Sweet genomes provide colorful life: a review on molecularly tagged genes and biological regulation of breeding characters in watermelon and melon

Horticultural Plant Journal 2026 Open access

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Authors: Shi Liu, Jiayi Han, Hongyu Shi, Cheng Rui, Xufeng Fang, Shuang Pei, Congyu Yao, X. N. Wang, Zicheng Zhu, Hongyu Liu, Peng Gao, Feishi Luan
DOI: 10.1016/j.hpj.2025.12.002
Cited by: 2
References: 163

Abstract

Watermelon and melon are important members of the Cucurbitaceae family, offering high economic benefit and nutritional value. With the release and ongoing refinement of the watermelon and melon genomes, many target genes (or loci) for further biology regulation exploration and molecular breeding, have been identified. Herein, we describe recent progress in genetic mapping and molecular regulation mechanisms for fruit quality, fruit development, plant morphogenesis, and plant disease resistance. We further outline future research priorities and breeding frameworks for watermelon and melon. This review delineates molecular regulators of fruit and plant development, offering a framework to explore homologous mechanisms in other Cucurbitaceae members.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Advances in Cucurbitaceae Research Plant Gene Expression Analysis Plant Molecular Biology Research

Publication details

Journal / source
Horticultural Plant Journal
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
12
Issue
4
Pages
781–798
Publication date
4 February 2026
Language
EN