Open AccessGenetic regulation of shoot architecture in cucumber
Author(s) -
Xiaofeng Liu,
Jiacai Chen,
Xiaolan Zhang
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
horticulture research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.947
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 2662-6810
pISSN - 2052-7276
DOI - 10.1038/s41438-021-00577-0
Subject(s) - biology , tendril , cucumis , cucurbitaceae , crop , shoot , meristem , vine , habit , botany , agronomy , psychology , psychotherapist
Cucumber ( Cucumis sativus L.) is an important vegetable crop species with great economic value. Shoot architecture determines the visual appearance of plants and has a strong impact on crop management and yield. Unlike most model plant species, cucumber undergoes vegetative growth and reproductive growth simultaneously, in which leaves are produced from the shoot apical meristem and flowers are generated from leaf axils, during the majority of its life, a feature representative of the Cucurbitaceae family. Despite substantial advances achieved in understanding the regulation of plant form in Arabidopsis thaliana , rice, and maize, our understanding of the mechanisms controlling shoot architecture in Cucurbitaceae crop species is still limited. In this review, we focus on recent progress on elucidating the genetic regulatory pathways underlying the determinant/indeterminant growth habit, leaf shape, branch outgrowth, tendril identity, and vine length determination in cucumber. We also discuss the potential of applying biotechnology tools and resources for the generation of ideal plant types with desired architectural features to improve cucumber productivity and cultivation efficiency.