International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 250-262 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 258 Figure 3 Results of phylogenetic analysis of (A) Cucurbita argyrosperma accessions and (B) Cucurbita maxima accessions (Adopted from Kates et al., 2021) Image caption: The figure shows a clear separation between the wild and domesticated varieties of pumpkins, indicating that Cucurbita argyrosperma and Cucurbita maxima underwent significant genetic differentiation during domestication. Additionally, the domesticated Cucurbita argyrosperma is further divided into two subgroups, while the domesticated Cucurbita maxima exhibits a high level of consistency, with only one improved variety separating from the other domesticated varieties. This suggests that Cucurbita argyrosperma retained more genetic diversity during domestication, whereas the improved varieties of Cucurbita maxima are relatively more uniform and concentrated (Adopted from Kates et al., 2021) 9 Applications and Implications of Pumpkins 9.1 Agricultural benefits of domesticated pumpkins Domesticated pumpkins offer several agricultural benefits, particularly in the context of sustainable farming practices. Pumpkins are highly adaptable to various soil and atmospheric conditions, making them a resilient crop in the face of climate change and other environmental challenges. They can thrive in low soil fertility and require less water compared to other staple crops, which is crucial in regions facing water scarcity (Hosen et al., 2021). Additionally, the genetic diversity within pumpkin species, as revealed by studies on their domestication, suggests that they have a robust potential for breeding programs aimed at improving crop resilience and yield
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==