Fei  Yang , Qianlu  Gu , Wentao  He , Decheng  Hong , Mengyan  Yu , Jinxiao  Yao

Zhoushan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhoushan, 316000, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Molecular Plant Breeding, 2025, Vol. 16, No. 1   doi: 10.5376/mpb.2025.16.0001
Received: 07 Dec., 2024    Accepted: 10 Jan., 2025    Published: 19 Jan., 2025

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Yang F., Gu Q.L., He W.T., Hong D.C., Yu M.Y., and Yao J.X., 2025, Genetic basis of agronomic traits in cucumber: a review of QTL mapping studies, Molecular Plant Breeding, 16(1): 1-12 (doi: 10.5376/mpb.2025.16.0001)

This study provides a comprehensive synthesis of the genetic basis underlying key agronomic traits in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), focusing on findings from quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping studies. By analyzing over 300 QTLs across 42 traits, the review highlights the significant progress in identifying genetic markers associated with essential agronomic characteristics, including yield, fruit quality, disease resistance, and growth habits. Noteworthy discoveries include major QTLs such as Ef1.1, which influences early flowering, and FS5.2, a key regulator of fruit size and shape. These findings underscore the intricate genetic architecture governing cucumber traits and the potential for marker-assisted selection (MAS) to enhance breeding efficiency. The review also addresses challenges in the reproducibility and validation of QTLs across different genetic backgrounds and environments. Furthermore, the integration of next-generation sequencing technologies has bolstered QTL mapping precision, providing detailed genetic maps and facilitating candidate gene identification. Future directions involve leveraging gene-editing technologies like CRISPR/Cas9 and combining multi-omics approaches to further elucidate the regulatory networks underlying agronomic traits. The insights from QTL mapping not only advance cucumber breeding efforts but also set the foundation for developing resilient, high-yielding, and high-quality cucumber varieties to meet agricultural demands.

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.); Agronomic traits; QTL mapping; Genetic basis; Disease resistance; Fruit quality; Next-generation sequencing; CRISPR/Cas9; Cucumber breeding