• Mycobiology
• /
• v.48 no.5
• /
• pp.418-422
• /
• 2020

In 2016, a cercosporoid fungus was found from leaf spot symptoms on melon in Korea. The fungus isolated from the plant was identified based on morphological characteristics and sequence analyses of five genes (ITS rDNA, translation elongation factor 1-α, actin, calmodulin, and histone H3). The fungal isolate was found to be pathogenic to melon. The results confirm that the fungus associated with leaf spot on melon was Cercospora cf. flagellaris. This is the first report of Cercospora cf. flagellaris causing Cercospora leaf spot on melon in Korea.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.438-440
• /
• 2002

A new unsaturated hydroxy fatty acid was isolated from the leaves of Cucurbita moschata through repeated silica gel column chromatography and chemical methods. The structure of the new fatty acid was determined as 13-hydroxy-9, 11, 15-octadecatrienoic acid on the basis of several spectral data including 2D-NMR. The stererostructures of double bonds were determined to be 9Z, 11 E and 15E by coupling patterns of related proton signals in the $^1H-NMR$ and NOESY experiments.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.68-78
• /
• 2021

Secondary metabolites enable plants to protect themselves from herbivorous insects. Among these, cucurbitacin B (cuc-B) is a bitter-tasting compound with promising pharmacological potential. Dietary exposure to cuc-B lowered the hemolymph glucose levels of Drosophila melanogaster fed with a high carbohydrate diet, which is homologous to high blood glucose in humans, and its effect was comparable to that of metformin, a well-known glucose-lowering drug. Furthermore, cuc-B reduced tissue sugar levels and glycogen levels, as well as triacylglycerol levels. Our results thus highlight the potential applicability of this compound to treat chronic metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Additionally, we analyzed sleep quality and taste-associative memory enhancement after cuc-B and metformin treatment. Both supplements increased nighttime bout length and metformin increased memory consolidation. Therefore, discarded shell of Cucurbitaceae could be processed into health supplements.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.616-632
• /
• 2021

We performed taxonomic reviews and habitat circumstances survey for 41 un-introduced environmentally harmful plants (as designated by the Ministry of Environment, Korea in 2016). And we investigated plant specimens from several herbaria and performed a field survey in the southeastern region of the United States. Based on the result, we presented the most comprehensive results of weed risk evaluation and taxonomic description up to now as well as classification keys for 11 species to apply the regulation management of putative invasive alien species - Senecio madagascariensis Poir., Sphagneticola trilobata (L.) Pruski, Ageratina riparia (Regel) R.M. King & H. Rob. (Asteraceae), Andropogon gayanus Kunth (Poaceae), Echinocystis lobata (Michx.) Torr. & A. Gray (Cucurbitaceae), Salvinia minima Baker (Salviniaceae), Vincetoxicum rossicum (Kleopow) Barbar. (Asclepiadaceae), Asparagus asparagoides (L.) Druce (Asparagaceae), Alternanthera pungens Kunth (Amaranthaceae), Salpichroa origanifolia (Lam.) Thell., and Lycium ferocissimum Miers (Solanaceae).

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.208-216
• /
• 1988

This study was conducted to select herbicides safe for cucurbitaceae crops under the polyethylene film mulching culture. No crop injury with ethalfluralin (N-ethyl-N-(2-methylally)-2, 6-dinitro-4-(trifluoromethyl) aniline) was found in gourd, water melon, cantaloup, cucumber and pumpkin of direct seeded culture. There was no significant reduction in fresh weight of gourd and pumpkin at the rate of 1080 g a.i./ha, that of water melon, cantaloup and cucumber at the rate of 720 g a.i./ha. Napropamide (N,N-diethyl-2-(${\alpha}$-naphthyloxy) propionamide) did not cause any crop injury at the rate of 1500 to 3000 g a.i./ha. There was no significant reduction in fresh weight of gourd, pumpkin and cucumber at the rate of 3000 g a.i./ha, and that of cantaloup and water melon at the rate of 1500 g a.i./ha. Trifluralin (${\alpha}$, ${\alpha}$, ${\alpha}$-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N, N-diprophlaniline) did not cause any crop injury in gourd. When ethalfluralin, napropamide and nitralin were applied to the transplanted seedlings of water melon and cantaloup, no significant reduction in the fresh weight were observed. The weeding effect greater than 90% was obtained with ethalfluralin at 720 to 1080 g a.i./ha and pendimethalin (N-(1-ethylpropyl)-3,4-dimethyl-2,6-dinitrobenzenamine) at 1268 g a.i./ha. The rest treatment gave the weeding effect ranging from 81 to 90%.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.25 no.9
• /
• pp.1059-1071
• /
• 2015

Watermelon and melon are economically important Cucurbitaceae crops. Recently, the development of molecular markers based on the construction of genetic linkage maps and detection of DNA sequence variants through next generation sequencing are essential as molecular breeding strategies for crop improvement that uses marker-assisted selection and backcrossing. In this paper, we intended to provide useful information for molecular breeding of watermelon and melon by analyzing the current status of international and domestic research efforts on genomics and molecular markers. Due to diverse genetic maps constructed and the reference genome sequencing completed in the past, DNA markers that are useful for selecting important traits including yield, fruit quality, and disease resistances have been reported and publicly available. To date, more than 16 genetic maps and loci and linked markers for more than 40 traits have reported for each watermelon and melon. Furthermore, the functional genes that are responsible for those traits are being continuously discovered by high-density genetic map and map-based cloning. In addition, whole genome resequencing of various germplasm is under progress based on the reference genome. Not only by the efforts for developing novel molecular markers, but application of public marker information currently available will greatly facilitate breeding process through genomics-assisted breeding.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.183-189
• /
• 2020

