To address the production challenges posed by Fusarium wilt in luffa, the Taiwan Seed Improvement and Propagation Station (TSIPS), MOA, has developed highly resistant hybrid rootstocks with excellent reproductive performance. After years of selective breeding and evaluation, four promising Fusarium wilt-resistant rootstock lines (111, 157, 153, and A) were identified. From these, three disease-resistant hybrid combinations—LH20, LH27, and LH29—were produced. Resistance trials demonstrated their excellent performance. Compared to the commercial luffa variety “S” (99% disease severity) and the common luffa rootstock variety “D” used for cucurbit grafting (87% disease severity), the new hybrids of luffa showed outstanding resistance, with disease severity rate between 0% to 2%. These hybrids also belong to the cylindrical luffa, which is the predominant variety in Taiwan. These hybrids of rootstock exhibited good graft compatibility, ensuring stable fruit quality and yield while significantly reducing crop loss in protected cultivation. This advancement holds great value for strengthening the competitiveness of luffa industry.

According to TSIPS, luffa (Luffa spp.) can be divided into cylindrical luffa (Luffa cylindrica Roemer.) and angled luffa (Luffa acutangula Roxb.). Among them, cylindrical luffa is the most common summer vegetable in Taiwan. Belonging to the cucurbit family (Cucurbitaceae), it is an annual herb rich in dietary fiber, water, vitamin C, vitamin B, and various minerals, while being low in calories. Beyond its food value, dried mature fruits can be processed into loofah sponges for cleaning, and luffa sap collected from young shoots is valued for its cooling and whitening properties. These diverse applications highlight the broad economic and cultural value of luffa.

In recent years, climate change and deteriorating cultivation conditions have caused significant losses in Taiwan's fruit and vegetable production. Facility cultivation has become an important solution for stabilizing farmers’ income. However, without paddy–upland rotation, soil-borne diseases have worsened. Among these, Fusarium wilt causes the most severe damage. The pathogen can cause rapid plant wilting during the crucial harvesting period, leading to catastrophic yield loss and fruit degradation, nullifying a farmer's hard work. Grafting technology with disease-resistant rootstocks represents a critical strategy to control Fusarium wilt and other soil-borne diseases, and has therefore become an important breeding objective for rootstock varieties.

▲Figure 1. High resistance to Fusarium wilt demonstrated by TSIPS's new hybrid rootstocks. From left to right: LH20, LH27, and LH29 show healthy growth after inoculation with the pathogen.
▲Figure 2. Susceptibility of commercial cultivars to Fusarium wilt. From left to right: 'S' and 'D' show severe wilting and plant death after inoculation.			▲Figure 3. Fruit performance of grafted luffa plants.