Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology Safety Assessment of Transgenic Organisms in the Environment, Volume 5..

106 – II.2. SQUASHES, PUMPKINS, ZUCCHINIS, GOURDS (CURCURBITA SPECIES)

domesticated species it is AABB. A recent sequence analysis of an intron from the

mitochondrial gene nad1 indicated that C. ficifolia was basal to all other taxa in this

group (Sanjur et al., 2002). Wilson, Doebley and Duvall (1992) determined that the

annual Cucurbita species evolved from the perennial species.

Table 2.5. Bee species pollinating Cucurbita species in Mexico

Pollinators References Cucurbita species

Apis mellifera Linnaeus (^) Mariano and Dirzo (2002); Canto-
Aguilar and Parra-Tabla (2000)
C. argyrosperma, C. pepo, C. moschata, C. ficifolia
Peponapis michelbacherorum
Hurd & Linsley
Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971)
Peponapis utahensis Cockerell Mariano and Dirzo (2002); Hurd, Linsley
and Whitaker (1971)
C. argyrosperma ssp. sororia, C. pepo, C. ficifolia,
C. moschata
Peponapis melonis Friese Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971)
Peponapis fervens Smith Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971)
Peponapis citrullina Cockerell Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971)
Peponapis limitaris Cockerell Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971) C. argyrosperma, C. moschata
Peponapis pruinosa Say Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971) C. argyrosperma ssp. argyrosperma,
C. argyrosperma ssp. sororia, C. ficifolia, C. pepo,
C. foetidissima, C. lundelliana, C. moschata, C.
maxima
Peponapis azteca Hurd & Linsley Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971) C. argyrosperma ssp. argyrosperma,
C. argyrosperma ssp. sororia, C. pepo,
C. foetidissima, C. ficifolia, C. lundelliana,
C. moschata, C. maxima
Peponapis smithi Hurd & Linsley Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971) C. ficifolia, C. argyrosperma, C. moschata
Peponapis apiculata Cresson Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971) C. ficifolia
Peponapis atrata Smith Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971;)
Andres (1990)
C. argyrosperma ssp. argyrosperma, C. ficifolia,
C. pepo, C. moschata, C. maxima
Peponapis timberlakei Hurd & Linsley Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971)
Peponapis crassidentata Cockerell Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971) C. argyrosperma, C. pepo, C. moschata
Peponapis angelica Cockerell Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971)
Xenoglossa kansensis Cockerell Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971)
Xenoglossa strenua Cresson Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971) C. pepo
Xenoglossa angustior Cockerell Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971)
Xenoglossa mustelina Fox Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971)
Xenoglossa patricia Cockerell Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971) C. argyrosperma ssp. argyrosperma, C. digitata,
C. foetidissima, C. pepo, C. moschata, C. maxima
Xenoglossa fulva Smith Hurd, Linsley and Whitaker (1971) C. argyrosperma ssp. argyrosperma, C. ficifolia,
C. epo, C. moschata, C. maxima
Xenoglossa gabbii Cresson Mariano and Dirzo (2002); Hurd, Linsley
and Whitaker (1971)
C. argyrosperma ssp. sororia, C. ficifolia
Megalopta sp. Mariano and Dirzo (2002) C. argyrosperma ssp. sororia
Melitoma marginella Cresson Mariano and Dirzo (2002) C. argyrosperma ssp. sororia
The morphology of the chromosomes is not well characterised as they are small and
not easily differentiated (Weeden, 1984; Weeden and Robinson, 1990). Using flow
cytometry, Arumuganathan and Earle (1991) determined that the haploid genome of
zucchini (C. pepo ssp. pepo) is approximately 500 million base pairs long. A typical
nucleus (2n) contains 1.04-1.08 picograms of DNA. Most morphological traits appear to
be unlinked, and many markers are required to adequately map the genome. Havey et al.
(1998) used restricted fragment length polymorphisms to study the transmission of the
chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes in cucurbits. They concluded that both organelle
genomes were maternally transmitted in Cucurbita.