Form and contour: breeding and genetics of organ shape from wild relatives to modern vegetable crops.

Shape is a primary determinant of consumer preference for many horticultural crops and it is also associated with many aspects of marketing, harvest mechanics, and postharvest handling. Perceptions of quality and preference often map to specific shapes of fruits, tubers, leaves, flowers, roots, and other plant organs. As a result, humans have greatly expanded the palette of shapes available for horticultural crops, in many cases creating a series of market classes where particular shapes predominate.

Small RNA Profiling of Cucurbit Yellow Stunting Disorder Virus from Susceptible and Tolerant Squash () Lines.

RNA silencing is a crucial mechanism of the antiviral immunity system in plants. Small RNAs guide Argonaut proteins to target viral RNA or DNA, preventing virus accumulation. Small RNA profiles in line PI 420328 with tolerance to cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) were compared with those in Gold Star, a susceptible cultivar.