Transcriptomic analysis of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) in response to Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus infection and biocontrol agent Pantoea ananatis D1-28 treatment
Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) is a major pathogen that severely affects watermelon production worldwide. Pantoea ananatis strain D1-28 has been shown to effectively control CGMMV infection in watermelon, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we performed transcriptome sequencing to compare the gene expression profiles of watermelon seedlings between CGMMV-infected control and D1-28-treated groups.Functional enrichment analysis showed that DEGs were significantly enriched in pathways related to photosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, plant hormone signal transduction, and plant-pathogen interaction. Key defense-related genes involved in cell wall modification, antioxidant system, and immune response were significantly upregulated in the D1-28-treated group.These results provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanism of D1-28-induced resistance to CGMMV in watermelon and lay a foundation for the development of biocontrol strategies against viral diseases in cucurbit crops.