Impact of sulfite use and acidification on chemical quality components in thermally processed watermelon juices.

The present study compared pasteurized and reconstituted (from vacuum-concentrated) watermelon juices with sulfite use (∼40 mg/L) and acidification (pH = 4.2) to fresh watermelon juices. The products were evaluated for phenolics, free amino acids, carotenoids, sugars, organic acids, and alcohols by high-performance liquid chromatography-HPLC and the volatile profile by headspace-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(HS-GC/MS). Pasteurization had no significant impact on most of the chemical components. Furthermore, it potentiated typical watermelon aromas (E,E)-2,6-nonadienal, (Z)-3-nonen-1-ol, 4-hexen-1-ol, (E,Z)-3,6-nonadien-1-ol, 6-amino-2-methyl-2-heptanol, (E)-6-nonenal, (E)-2-nonenal, pentanal, nonanal and 1-nonanol), without off-flavor compounds formation. On the other hand, the reconstituted juice showed reduced amino acids (serine, glutamine, and tryptophan), phenolics (epicatechin gallate, myricetin, and cis-resveratrol), carotenoids (lycopene, ß-carotene, and violaxanthin) and most volatile compounds. Our results showed that sulfite and acidification could maintain watermelon juice's nutritional and quality parameters after pasteurization. The vacuum concentration and reconstitution processes negatively impacted the evaluated compounds. Our findings contribute to improving thermal processes in watermelon juices for better preservation of nutrients, flavor, and bioactive compounds.

Removal of dyes from water using Citrullus lanatus seed powder in continuous and discontinuous systems.

The objective of this study is to develop a low-cost biosorbent using residual seeds of the Citrullus lanatus fruit for the removal of cationic dyes. Physicochemical parameters such as pH, adsorbent mass, contact time, and temperature were evaluated for their effects on dye removal. The biosorbent is composed of lignin and cellulose, exhibiting a highly heterogeneous surface with randomly distributed cavities and bulges. The adsorption of both dyes was most effective at natural pH with a dosage of 0.8 g L-1. Equilibrium was reached within 120 min, regardless of concentration, indicating rapid kinetics. The Elovich model and pseudo-second-order kinetics were observed for crystal violet and basic fuchsin dye, respectively. The Langmuir model fitted well with the equilibrium data of both dyes. However, the increased temperature had a negative impact on dye adsorption. The biosorbent also demonstrated satisfactory performance (R = 43%) against a synthetic mixture of dyes and inorganic salts, with a small mass transfer zone. The adsorption capacities for crystal violet and basic fuchsin dye were 48.13 mg g-1 and 44.26 mg g-1, respectively. Thermodynamic studies confirmed an exothermic nature of adsorption. Overall, this low-cost biosorbent showed potential for the removal of dyes from aqueous solutions.

In this work, a novel biosorbent was developed using residual Citrullus lanatus fruit seeds that can efficiently remove cationic dyes from aqueous solutions. The biosorbent's composition includes lignin and cellulose, and its surface structure is highly heterogeneous, consisting of randomly distributed cavities and bulges. The biosorbent demonstrated a rapid and efficient adsorption capacity for both crystal violet and basic fuchsin, regardless of dye concentration. Moreover, the biosorbent was successfully employed in the treatment of a synthetic mixture containing several dyes and inorganic salts. Finally, the application of the biosorbent in continuous adsorption showed a low zone of mass transfer and high breakthrough time, indicating it to be an excellent material for fixed-bed operation. Overall, this study provides a low-cost and efficient alternative for the removal of dyes from aqueous solutions, with promising practical applications.

Beetroot, watermelon and ginger juice supplementation may increase the clinical outcomes of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection cycles.

OBJECTIVE: To prove the hypothesis that beetroot, watermelon and ginger juice supplementation improves the endometrial receptivity and clinical outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. METHODS: This prospective randomized study enrolled 436 female patients undergoing ICSI cycles from January/2018 to June/2021, in a private university-affiliated IVF center. Female patients were randomized in a 1:3 ratio to either Control (n=109) or Supplementation Group (n=327). All patients received nutritional orientation before the beginning of the treatment. Participants in the Supplementation Group were instructed to intake a daily dose of homemade juice, prepared with fresh beetroot, watermelon and ginger, from the day of embryo transfer until the day of pregnancy test, while patients in Control Group did not follow the juice protocol. Generalized Linear Models, adjusted for potential confounders (female age, body mass index - BMI, endometrial thickness upon embryo transfer, and number of transferred embryos), followed by Bonferroni post hoc test for the comparison of means between groups, were used to investigate the impact of juice supplementation on the clinical outcomes of ICSI. RESULTS: Patients and cycles characteristics were equally distributed among Supplementation and Control groups. Implantation rate (25.2% vs. 20.5%, p<0.001) and clinical pregnancy rate (41.0% vs. 22.0%, p=0.039) were significantly higher in the Supplementation compared to the Control group. CONCLUSIONS: The use of beetroot, watermelon and ginger juice may be considered a promising strategy for improving clinical outcomes in assisted reproductive technology (ART), without any side effects.

