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Article History

Received: 9 June 2025

Accepted: 21 August 2025

First Online: 2 October 2025

Declarations

:

: The authors declare no competing interests.

: All fieldwork, land access, and sample collection conducted in this study complied with institutional, national, and international guidelines and relevant legislation. The study site is family-owned land under customary tenure in Ajamesu township, Ashanti Region, Ghana. Informed verbal consent was obtained from the heads of the land-owning families and the individual farmers who cultivate the cucumber fields before field sampling. The cucumber (Cucumis sativus) samples collected for analysis were limited to commercially cultivated varieties grown for local consumption and sale. No endangered, protected, or wild plant species were involved in this study. The research did not involve any genetic modification, transboundary transfer of plant genetic resources, or field studies requiring government permits. All procedures were conducted in accordance with the editorial policies of Scientific Reports concerning research involving plants ().