Molecular basis of cucumber fruit domestication

• Published in: Current opinion in plant biology 2019-02, Vol.47, p.38-46
• Main Authors: Che, Gen, Zhang, Xiaolan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1369-5266; 1879-0356
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2018.08.006

•Selection for female flowers is a unique strategy in cucumber domestication.•Domestication involved selection for fruit surface traits, including spines, warts and color.•Most cultivated cucumbers bear fruits with increased size and decreased bitterness.•Current research is focused on the identification of genes regulating fruit length and flavor. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is an economically important vegetable crop that is cultivated worldwide. Compared to the wild ancestor bearing small, bitter and seedy fruit, domesticated cucumbers exhibit significant variation in fruit appearance, size and flavor. Understanding the molecular basis of domestication related traits can provide insights into fruit evolution and make crop breeding more efficient. Here we review recent advances in relating to the genetic basis of fruit morphological traits (femaleness, fruit spine, wart, size, color and carpel development) and organoleptic features (bitterness) during cucumber domestication.