Impact of Watermelon (Citrallus lanatus) on Male Fertility.

Plants have been used in various regions of the world to treat various medical conditions including male infertility. The review aims to evaluate the pharmacological effects of watermelon consumption in improving male fertility and sexual function. Watermelon is a popular fruit consumed around the world for its diverse nutritional and health-promoting qualities. This study showed the mechanism via which watermelon enhances male fertility as it was reported for improving semen quality, reversing erectile dysfunction, enhancing testicular redox status, as well as improving gonadotropin secretion. These activities have been linked to their constituents as it contains vitamins and phytochemicals such as phenols and certain flavonoids that contribute to their antioxidant properties. Watermelon has also been noted to possess antimicrobial, anti-helminthic, antioxidant, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive properties that may contribute to its therapeutic use.

Migraine Attacks Triggered by Ingestion of Watermelon.

INTRODUCTION: Ingesting some foods can trigger headache attacks in migraine patients. Diet-sourced citrulline activates the l-arginine-nitric oxide pathway, acting on the pathophysiology of migraine. METHODS: The study was a clinical trial, interventional, controlled, and with group comparison. The sample was non-random, composed of 38 volunteers with migraine and 38 without headache (control). Both groups ingested a portion of watermelon to determine the onset of headache attacks. Before and after ingesting watermelon, they underwent blood collections to determine serum nitrite levels. RESULTS: There were 38 volunteers diagnosed with migraine without aura and 38 controls, whose mean age was, respectively, 22.4 ± 1.5 and 22.9 ± 3.1 years (p = 0.791). Headache was triggered by watermelon ingestion after 124.3 ± 20.5 min of ingestion in 23.7% (9/38) of the migraine volunteers and in none of the controls (p = 0.002). There was an increase in serum nitrite levels, both in migraine volunteers (23.4%) and in the control group (24.3%), after watermelon ingestion. This difference was significant (p < 0.001). DISCUSSION: Watermelon ingestion triggered headache attacks in migraine patients and increased serum nitrite levels, attesting to a possible activation of the l-arginine-nitric oxide pathway.

Removal of arsenic from semiarid area groundwater using a biosorbent from watermelon peel waste.

Groundwater is one of the most important reservoirs in semi-arid and arid zones of the world, particularly in Mexico. The aims of this work were to produce a biosorbent from watermelon peel waste and a biosorbent with citric acid treatment and to evaluate both biosorbents with different concentrations of arsenic in groundwater. The biosorbents were produced with watermelon peel residues, which were observed by SEM microscopy to evaluate their physical morphology. Its removal potential was tested at concentrations of 0, 1, 13, 22, and 65 µg/L of arsenic, and both adsorption capacity and removal percentage were analyzed by final measurement obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry. The pH was measured throughout the experimentation maintaining ranges between 5.5 and 7.5. The biosorbent without treatment presented clearer and more compact flakes. At the microscopic level, the biosorbent without treatment presented pores with a more circular shape, and the biosorbent with treatment was more polygonal, similar to a honeycomb. The highest removal percentage was 99.99%, for both treatments at 4 h. The biosorbent without treatment at 4 h with arsenic concentrations of 65 µg/L presented the highest adsorption capacity (2.42 µg/g). It is concluded that watermelon peel biosorbent is a material that has the potential to remove arsenic from groundwater. This type of biosorbent is effective to remove arsenic and could be used in the field, however, it still needs to be optimized to convert it into a material completely suitable for large-scale use.

Foraging patterns of bees in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb. ) flowers in Panama

t The foraging patterns of bees in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Thunb.) flowers were investigated in Los Santos, Panama, over a period of 84 observation days. The study aimed to identify the bee species visiting the flowers, their daily visitation rates, and the resources they foraged. The majority of visits were made by native bees, particularly stingless bees, suggesting their crucial role in pollinating watermelon crops in the area. The most frequently observed bee species visiting the flowers were N. perilampoides(58.7%), A. mellifera (23%), and P. peckolti (4%). Nectar was the primary resource foraged by most bees, with comparable visitation rates for both male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers. Honeybees allocated nearly half of their visits (47.7%) for pollen collection, and the majority of their daily visits occurred between 7:00 and 8:00 hours. In contrast, stingless bee visits peaked between 8:00 and 9:00 hours. Nectar visits were shorter in duration than pollen visits, with honeybees exhibiting the shortest durations when visiting watermelon flowers. Significant variations were observed in the daily foraging patterns among bee species during the 84-h observation period (Friedman P < 0.05). Additionally, bee characteristics such as size, color, and sociability, along with the time of day, significantly influenced flower visits for resources (GLMM P < 0.05). These findings contribute to the understanding of Central American bee species' behavior, aid in their conservation and management and have implications for enhancing fruit production in local watermelon crops.(AU)

Optimized biotransformation of acid-treated water melon peel hydrolyzate into ethanol / Biotransformação otimizada de hidrolisado de casca de melancia tratada com ácido em etanol

