Jie Shen^1,2

1 Haining Chang'an Town Guangyi Family Farm, Haining, 314408, Zhejiang, China
2 Zhejiang Agronomist College, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Genomics and Applied Biology, 2026, Vol. 17, No. 3   
Received: 08 May, 2026    Accepted: 12 Jun., 2026    Published: 27 Jun., 2026

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica) is an important cucurbit vegetable widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions due to its high nutritional value and economic significance. Trellising cultivation is a key agronomic practice that influences plant architecture, canopy microclimate, resource utilization efficiency, and ultimately fruit yield and quality. Different trellising systems, including horizontal pergola, A-frame, fence, and vertical training systems, create distinct growing environments that affect photosynthesis, flowering, fruit set, and assimilate partitioning. This review summarizes the biological characteristics of sponge gourd and the theoretical basis of trellising cultivation, and examines the effects of various trellising systems on plant growth, yield formation, fruit quality, and production efficiency. Furthermore, representative case studies are analyzed to compare the performance of different trellis configurations under diverse cultivation conditions. The economic and ecological benefits of trellising cultivation, including labor efficiency, disease management, and sustainable production, are also discussed. Current research limitations and future directions, such as the development of innovative and intelligent trellising technologies, are highlighted. This review provides a comprehensive reference for optimizing sponge gourd cultivation practices and improving productivity and fruit quality in sustainable horticultural systems.

Sponge gourd; Trellising system; Yield formation; Fruit quality; Sustainable cultivation