Chinese Researchers Pinpoint Protein that Regulates Cucumber Leaf Size and Fruiting Ability

Chinese researchers reveal the novel function of R2R3-MYB transcription factors CsRAXs in regulating leaf size and fruiting ability of cucumber. Their findings are reported in the Journal of Integrative Plant Biology.

Understanding leaf development is essential for various aspects of agriculture, including crop yield and production. Leaves are the primary photosynthesis organs in plants, and their efficiency has a direct impact on the plant's growth, development, and overall productivity. Hence, the researchers explored the role of CsRAXs in cucumber plants.

The results of the study show that the Csrax5 single mutant has an enlarged leaf size and stem diameter, and the fruiting ability of Csrax1/2/5 plants significantly improved. The researchers also found that overexpression of CsRAX1 or CsRAX5 gave rise to smaller leaves and thinner stems in cucumbers, and the fruiting ability of CsRAX5 overexpression lines was weakened. Furthermore, cell number and free auxin level also decreased in overexpression lines. This data suggests that CsRAXs negatively regulate leaf size and fruiting ability of cucumbers.

For more information, read the abstract from the Journal of Integrative Plant Biology.