Today, global focus of research is to explore the solution of energy crisis and environmental pollution. Like other agricultural countries, bulk quantities of watermelon peels (WMP) are disposed-off in environment as waste in Pakistan and appropriate management of this waste is the need of hour to save environment from pollution. The work emphasizes the role of ethanologenic yeasts to utilize significant sugars present in WMP for low-cost bioethanol fermentation. Dilute hydrochloric acid hydrolysis of WMP was carried out on optimized conditions employing RSM (response surface methodology) following central composite design (CCD). This experimental design is based on optimization of ethanologenesis involving some key independent parameters such as WMP hydrolysate and synthetic media ratio (X1), incubation temperature (X2) and incubation temperature (X3) for maximal ethanol yield exploiting standard (Saccharomyces cerevisiae K7) as well as experimental (Metchnikowia cibodasensisY34) yeasts. The results revealed that maximal ethanol yields obtained from S. cerevisiae K7 was 0.36±0.02 g/g of reducing sugars whereas M. cibodasensisY34, yielded 0.40±0.01 g ethanol/g of reducing sugars. The yeast isolate M. cibodasensisY34 appeared as promising ethanologen and embodies prospective potential for fermentative valorization of WMP-to-bioethanol.(AU)

Hoje, o foco global da pesquisa é explorar a solução da crise energética e da poluição ambiental. Como em outros países agrícolas, grandes quantidades de cascas de melancia (WMP) são descartadas como resíduos no meio ambiente no Paquistão, mas a gestão adequada desses resíduos é a mais recente solução para salvar o meio ambiente da poluição. O trabalho enfatiza o papel das leveduras etanologênicas para utilizar açúcares significativos presentes no WMP para fermentação de bioetanol de baixo custo. A hidrólise de ácido clorídrico diluído de WMP foi realizada em condições otimizadas empregando RSM (metodologia de superfície de resposta) e seguindo o projeto de composto central (CCD). Este projeto experimental é baseado na otimização da etanologenesis envolvendo alguns parâmetros independentes importantes, como hidrolisado de WMP e razão de meio sintético (X1), temperatura de incubação (X2) e temperatura de incubação (X3) para rendimento máximo de etanol explorando o padrão (Saccharomyces cerevisiae K7) também como leveduras experimentais (Metchnikowia cibodasensis Y34). Os resultados revelaram que os rendimentos máximos de etanol obtidos a partir de S. cerevisiae K7 foi de 0,36 ± 0,02 g / g de açúcares redutores, enquanto M. cibodasensis Y34 rendeu 0,40 ± 0,01 g de etanol / g de açúcares redutores. O isolado de levedura M. cibodasensis Y34 apareceu como um etanologeno promissor e incorpora um potencial prospectivo para a valorização fermentativa de WMP em bioetanol.(AU)

Optimized biotransformation of acid-treated water melon peel hydrolyzate into ethanol / Biotransformação otimizada de hidrolisado de casca de melancia tratada com ácido em etanol

Today, global focus of research is to explore the solution of energy crisis and environmental pollution. Like other agricultural countries, bulk quantities of watermelon peels (WMP) are disposed-off in environment as waste in Pakistan and appropriate management of this waste is the need of hour to save environment from pollution. The work emphasizes the role of ethanologenic yeasts to utilize significant sugars present in WMP for low-cost bioethanol fermentation. Dilute hydrochloric acid hydrolysis of WMP was carried out on optimized conditions employing RSM (response surface methodology) following central composite design (CCD). This experimental design is based on optimization of ethanologenesis involving some key independent parameters such as WMP hydrolysate and synthetic media ratio (X1), incubation temperature (X2) and incubation temperature (X3) for maximal ethanol yield exploiting standard (Saccharomyces cerevisiae K7) as well as experimental (Metchnikowia cibodasensisY34) yeasts. The results revealed that maximal ethanol yields obtained from S. cerevisiae K7 was 0.36±0.02 g/g of reducing sugars whereas M. cibodasensisY34, yielded 0.40±0.01 g ethanol/g of reducing sugars. The yeast isolate M. cibodasensisY34 appeared as promising ethanologen and embodies prospective potential for fermentative valorization of WMP-to-bioethanol.

Hoje, o foco global da pesquisa é explorar a solução da crise energética e da poluição ambiental. Como em outros países agrícolas, grandes quantidades de cascas de melancia (WMP) são descartadas como resíduos no meio ambiente no Paquistão, mas a gestão adequada desses resíduos é a mais recente solução para salvar o meio ambiente da poluição. O trabalho enfatiza o papel das leveduras etanologênicas para utilizar açúcares significativos presentes no WMP para fermentação de bioetanol de baixo custo. A hidrólise de ácido clorídrico diluído de WMP foi realizada em condições otimizadas empregando RSM (metodologia de superfície de resposta) e seguindo o projeto de composto central (CCD). Este projeto experimental é baseado na otimização da etanologenesis envolvendo alguns parâmetros independentes importantes, como hidrolisado de WMP e razão de meio sintético (X1), temperatura de incubação (X2) e temperatura de incubação (X3) para rendimento máximo de etanol explorando o padrão (Saccharomyces cerevisiae K7) também como leveduras experimentais (Metchnikowia cibodasensis Y34). Os resultados revelaram que os rendimentos máximos de etanol obtidos a partir de S. cerevisiae K7 foi de 0,36 ± 0,02 g / g de açúcares redutores, enquanto M. cibodasensis Y34 rendeu 0,40 ± 0,01 g de etanol / g de açúcares redutores. O isolado de levedura M. cibodasensis Y34 apareceu como um etanologeno promissor e incorpora um potencial prospectivo para a valorização fermentativa de WMP em bioetanol.

