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Genetic variation within the U.S. cucumber collection (Cucumis sativus var. sativus L. and var. hardwickii (Royle)Alef.) was assessed by examing the variation at 21 polymorphic isozyme loci and comparing the results of this investigation with a similar previous analysis of 14 loci. About 29% (15 of 51) of the enzyme systems examined in an initial survey were polymorphic. Seven loci (Ak-2, Ak-3, Fdp-1, Fdp-2, Mpi-1, Pep-gl and Skdh) which were not previously used to estimate genetic diversity, were assessed. On average, 1_4 loci were polymorphic per enzyme system and 2.2 alleles were present per polymorphic locus. The frequency of polymorphisms was relatively low for Fdp-l(2) (0.01), Mpi-l(1) (0.03), and Skdh(1) (0.02). Principal component and cluster analyses of allelic variation at polymorphic loci separated a diverse array of 757 cucumber accessions from the U.S. National Plant Germplasm Systesm's (NPGS) collection into distinct groups by country (45 nations examined). All accessions of C. s. var. sativus were isozymically distinct from C. s. var. hardwickii, which were themselves dissimilar from each other. Data suggest that C. s. var. hardwickii is not a feral derivative of extant C. s. var. sativus populations. The allelic profile of C. s. var. sativus accessions originating from Burma, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia were distinct from the other accessions examined. Allelic fixation has occurred at Pgd-2 in accessions from Burma, and atAk-2 in accessions from Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. Some of the countries examined that were in close geographic proximity (e.g., Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong) contained accessions with similar isozyme profiles. Accessions are fixed for certain alleles [e.g., Gr (1) (100%), Fdp-l(1) (100%) and Mpi-2(2) (50%) for accessions from Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong]. Grouping countries by continent or sub-continent (i.e., North and South American, China, Eastern Europe, Western Europe) and by numbers of accessions examined (i.e., India/Burma, Iran, Japan, Turkey, and remaining accessions) was used to identify accessions with unique allozymic

Plant architecture can be manipulated in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) to provide an array of phenotypes. Determinate, multiple-lateral plants are unique because they afford an opportunity to increase fruit yield per plant. Estimates of genetic variances, numbers of genetic factors, and genotypic and phenotypic correlations between traits were made in a population, segregating for sex expression, leaf size, and plant habit at low plant density (≈19,000 plants/ha). Replicated evaluation of 100 F3 families derived from an initial mating between a gynoecious, determinate, moderately branched line (G421) and a monoecious, indeterminate, multiple lateral branching line (`H-19') indicated that mainstem length and multiple lateral branching exhibit mostly additive genetic variance. For sex expression, additive and dominant genetic variances were important. The minimum number of genetic factors controlling sex expression, number of lateral branches, and mainstem length were estimated at five, four, and eight, respectively. Phenotypic and genotypic correlations between traits indicated that relative leaf size may influence fruit mass while having only limited influence on the number of fruit produced per plant. The amount and type of genetic variation suggests that the development of an array of determinate, multiple-lateral branching plant types with varying sex expression and plant stature is possible.