Rootstock-mediated transcriptomic regulation of fruit quality and sugar metabolism in grafted watermelon
This study investigates rootstock-mediated transcriptomic regulation of fruit quality and sugar metabolism in grafted watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). RNA sequencing was performed on fruit tissues from self-grafted watermelon and watermelon grafted onto genetically diverse rootstocks to characterize rootstock-dependent changes in scion gene expression. Comparative transcriptome analysis was used to identify differentially expressed genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism, sugar accumulation, and fruit quality traits. The study also investigates potential rootstock-to-scion mobile mRNAs and their possible contribution to long-distance molecular regulation of fruit development and sugar metabolism.