Optimized biotransformation of acid-treated water melon peel hydrolyzate into ethanol

Abstract Today, global focus of research is to explore the solution of energy crisis and environmental pollution. Like other agricultural countries, bulk quantities of watermelon peels (WMP) are disposed-off in environment as waste in Pakistan and appropriate management of this waste is the need of hour to save environment from pollution. The work emphasizes the role of ethanologenic yeasts to utilize significant sugars present in WMP for low-cost bioethanol fermentation. Dilute hydrochloric acid hydrolysis of WMP was carried out on optimized conditions employing RSM (response surface methodology) following central composite design (CCD). This experimental design is based on optimization of ethanologenesis involving some key independent parameters such as WMP hydrolysate and synthetic media ratio (X1), incubation temperature (X2) and incubation temperature (X3) for maximal ethanol yield exploiting standard (Saccharomyces cerevisiae K7) as well as experimental (Metchnikowia cibodasensisY34) yeasts. The results revealed that maximal ethanol yields obtained from S. cerevisiae K7 was 0.36±0.02 g/g of reducing sugars whereas M. cibodasensisY34, yielded 0.40±0.01 g ethanol/g of reducing sugars. The yeast isolate M. cibodasensisY34 appeared as promising ethanologen and embodies prospective potential for fermentative valorization of WMP-to-bioethanol.

Resumo Hoje, o foco global da pesquisa é explorar a solução da crise energética e da poluição ambiental. Como em outros países agrícolas, grandes quantidades de cascas de melancia (WMP) são descartadas como resíduos no meio ambiente no Paquistão, mas a gestão adequada desses resíduos é a mais recente solução para salvar o meio ambiente da poluição. O trabalho enfatiza o papel das leveduras etanologênicas para utilizar açúcares significativos presentes no WMP para fermentação de bioetanol de baixo custo. A hidrólise de ácido clorídrico diluído de WMP foi realizada em condições otimizadas empregando RSM (metodologia de superfície de resposta) e seguindo o projeto de composto central (CCD). Este projeto experimental é baseado na otimização da etanologenesis envolvendo alguns parâmetros independentes importantes, como hidrolisado de WMP e razão de meio sintético (X1), temperatura de incubação (X2) e temperatura de incubação (X3) para rendimento máximo de etanol explorando o padrão (Saccharomyces cerevisiae K7) também como leveduras experimentais (Metchnikowia cibodasensis Y34). Os resultados revelaram que os rendimentos máximos de etanol obtidos a partir de S. cerevisiae K7 foi de 0,36 ± 0,02 g / g de açúcares redutores, enquanto M. cibodasensis Y34 rendeu 0,40 ± 0,01 g de etanol / g de açúcares redutores. O isolado de levedura M. cibodasensis Y34 apareceu como um etanologeno promissor e incorpora um potencial prospectivo para a valorização fermentativa de WMP em bioetanol.

Why does ingestion of watermelon trigger headache attacks in patients with migraine? / Por que a ingestão de melancia desencadeia crises de dor de cabeça em pacientes com enxaqueca?

Several triggers can trigger a migraine attack, including food. By the way, food only triggers headache in migraine sufferers. The foods that most trigger headache attacks are these: cheese, chocolate, citrus fruits and some sweet fruits, such as watermelon.

Vários gatilhos podem desencadear uma crise de enxaqueca, incluindo alimentos. Aliás, a comida só provoca dor de cabeça em quem sofre de enxaqueca. Os alimentos que mais desencadeiam as crises de dor de cabeça são estes: queijo, chocolate, frutas cítricas e algumas frutas doces, como a melancia.

Optimized biotransformation of acid-treated water melon peel hydrolyzate into ethanol / Biotransformação otimizada de hidrolisado de casca de melancia tratada com ácido em etanol

Abstract Today, global focus of research is to explore the solution of energy crisis and environmental pollution. Like other agricultural countries, bulk quantities of watermelon peels (WMP) are disposed-off in environment as waste in Pakistan and appropriate management of this waste is the need of hour to save environment from pollution. The work emphasizes the role of ethanologenic yeasts to utilize significant sugars present in WMP for low-cost bioethanol fermentation. Dilute hydrochloric acid hydrolysis of WMP was carried out on optimized conditions employing RSM (response surface methodology) following central composite design (CCD). This experimental design is based on optimization of ethanologenesis involving some key independent parameters such as WMP hydrolysate and synthetic media ratio (X1), incubation temperature (X2) and incubation temperature (X3) for maximal ethanol yield exploiting standard (Saccharomyces cerevisiae K7) as well as experimental (Metchnikowia cibodasensisY34) yeasts. The results revealed that maximal ethanol yields obtained from S. cerevisiae K7 was 0.36±0.02 g/g of reducing sugars whereas M. cibodasensisY34, yielded 0.40±0.01 g ethanol/g of reducing sugars. The yeast isolate M. cibodasensisY34 appeared as promising ethanologen and embodies prospective potential for fermentative valorization of WMP-to-bioethanol.

Resumo Hoje, o foco global da pesquisa é explorar a solução da crise energética e da poluição ambiental. Como em outros países agrícolas, grandes quantidades de cascas de melancia (WMP) são descartadas como resíduos no meio ambiente no Paquistão, mas a gestão adequada desses resíduos é a mais recente solução para salvar o meio ambiente da poluição. O trabalho enfatiza o papel das leveduras etanologênicas para utilizar açúcares significativos presentes no WMP para fermentação de bioetanol de baixo custo. A hidrólise de ácido clorídrico diluído de WMP foi realizada em condições otimizadas empregando RSM (metodologia de superfície de resposta) e seguindo o projeto de composto central (CCD). Este projeto experimental é baseado na otimização da etanologenesis envolvendo alguns parâmetros independentes importantes, como hidrolisado de WMP e razão de meio sintético (X1), temperatura de incubação (X2) e temperatura de incubação (X3) para rendimento máximo de etanol explorando o padrão (Saccharomyces cerevisiae K7) também como leveduras experimentais (Metchnikowia cibodasensis Y34). Os resultados revelaram que os rendimentos máximos de etanol obtidos a partir de S. cerevisiae K7 foi de 0,36 ± 0,02 g / g de açúcares redutores, enquanto M. cibodasensis Y34 rendeu 0,40 ± 0,01 g de etanol / g de açúcares redutores. O isolado de levedura M. cibodasensis Y34 apareceu como um etanologeno promissor e incorpora um potencial prospectivo para a valorização fermentativa de WMP em bioetanol.

Impact of microencapsulated watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) and beetroot (Beta vulgaris L) on storage stability of l-citrulline and dietary nitrate.

The aim the current study was to developed a watermelon rind powder (WRP), watermelon pulp powder (WPP), and beetroot powder (BP), in order to compare the stability of L-citrulline and nitrate with that of watermelon rind juice (WRJ), watermelon pulp juice (WPJ), and beetroot juice (BJ), respectively. The stability was evaluated during 32 days at 25, 4 and - 20 ºC. L-arginine and L-ornithine content were also evaluated. At day 0, a significantly higher L-citrulline and L-ornithine content in WRP was observed when compared to WPP. However, a significantly lower L-arginine content in WRP was observed when compared to WPP. L-citrulline content in WRP and WRJ was stable over 32 days in all temperatures evaluated, whereas it reduced in WPP in 32 days at 25 ºC and it is reduced in in WPJ in day 16 and day 32 at 25 °C. L-arginine content in WRP and WPP was stable over 32 days in all temperatures evaluated. A reduction was observed in WRJ at day 2, 4 and 32 at 25 °C and in WPJ at day 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 days at 25 °C. L-ornithine content in WRP and WPP was stable over 32 days in all temperatures evaluated. An increase was observed in WRJ at day 2, 4 and 32 at 25 °C and in WPJ in day 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 at 25 °C. Nitrate content in BP was stable over 32 days in all temperatures evaluated, while nitrate content in beetroot juice was reduced in day 2 at 25 °C and day 8 at 4 °C. In conclusion, L-citrulline of the microencapsulated watermelon rind and nitrate of the microencapsulated beetroot were stable throughout storage.

Watermelon and others plant foods that trigger headache in migraine patients.

Background: Food is already recognized as a trigger for migraine, but its mechanism of action has not been fully clarified. There is evidence that they act on the pathogenesis of migraine, interfering with meningeal inflammation, vasodilation and cerebral glucose metabolism.Aim: The aim of this study was to know which plant foods are triggers for migraine and the latency time for the onset of pain.Method: We interviewed patients with migraine and tension-type headache about plant foods that trigger headache and onset time of the headache. We studied 3,935 migraine patients and 1,163 with tension-type headache.Results: There were headaches triggered by plant foods after 90.5 ± 7.9 minutes of ingestion in 40.3% (1,584/3,935) of migraine patients and none with tension-type headache. Headaches triggered by plant foods intake are distributed in the following order of frequency: watermelon (29.5%), passion fruit (3.73%), orange (2.01%), pineapple (1.52%), grape (0.51%), banana (0.46%), cucumber (0.43%), acerola (0.25%) and papaya (0.25%).Conclusions: Many plant foods, especially watermelon, may trigger headache attacks in migraine patients within a few minutes.

First Report of Leaf Spot and Stem Canker on Watermelon Caused by Paramyrothecium foliicola in Mexico.

Watermelon is an important vegetable crop in Mexico and produced on 358,105 ha, with nearly 1.5 x 106 tons. In September 2019, brown, irregular shape to round lesions with concentric rings were observed on the leaves and stems of watermelon plants in Sonora State. The surface of the lesions contained abundant cup-shaped sporodochia covered by masses of olive-green to black conidia. Edge sections of symptomatic tissues were cut from the leaves, disinfected in 70% ethanol for 1 min and subsequently washed twice with distilled water. Disinfected tissue samples were transferred to PDA medium and incubated at 27°C for 15 days. White colonies were observed with spordochia arranged in concentric rings with characteristic of greenish-black masses of conidia. Spore masses stained with lactophenol blue were examined microscopically. Conidia were nonseptate and rod-shaped with rounded ends that measured 6.65 ± 0.54 x 1.56 ± 0.25 µm (n = 100). The characteristics of the fungus were similar to those reported for Paramyrothecium foliicola (Rennberger and Keinath, 2020). Molecular identification was performed on a representative isolate. RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2), calmodulin (CmdA) and the ß-tubulin (B-tub) genes were amplified and sequenced with the primer sets RPB2-5F2-RPB2-7cR, CAL228F-CAL737R and Bt2a-Bt2b, respectively. These sequences were submitted to GenBank with the acc. nos. MW116070 for RPB2, MW116071 for CmdA and MW116072 for B-tub. BLASTn analysis of the sequences demonstrated 99.34 to 100% identity with Paramyrothecium foliicola (acc. nos. MN398043, MN593713 and MN398138). Koch's postulates were verified on 15-day-old watermelon seedlings and mature fruit. One point of each of ten watermelon seedlings and six points of each of five fruit were marked for inoculation. A plug of mycelium obtained from a monosporic pure culture (grown for 15 days in PDA) was applied to each point without wounds. PDA only medium was included as the controls. The pathogenicity tests were repeated twice. Treated seedlings and fruit were kept in plastic bags at 27°C for 15 days. The first symptoms appeared 4 days after inoculation on the seedlings and 3 days after inoculation on the fruit. At the end of the test, the symptoms were similar to those observed initially in the field. The pathogen was re-isolated from lesion edges, and the morphological characteristics of the pathogen were determined to correspond with those of the inoculated fungus. Control seedlings and fruits remained healthy. P. foliicola has been reported to cause leaf spot disease on wild rocket and basil (Matic et al., 2019) and, recently, on watermelon in South Carolina (Rennberger and Keinath, 2020). To the best of our knowledge, this report is the first to describe P. foliicola causing leaf spot and stem canker on watermelon in Mexico.

Producing non-traditional flour from watermelon rind pomace: Artificial neural network (ANN) modeling of the drying process.

An artificial neural network (ANN) model was developed to simulate the convective drying process of watermelon rind pomace used in the fabrication of non-traditional flour. Also, the drying curves obtained experimentally were fitted with eleven different empirical models to compare both modeling approaches. Lastly, to reduce the required fossil fuel in the convective drying process, two types of solar air heaters (SAH) were presented and experimentally evaluated. The optimization of the ANN by a genetic algorithm (GA) resulted in an optimal number of neurons of nine (9) for the first hidden layer and ten (10) for the second hidden layer. Also, the ANN performed better than the best fitted empirical model. Simulations with the trained ANN showed very promising generalization capabilities. The type II SAH showed the best performance and the highest air temperature it reached was 45 °C. The specific energy consumption (SEC) needed to dry the watermelon rind at this temperature and the CO2 emissions were 609 kWh.kg-1 and 318 kg CO2.kWh-1, respectively. Using the type II SAH, this energy amount would be saved without CO2 emissions. To reach higher drying temperatures the combination of the SAH and the electrical convective dryer is possible.

Cucurbit leaf crumple virus (CuLCrV) associated to watermelon disease in Campeche state, Mexico.