Powdery mildew is a common and serious disease of the Cucurbitaceae including cucumber (Cucumis sativus) in most areas of the world. To identify causal agents of the powdery mildew and their physiological race(s), we collected cucumber leaves displaying typical symptoms of powdery mildew from different locations in Korea. Based on morphological and molecular characteristics, all powdery mildew isolates were identified as an obligate biotrophic fungal pathogen, Podosphaera xanthii. After inoculation at melon (Cucumis melo) differentials to identify the fungal race(s), P. xanthii isolate MI180427 and IC190611 were identified as race 1 which has been repeatedly reported as dominant race in Korea. However, another isolate SE180328 produced different disease response in the tested differentials, being identified as race 2 which has not been reported in Korea. To confirm the race of SE180328, we inoculated additional melon differentials and determined the isolate as race 2F that is the prevalent race of powdery mildew in Beijing, China. Report of this new race 2F in Korea will be helpful for future breeding programs to develop resistant varieties to this race.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.571-582
• /
• 2016

Bacterial fruit blotch (BFB) is one of most important diseases in Cucurbitaceae due to infection of Acidovorax citrulli, causing huge economic losses damage worldwide. This seedborn disease spread rapidly at period of high temperature and humidity. The eco-friendly farming is getting popular. So far there was no effective agent to control BFB in eco-friendly farming. Therefore, effect of the material based on chinese nut-gall extract with antibacterial activity against BFB to was tested against A. citrulli. Different hosts showed various symptoms of BFB. Liquid formulation among exhibited most effective anti-bacterial activity on A. citrulli. Pot experiment in greenhouse showed the potential as an control agent of BFB in cucurbits. The treatment of material based on chinese nut-gall extract showed the positive effect on survival of the watermelon seedling and on the length of the cucumber seedling treated with A. citrulli. We cautiously conclude that the material based on chinese nut-gall extract used in this study may be good agents against major diseases of cucurbits in the future even though it is require to be tested with more study on field test.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
• /
• v.8
• /
• pp.71-82
• /
• 1990

In order to collect the plant genetic resources in Korea, the medicinal plants were surveyed from 1987 to 1989 in Kyungbuk province and at the several areas in Kyuognam and Choongbuk province. The medicinal plants of 456 species in 118 families were investigated in these regions. Among them, 249 species were belonged to 19 families, Compositae, Liliaceae, Leguminosae, Poiygonaceae, Labiatae, Rosaceae, Umbelliferae, Gramineae, Solanaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Ranunculaceae, Cruciferae, Rutaceae, Araliaceae, Araceae, Moraceae, Scrophulariaceae, Caryopyhllaceae, and Convolvulaceae, and others were belonged to 99 families. They have been used mostly for urination, gastroenteric disoder, robustness, antiphlogistic, anodyne, cough medicine, fever remedy, hemostatic, and 9 species of them have been used for anticancer medicine. The medicinal plant resources which were planted in the fields, gardens, parks, roadsides, and glass house, were 93 species for ornamental, 50 for medicine, 27 for vegetable, 14 for food, 5 for vegetable fruit, 13 for fruit, 5 for oil, 6 for tea, 9 for shade, and 14 for other purposes. Most of investigated plants were perennial, and flowered from June to August. The root parts were most frequently used as medicine, and other parts were used in the order of leaf and stem, whole plants, flower, seed, and fruit. Among the 456 species, 191 species in 87 families were investigated to be important medicinal plants.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
• /
• v.26 no.6
• /
• pp.673-677
• /
• 2013

In order to examine the effects of Korean cucurbitaceous plants on sonic hedgehog pathway and growth of cancer cells with over-activated hedgehog pathway, we measured the sonic hedgehog conditioned medium (shh-CM) induced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and cell viability of pancreatic cancer cell lines by treatment of cucurbitaceous plants. Among the tested cucurbitaceous plants, Actinostemma lobatum Maxim, Cucumis sativus L., Momordica charantia L., Schizopepon bryoniaefolius Maxim and Trichosanthes kirilowii Max, var. japonica Kitam showed the potent inhibitory effects (> 50 % at $20{\mu}g/mL$) on shh-CM induced ALP activity. We also evaluated the cell viability of pancreatic cancer cells treated with the cucurbitaceous plants. The tested cucurbitaceous plants showed the very weak effects on cancer cell proliferation but, T. kirilowii Max, var. japonica Kitam presented the inhibitory effect of 72.7 % on the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells at $20{\mu}g/mL$. Taken together, we screened the effects of Korean cucurbitaceous plants on shh-CM induced ALP activity and cell viability of pancreatic cancers to search for the modulators of the hedgehog pathway leading to the inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. T. kirilowii Max, var. japonica Kitam, among the tested cucurbitaceous plants, showed the inhibitory effects on the shh-CM induced ALP activity and the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells.