Integrative Morphometric, Sensory and Chloroplast DNA Evidence Clarifies Species Boundaries and Varietal Identities of Cucumis melo and Cucumis sativus Landraces in Sri Lanka

Integrative Morphometric, Sensory and Chloroplast DNA Evidence Clarifies Species Boundaries and Varietal Identities of Cucumis melo and Cucumis sativus Landraces in Sri Lanka | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Integrative Morphometric, Sensory and Chloroplast DNA Evidence Clarifies Species Boundaries and Varietal Identities of Cucumis melo and Cucumis sativus Landraces in Sri Lanka P.R.S. Pathirana, E.Y. Fernando, A.M.K.R. Bandara, D.M.D. Dissanayake, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8243780/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 7 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Sri Lanka harbors a culturally significant yet under-characterized diversity of Cucumis melo L. and Cucumis sativus L., much of which is absent from global germplasm repositories. To address longstanding taxonomic uncertainties and improve documentation of these genetic resources, we conducted an integrative assessment combining a nationwide germplasm survey, multivariate morphometric analyses, chloroplast DNA barcoding, phylogenetic reconstruction, and supporting sensory evaluation. Twenty representative genotypes collected from 632 sites were cultivated across three contrasting agro-ecological zones. Morphometric analyses consistently differentiated C. melo from C. sativus and resolved coherent intra-specific varietal groups that aligned with farmer-recognized classifications. Chloroplast phylogenies based on rbcL and trnH–psbA strongly supported species boundaries and conclusively placed both Thiyambara variants within C. sativus , while the feral Gon Kekiri accession grouped within divergent maternal lineages of C. melo . Divergence dating revealed deep Miocene-level diversification in C. melo compared with the relatively shallow chloroplast divergence observed in C. sativus , consistent with established Cucurbitaceae evolutionary chronograms. These findings provide the first robust taxonomic framework for Sri Lankan Cucumis , highlighting unique maternal lineages and farmer-maintained varietal identities of potential value for conservation, crop improvement, and future evolutionary research. Cucumis melo Cucumis sativus germplasm species boundaries chloroplast DNA phylogeny divergence varietal groups Sri Lanka Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files SUPPLIMENTARYTABLESFORGRACE.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviews received at journal 06 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 26 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 09 Dec, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 07 Dec, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 05 Dec, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 05 Dec, 2025 First submitted to journal 30 Nov, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8243780","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":557966353,"identity":"50208d1c-ff49-4a83-9320-1cea46ebc79a","order_by":0,"name":"P.R.S. 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Lanka","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"genetic-resources-and-crop-evolution","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"gres","sideBox":"Learn more about [Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution](https://www.springer.com/journal/10722)","snPcode":"10722","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10722/3","title":"Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Cucumis melo, Cucumis sativus, germplasm, species boundaries, chloroplast DNA, phylogeny, divergence, varietal groups, Sri Lanka","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8243780/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8243780/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eSri Lanka harbors a culturally significant yet under-characterized diversity of \u003cem\u003eCucumis melo\u003c/em\u003e L. and \u003cem\u003eCucumis sativus\u003c/em\u003e L., much of which is absent from global germplasm repositories. To address longstanding taxonomic uncertainties and improve documentation of these genetic resources, we conducted an integrative assessment combining a nationwide germplasm survey, multivariate morphometric analyses, chloroplast DNA barcoding, phylogenetic reconstruction, and supporting sensory evaluation. Twenty representative genotypes collected from 632 sites were cultivated across three contrasting agro-ecological zones. Morphometric analyses consistently differentiated \u003cem\u003eC. melo\u003c/em\u003e from \u003cem\u003eC. sativus\u003c/em\u003e and resolved coherent intra-specific varietal groups that aligned with farmer-recognized classifications. Chloroplast phylogenies based on \u003cem\u003erbcL\u003c/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003etrnH\u0026ndash;psbA\u003c/em\u003e strongly supported species boundaries and conclusively placed both \u003cem\u003eThiyambara\u003c/em\u003e variants within \u003cem\u003eC. sativus\u003c/em\u003e, while the feral \u003cem\u003eGon Kekiri\u003c/em\u003e accession grouped within divergent maternal lineages of \u003cem\u003eC. melo\u003c/em\u003e. Divergence dating revealed deep Miocene-level diversification in \u003cem\u003eC. melo\u003c/em\u003e compared with the relatively shallow chloroplast divergence observed in \u003cem\u003eC. sativus\u003c/em\u003e, consistent with established \u003cem\u003eCucurbitaceae\u003c/em\u003e evolutionary chronograms. These findings provide the first robust taxonomic framework for Sri Lankan \u003cem\u003eCucumis\u003c/em\u003e, highlighting unique maternal lineages and farmer-maintained varietal identities of potential value for conservation, crop improvement, and future evolutionary research.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Integrative Morphometric, Sensory and Chloroplast DNA Evidence Clarifies Species Boundaries and Varietal Identities of Cucumis melo and Cucumis sativus Landraces in Sri Lanka","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-12-11 14:59:46","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8243780/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-06T09:40:46+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"205459562250878407463759719869523389383","date":"2026-03-26T11:13:21+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"269940693662934678884778662049068489869","date":"2025-12-10T03:55:57+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-12-07T07:39:20+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-12-05T10:35:51+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-12-05T10:34:34+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution","date":"2025-11-30T17:52:58+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"genetic-resources-and-crop-evolution","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"gres","sideBox":"Learn more about [Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution](https://www.springer.com/journal/10722)","snPcode":"10722","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/10722/3","title":"Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"87b7895d-15f2-4785-8b14-f43251007ebc","owner":[],"postedDate":"December 11th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-12-11T14:59:46+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-12-11 14:59:46","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8243780","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8243780","identity":"rs-8243780","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}