An annual recurrent disease causing yield reduction in cultivated watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) was documented by the growers in different farms of Campeche state, Mexico. In April 2019 and March 2020 open field grown watermelon plants showed symptoms such as leaf curling, crumpling, and leaf basal or apical necrosis (Figure S1), with an incidence ranging from 30 up to 80%. These plants also presented high populations of whitefly, especially in the most affected fields. In order to identify the causal agent of the disease, a total of 22 symptomatic watermelon plants were collected in four locations from Campeche state. Total nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) were extracted from these leaf samples. Initially, RT-PCR analysis was performed with specific primers (Table S1) for cucurbit-infecting Crinivirus transmitted by whitefly but the expected size PCR product for those viruses was not amplified in any of these samples. To investigate the presence of cucurbit-infecting begomoviruses, PCR was performed by using specific primers for those begomoviruses reported in Mexico and north/central America including Squash leaf curl virus (SLCV), Watermelon chlorotic stunt virus (WmCSV), Melon chlorotic leaf curl virus (MCLCuV), and Cucurbit leaf crumple virus (CuLCrV) (Table S1). Only the expected amplicon size of ~1089 bp for CuLCrV was amplified from DNA extracts from all 22 watermelon samples, suggesting a single cucurbit-associated virus. The putative complete genome of the CuLCrV Campeche isolate was amplified by circular DNA enrichment using a Rolling Circle Amplification (RCA) procedure from two representative samples, followed by enzymatic digestion using BamHI, EcoRI, KpnI, and SacI enzymes (Inoue-Nagata et al., 2004). Expected linearized full-length viral components (~2.7 kb) were obtained with EcoRI and SacI, and both products, from one selected sample, were cloned in to pGreen0029 vector and were fully sequenced. Sequence analysis of the EcoRI clone, designated as LV2019Camp_A (deposited in GenBank accession no. MW273384) revealed the highest identity of 97.52% to CuLCrV DNA-A isolate Baja California Sur isolate (GeneBank accession no. MN625831.1), whereas the KpnI clone, designated as LV2019Camp_B (deposited in GenBank accession no. MW273385), shared 94.87% identity with DNA B of CuLCrV isolate Arizona (GeneBank accession no. AF327559.1). Subsequently, CuLCrV isolate Campeche-derived agroinfectious clone, was obtained by constructing a partial dimeric tandem repeat of both DNA-A and DNA-B components (Bang et al., 2014). Twelve watermelon plants were agroinfiltrated with the infectious clone at the fourth true leaf stage, resulting in symptomatic plants (11/12) exhibiting leaf yellowing, curling, and crumpling 15 days after agroinfiltrated (Figure S1), and CuLCrV infection was confirmed by PCR specific detection using DNA extract from non-inoculated leaves. Previously CuLCrV has been detected in the USA (Arizona, Texas, California, Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia), and north Mexico (Coahuila) infecting cucurbits including squash, cucumber, cantaloupe, pumpkin, and watermelon (Brown et al., 2000., Keinath et al., 2018), in both single and mixed infection with other whitefly transmitted RNA viruses (CYSDV, genera Crinivirus), and DNA viruses (SLCV, genera Begomovirus) (Kuo et al., 2007). To our knowledge, this is the first report of CuLCrV infecting a cucurbit crop in the Campeche state from the Yucatán peninsula, in Mexico.

Intake of Watermelon and Watermelon Byproducts in Male Mice Fed a Western-Style Obesogenic Diet Alters Hepatic Gene Expression Patterns, as Determined by RNA Sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Consumption of watermelon has been associated with beneficial effects on metabolism, including reductions in systolic blood pressure, improved fasting blood glucose levels, and changes in hepatic metabolite accumulation. OBJECTIVES: In the present study, we investigated the impact of consumption of watermelon flesh (WF), watermelon rind (WR), and watermelon skin (WS) on hepatic gene expression patterns in an obesogenic mouse model. METHODS: Hepatic RNA was isolated and RNA sequencing was performed following a 10-week feeding trial during which C57BL/6 J mice were provided either a low-fat diet (LF), high-fat diet (HF; controls), or HF plus either WS, WR, or WF. Bioinformatic approaches were used to determine changes in the canonical pathways and gene expression levels for lipid- and xenobiotic-regulating nuclear hormone receptors and other related transcription factors, including the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), farnesyl X receptor, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, liver X receptor, pregnane X receptor, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2. RESULTS: There were 9394 genes that had unchanged expression levels between all 5 diet groups, and 247, 58, and 34 genes were uniquely expressed in the WF, WR, and WS groups, respectively. The relative levels of mRNAs regulated by AhR, CAR, and PPARα were upregulated in mice in the WF group, as compared to the HF control mice; in comparison, mRNAs regulated mainly by CAR were upregulated in mice in the WR and WS groups, compared to those in the HF control group. CONCLUSIONS: At modest levels of intake reflective of typical human consumption, mice in the WF, WS, and WR groups exhibited hepatic gene expression profiles that were altered when compared to mice in the HF control group. Several of these changes involve genes regulated by ligand-responsive transcription factors implicated in xenobiotic and lipid metabolisms, suggesting that the modulation of these transcription factors occurred in response to the consumption of WS, WR, and WF. Some of these changes are likely due to nuclear hormone receptor-mediated changes involved in lipid and xenobiotic metabolisms.

