Genetic Analysis of Chinese Cucumber Collections in the U.S. National Germplasm Collection

Abstract

Genetic variation in cucumber accessions from China was assessed by examining variation at 21 polymorphic isozyme loci. Principal component analysis of allelic variation allowed for the depiction of two distinct groupings of Chinese accessions collected in 1994 and 1996 (67 accessions). Six isozyme loci (Gpi, Gr, Mdh-2, Mpi-2, Pep-gl, and Pep-la) were important in elucidating these major groups. These groupings were different from a single grouping of Chinese 146 accessions acquired before 1994. Allelic variation in Chinese accessions allowed for comparisons with other accessions in the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (U.S. NPGS) collection grouped by continent and sub-continent. When Chinese accessions taken collectively were compared with an array of 853 C. sativus U.S. NPGS accessions examined previously, relationships differed between accessions grouped by country or subcontinent. Data indicate that acquisition of additional Chinese and Indian cucumber accessions would be strategically important for increasing genetic diversity in the U.S. NPGS cucumber collection.

Variation and genetics of tolerance to cull fruit formation in slicing cucumber

“…These findings have emphasized that more acquisitions of Indian and Chinese cucumber accessions would be strategically important for increasing genetic diversity in the US NPGS cucumber collection (Staub et al 1998). The performance of F 1 hybrids has exhibited the dominance of the low CFF trait.…”