• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.47-57
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• 2010

More than 2,500 accessions of squash germplasm are preserved in the National Agrobidiversity Center of RDA, Korea. We investigated the ecological and morphological characteristics on 100 accessions of the squash germplasms with a low viability. Two typical types of oriental squash (Cucurbita moschata) and western squash (Cucurbita maxima) are possessed 89 and 11 accessions, respectively. The origin of 100 accessions was divided into three groups, group I (Korea landraces with 81 accessions), group II (Nepal with 15 accessions) and group III (Russia, Uzbekistan, Laos, and Mexico with each one accession). Seventy eight accessions germinated at $27^{\circ}C$ in growth chamber. Days to first flowering of the female and male flower ranged from 32 days to 67 days and 24 days to 55 days after planting, respectively. Vine length showed the largest variation ranging from 357.8 cm to 1,465 cm, also the average length of ten stem node range has a variable ranges from 92 cm to 217.5 cm. All regenerated squash accessions have an only collided tendril and have three to seven lateral shoots. The flattened globe-shaped squash is the most predominant and exhibited ordinarily round shaped, ball shaped, long oblong-shaped, elongated shape, and pear shape. The average weight of fruit ranged from 1.33 kg to 7.95 kg. Sugar contents showed 5.4~12.6 $Brix^{\circ}$ without ripening period.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.614-622
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• 2014

Melons (Cucumis melo L.) are generally grafted onto Cucurbita rootstocks to manage soilborne pathogens such as Monosporascus root rot and v ine decline (MRR/VD) and Fusarium wilt. However, g rafting onto Cucurbita rootstocks reportedly results in the reduction of fruit quality. In this study, the resistance to MRR/VD, yield, and fruit quality of melons grafted onto melon rootstocks were evaluated under greenhouse conditions. Eight melon rootstocks (R1 to R8) were used and the inodorus melon 'Homerunstar' was used as scion. Melon rootstocks R1 to R6 were selected based on resistance to MRR/VD under greenhouse conditions. Non-grafted 'Homerunstar' and plants grafted onto squash interspecific hybrid 'Shintozwa' rootstock (Cucurbita maxima D. ${\times}$ C. moschata D.) served as controls. Grafted melons were cultivated in the greenhouse infested with Monosporascus cannonballus during two growing seasons (summer and autumn). The responses to MRR/VD, yield, and fruit quality differed depending on the rootstocks and growing season. The melons grafted onto 'Shintozwa' exhibited less severe disease symptoms and higher survival rates than non-grafted melons in both seasons. While the melon rootstocks in the summer cultivation did not increase the survival rate compared to non-grafted melons, the melon rootstocks R1 and R2 in the autumn cultivation led to higher survival rates. The melon rootstocks resistant to MRR/VD increased the percentage of marketable fruits and marketable yields. Grafting onto the melon rootstocks caused little or no reduction of fruit quality such as low calcium content, fruit softening, and vitrescence, especially in lower-temperature autumn season. Accordingly, these results suggest that grafting onto the melon rootstocks may increase the tolerance to MRR/VD and the marketable yield without a reduction of fruit quality.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.93-105
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• 2015

This study was performed to analyze genetic relationships of the four major cucurbitaceous crops including watermelon, melon, cucumber, and squash/pumpkin. Among 120 EST-SSR primer sets selected from the International Cucurbit Genomics Initiative (ICuGI) database, PCR was successful for 51 (49.17%) primer sets and 49 (40.8%) primer sets showed polymorphisms among eight Cucurbitaceae accessions. A total of 382 allele-specific PCR bands were produced by 49 EST-SSR primers from 24 Cucurbitaceae accessions and used for analysis of pairwise similarity and dendrogram construction. Assessment of the genetic relationships resulted in similarity indexes ranging from 0.01 to 0.85. In the dendrogram, 24 Cucurbitaceae accessions were classified into two major groups (Clade I and II) and 8 subgroups. Clade I comprised two subgroups, Clade I-1 for watermelon accessions [I-1a and I-1b-2: three wild-type watermelons (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides Mats. & Nakai), I-1b-1: six watermelon cultivars (Citrullus lanatus var. vulgaris S chrad.)] a nd C lade I -2 for melon and cucumber accessions [I-2a-1 : 4 melon cultivars(Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis Naudin.), I-2a-2: oriental melon cultivars (Cucumis melo var. conomon Makino.), and I-2b: five cucumber cultivars (Cucumis sativus L.)]. Squash and pumpkin accessions composed Clade II {II-1: two squash/ pumpkin cultivars [Cucurbita moschata (Duch. ex Lam.)/Duch. & Poir. and Cucurbita maxima Duch.] and II-2: two squash/pumpkin cultivars, Cucurbita pepo L./Cucurbita ficifolia Bouche.}. These results were in accordance with previously reported classification of Cucurbitaceae species, indicating that watermelon EST-SSRs show a high level of marker transferability and should be useful for genetic study in other cucurbit crops.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 2010

An efficient plant regeneration system has been developed for figleaf gourd (Cucurbita ficifolia Bouch$\'{e}$), which is exclusively used as a rootstock for cucumber. The protocol is based on results obtained from a series of culture experiments involving different parts of the cotyledons and various media. The culture of cotyledon explants was critical for the enhancement of shoot regeneration frequency. The lower parts of the cotyledon excised at the plumule base were found to display a markedly enhanced production of adventitious shoots compared to other cotyledon regions. Culture in silver nitrate-supplemented Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium was not beneficial for shoot regeneration and suppressed root regeneration. Efficient shoot regeneration was obtained on MS medium containing 1.0 $mg\;l^{-1}$ zeatin and 0.1 $mg\;l^{-1}$ indole-3-acetic acid. Regenerated shoots successfully elongated and rooted in medium containing 0.1 $mg\;l^{-1}$ 1-naphthalene-acetic acid after 10-15 days of subculturing. The plantlets were satisfactorily acclimatized in a greenhouse and grew into normal plants without any morphological alterations.