Organic matter and moringa leaf extract's effects on the physiology and fruit quality of red seedless watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) / Efeitos da matéria orgânica e do extrato da folha de moringa sobre a fisiologia e qualidade do fruto da melancia vermelha sem sementes ( Citrullus lanatus )

This study was designed to assess the effects of different types of organic matter on the quality and biochemical properties of red seedlesswatermelon.The research was a single factor experiment, which involved six (6) treatments and four (4) replications. Watermelon grown and harvested from five (5) different organic matter sources, namely; vermicompost (VC), poultry manure (PM), cow dung (CD), goatdung (GD), and moringa leaf extract (MLE), at the rates of 10 ton, 20 ton, 30 ton, 30 ton, and 3000 L ha-1, respectively, were used in this study. The results revealed that the treatment of vermicompost improved the chlorophyll content, chlorophyll fluorescence, stomatal conductance, internal carbon dioxide, net photosynthetic rate, fruit weight and mineral nutrient content of watermelon. The application of cow dung reduced the rind thickness and increased the TSS and antioxidant activity of the watermelon. The goat dung treatment significantly affected fruit size, juice content and the pH content of the watermelon's fruit juice. The poultry manure (PM) and moringa extract (MLE) treatments resulted in the highest anthocyanin content of all the watermelon. Although all the organic matter, in their unique ways, improved the quality of red seedless watermelon, the study shows that the vermicompost application had better growth, yield and improvement in the quality of watermelon.

Este estudo foi desenhado para avaliar os efeitos de diferentes tipos de matéria orgânica sobre a qualidade e propriedades bioquímicas da melancia vermelha sem sementes. A pesquisa foi um experimento de fator único, que envolveu seis (6) tratamentos e quatro (4) repetições. Melancia cultivada e colhida de cinco (5) diferentes fontes de matéria orgânica, nomeadamente; vermicomposto (VC), esterco de galinha (PM), estrume de vaca (CD), esterco de cabra (GD) e extrato de folhas de moringa (MLE), nas doses de 10 ton, 20 ton, 30 ton, 30 ton e 3000 L ha-1, respectivamente, foram utilizados neste estudo. Os resultados revelaram que o tratamento do vermicomposto melhorou o teor de clorofila, a fluorescência da clorofila, a condutância estomática, o dióxido de carbono interno, a taxa fotossintética líquida, o peso do fruto e o teor de nutrientes minerais da melancia. A aplicação de esterco bovino reduziu a espessura da casca e aumentou o TSS e a atividade antioxidante da melancia. O tratamento com esterco de cabra afetou significativamente o tamanho do fruto, o teor de suco e o teor de pH do suco de fruta da melancia. Os tratamentos com esterco de galinha (PM) e extrato de moringa (MLE) resultaram no maior teor de antocianina de todas as melancias. Apesar de toda a matéria orgânica, em seus meios únicos, melhorar a qualidade da melancia vermelha sem sementes, o estudo mostra que a aplicação do vermicomposto apresentou melhor crescimento, rendimento e melhora na qualidade da melancia.

Screening and analysis on the differentially expression genes between diploid and autotetraploid watermelon by using of digital gene expression profile / Triagem e análise da expressão diferencial dos genes entre melancia diplóide e autotetraplóide através do perfil de expressão gênica digital

Abstract Synthetic polyploids are key breeding materials for watermelon. Compared with diploid watermelon, the tetraploid watermelon often exhibit wide phenotypic differences and differential gene expression. Digital gene expression (DGE) profile technique was performed in this study to present gene expression patterns in an autotetraploid and its progenitor diploid watermelon, and deferentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to the abiotic and biotic stress were also addressed. Altogether, 4,985 DEGs were obtained in the autotetraploid against its progenitor diploid, and 66.02% DEGs is up-regulated. GO analysis shows that these DEGs mainly distributed in 'metabolic process', 'cell' and 'catalytic activity'. KEGG analysis revealed that these DEGs mainly cover 'metabolic pathways', 'secondary metabolites' and 'ribosome'. Moreover, 134 tolerance related DEGs were identified which cover osmotic adjustment substance, protective enzymes/protein, signaling proteins and pathogenesis-related proteins. This study present the differential expression of stress related genes and global gene expression patterns at background level in autotetraploid watermelons. These new evidences could supplement the molecular theoretical basis for the better resistance after the genome doubling in the gourd family.

Resumo Poliploides sintéticos são materias fundamentais para melhoramento genético da melancia. Comparativamente ao seu homólogo diploide, a melancia tetraploide apresenta amplas diferenças genotípica e fenotípica e diferença de expressão gênica. A expressão gênica digital ou DGE (digital gene expression) foi utilizada neste estudo para representar o perfil de expressão gênica da melancia autotetraploide e seu progenitor diploide e a expressão diferencial de genes relacionados ao estresse biótico e abiótico. Os resultados mostraram que 4.985 DEGs foram observados no organismo autotetraploide, sendo que, deste total, 66.02%foram supra-regulados. A análise de ontologia gênica (GO) mostrou que estes DEGs estão relacionados principalmente com processos metabólicas, célula e atividade catalítica, abrangendo de acordo com a análise de genes e genoma (KEGG) rotas metabólicas, metabolismo secundário e ribossomos. Além disso, 134 genes de defesa foram identificados, abrangendo substâncias de ajuste osmótico, enzimas/proteínas de proteção, proteínas sinalizadoras e proteínas relacionadas à patogênese. Este estudo mostrou a expressão diferencial de genes relacionados ao estresse e o perfil global de expressão gênica de melancia autotetraploide, estes resultados podem complementar, a nível molecular, o entendimento do fator resistência após a duplicação do genoma em cucurbitáceas.