Cucurbits (Cucurbitaceae; Cucumis spp., Cucurbita spp., Citrullus spp.)

The Cucurbitaceae is a remarkable plant family, deserving of attention because of its economic, aesthetic, cultural, medicinal, and botanical significance. In the Old and New Worlds, cucurbits have been associated with human nutrition and culture for more than 12,000 years (Brothwell and Brothwell 1969; Lira-Saade 1995). Thus, the Cucurbitaceae, along with the Brassicaceae and Asteraceae, can be considered families of extraordinary importance to humans, and they follow cereals and legumes in their economic significance to human economy (Whitaker and Davis 1962; Nayar and More 1998)

Cucurbits (Cucurbitaceae; Cucumis spp., Cucurbita spp., Citrullus spp.)

The Cucurbitaceae is a remarkable plant family, deserving of attention because of its economic, aesthetic, cultural, medicinal, and botanical significance. In the Old and New Worlds, cucurbits have been associated with human nutrition and culture for more than 12,000 years (Brothwell and Brothwell 1969; Lira-Saade 1995). Thus, the Cucurbitaceae, along with the Brassicaceae and Asteraceae, can be considered families of extraordinary importance to humans, and they follow cereals and legumes in their economic significance to human economy (Whitaker and Davis 1962; Nayar and More 1998).This is a chapter from Genetic Resources, Chromosome Engineering, and Crop Improvement: Vegetable Crops 3 (2007): 271. </p

Acquisition and ecological characterization of Lactuca serriola L. germplasm collected in the Czech Republic, , Germany, the Netherlands and United Kingdom

Expeditions were conducted in the Czech Republic, Germany, the Netherlands and United Kingdom in 2001 (partly 1998) to study Lactuca serriola L. (prickly lettuce, compass plant) geographic distribution, ecology, habitat characteristics and occurrence of diseases and pests on this species. During these missions the seed material of L. serriola L. was collected in an east¿west transect of these four countries. The European transect where seeds were collected and field observations were made represents a relatively large area between 2°34¿50¿¿ W¿17°32¿46¿¿ E and 47°40¿42¿¿¿54°04¿19¿¿ N. The seed material was used for regeneration, inclusion in the national genetic resources collections of individual countries and for research purposes in follow-up studies. During the missions, 50 locations with occurrence of L. serriola L. were visited (16 in Czech Republic and Germany, 10 in UK and 8 in the Netherlands). Individual seed lots of sixteen different plants were collected at each location (L. serriola L. population). Thus, in total 800 seed samples were collected. In Czech Republic and Germany L. serriola L. f. serriola dominated in all observed populations, in the Netherlands both f. serriola and f. integrifolia occurred in pure or mixed stands, whereas in the United Kingdom L. serriola L. f. integrifolia (S.F. Gray) S.D. Prince et R.N. Carter was dominant. L. serriola L. was recorded at various altitudes (¿4 to 410 m), different habitats (ditches, along roads, fields and field margins, ruderal places, pavements and parking sites, fallow fields), individual populations varied substantially in size (20 to >1000 plants), area covered (25¿10,000 m2), and the structure and character of associated plant communities. Natural infections by downy mildew (Bremia lactucae Regel) and powdery mildew (Golovinomyces cichoracearum (DC.) V.P. Gelyuta) were observed in some populations. B. lactucae Regel was recorded only in Czech Republic, G. cichoracearum (DC.) V.P. Gelyuta was more common in continental Europe. General and specific aspects of L. serriola L. geographic distribution and ecology are discussed

Leafy vegetables GENRES project succesfully completed

A consortium of twelve partners from ten European countries recently finished a four year project, ‘Leafy Vegetables, stimulating use’, coordinated by The Centre for Genetic Resources (CGN), Netherlands, in the framework of the European GENRES programme. The project focused on the improvement of the ex situ management of the European genetic resources of leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, chicory, lamb’s lettuce and rocket