• Mycobiology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.384-391
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• 2015

In the course of survey of endophytic fungi from Bangladesh pumpkin seeds in 2011~2012, two strains (CNU111042 and CNU111043) with similar colony characteristics were isolated and characterized by their morphology and by molecular phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer, glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gpd), and Alternaria allergen a1 (Alt a1) sequences. Phylogenetic analysis of all three sequences and their combined dataset revealed that the fungus formed a subclade within the A. alternata clade, matching A. burnsii and showing differences with its other closely related Alternaria species, such as A. longipes, A. tomato, and A. tomaticola. Long ellipsoid, obclavate or ovoid beakless conidia, shorter and thinner conidial size ($16{\sim}60[90]{\times}6.5{\sim}14[{\sim}16]{\mu}m$) distinguish this fungus from other related species. These isolates showed more transverse septation (2~11) and less longitudinal septation (0~3) than did other related species. Moreover, the isolate did not produce any diffusible pigment on media. Therefore, our results reveal that the newly recorded fungus from a new host, Cucurbita maxima, is Alternaria burnsii Uppal, Patel & Kamat.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.748-754
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• 2008

The principal objective of this study was to evaluate the quality characteristics of pound and sponge cakes prepared with Cucurbita maxima Duchesne (C. Maxima Duch.) puree, via physical and sensory examinations. The cakes were formulated by repalcing the egg with C. maxima Duch. puree at concentrations of 0, 10, 20 and 30%. C. maxima Duch. puree contained 87.91% water, 0.58% ash, 1.68% protein, 0.55% lipid, 1.02% fiber, and 8.26% carbohydrate. The physicochemical properties of the pound and sponge cakes evidenced similar patterns. The specific gravities of the pound and sponge cakes increased with increasing substitution levels, whereas the specific volumes were reduced. The hardness values of the pound and sponge cakes containing the C. maxima Duch. puree were higher than those of the controls. Substituting C. maxima Duch. puree for egg resulted in reduced lightness and increased redness in the cakes. Pound and sponge cakes with C. maxima Duch. puree evidenced higher moisture contents than the controls over 5 days of storage. Overall acceptances in sensory evaluation scored higher in the 20% substituted pound and sponge cakes.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.149-155
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• 2009

19 strains, which could be identified as Lactobacillus sp. were isolated. The Cucurbita maxima has been known as a traditional healthy food and variable positive effects on the human body were already reported. In this study we tried to develop a production process for a healthy fermented drink with Cucurbita maxima and strains originated from Kimchi. Many kinds of lacctobacci species existed in the fermented food cannot survive in the acidic conditions in the stomach. So we tried to search and select a strain, which can arrive to the small intestine. A species of a Lactobacillus named as C332 was identifed as Lactobacillus plantarum and selected for the fermentation process. With the treatment with artificial gastric juice and artificial bile the survival rate of the cells could be calculated. The physiological characteristics at the variable conditions have been tested. After fermentation process the sensoric tests on the product with panels were tried. The most of the cells could survive in the acidic conditions and falcultive anaerobe. Especially some antibacterial effects aganinst E.coli were also found. With all kinds of the results from our research the fermented Cucurbita maxima drink can be a successful item in the market.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.375-379
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• 1997

Two ribosome-inactivating proteins, PRIP 1 and PRIP 2 have been isolated from the leaves of $Cucurbita\;moschata\;D_{UCHESNE}$. Crude extracts were purified through ammonium sulfate precipitation and column chromatography using DE-52 cellulose, S-Sepharose, FPLC Suprose 12 HR and FPLC Mono-S. The molecular weights of PRIP 1 and PRIP 2 were 31,000 and 30,500, respectively. PRIP 2 was thermostabe and maintained its activity even after the incubation of the protein at $50^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. In a cell free in vitro translation system using rabbit reticulocyte lysate, protein synthesis was inhibited by the addition of PRIP 1 and PRIP 2. The $IC_{50}$ of PRIP 1 and PRIP 2 were 0.82 nM and 0.79 nM, respectively. The comparison of N-terminal amino acid sequences of the PRIP 1 and PRIP 2 with known RIPs revealed that PRIP 1 shows sequence similarity with Luffin B from Luffa cylindrica and Trichokirin from Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz and PRH) 2 has sequence similarity with Momordin II and MAP 30 from Momordica charantia.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1994.10a
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• pp.167.1-167
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• 1994

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.76-79
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• 2000

The effects of packaging conditions on freshness extension of squash (Cucurbita moscata) were investigated during 7-day storage at 2$0^{\circ}C$. Weight loss of squash packed with corrugated paperboard box (control) was 5.5%, and those of LDPE (low density polyethylene, Ф0.02 mm), LDPE (Ф0.04mm) film and EPS (expanded polystyrene) box were 0.9%, 0.8%, and 1.1%, respectively. Firmness of EPS was 11% higher than that of control, chlorophill content of squash packed with EPS box was 18.9% higher, and total ascorbic acid content of squash packed with EPS box was 29.4% higher than that of control. Quality of packed squash was not different between EPS packages and LDPE packages. Decay of control was 1~2 pieces per box, but was not found in the LDPE, EPS box. Preferences in overall appearences of LDPE, EPS box was better than those of control.