic factors underlying the giant fruit size of the mammoth group of Cucurbita maxima. The study elucidated genome diversity and identified single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers associated with genes controlling fruit size. In addition to the genomic toolkit useful for breeding programs aiming at pumpkin fruit traits, this study provides insight into population differentiation and evolutionary origins of rare variants contributing to the giant fruit size of certain pumpkin varieties.

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Cucurbit Genomics Database version 2

Version 2 of the Cucurbit Genomics database (CuGenDBv2) was released in April 2022. Database users will notice improved speed and performance.The updated database includes 33 reference genomes from 26 cucurbit species/subspecies belonging to 10 different genera; novel functions for mining and analysis of large-scale variant data; and a comprehensive cucurbit expression atlas.

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