Optimum planting density and harvest stage for little-leaf and normal-leaf cucumbers for once-over harvest

Abstract

Schultheis, J. R., Wehner, T. C. and Walters, S. A. 1998. Optimum planting density and harvest stage for little-leaf and normalleaf cucumbers for once-over harvest. Can. J. Plant Sci. 78: 333-340. Optimum planting density and harvest stage were determined for once-over harvest of little-leaf and normal-leaf cucumbers. Three harvest stages (10, 25, and 50% oversize fruit) and four plant densities (37,000, 75,000, 150,000, and 300,000 plants/ha) were evaluated on little-leaf cucumber (H-19) and normalleaf cucumber (Sumter and Regal). Plant density did not affect skin color, seedcell size, and seed size in the cultivars evaluated. However, lighter skin color, larger seedcell, and larger seed size were detected at the later harvest stages in H-19. Harvest stage did not influence fruit skin color in Regal and Sumter, but seedcell size and seed size increased quadratically with harvest stage. H-19 produced the highest yield (tonne/ha) and dollar value ($/ha) followed by Regal and Sumter. Considering fruit quality and dollar value, the 10% harvest stage at 330 000 plants ha -1 was the optimum stage and density for once-over harvest of H-19 under North Carolina growing conditions. Higher yield occurred at the later harvest stages, but poorer fruit quality (increased seed and seedcell size, and a lighter skin color) was associated with those stages. Fruit quality and dollar value of Regal was best at the 10% harvest stage at approximately 240 000 plants ha -1 , while 200 000 plants ha -1 was best for Sumter.

Maximum Potential Vegetative and Floral Production and Fruit Characteristics of Watermelon Pollenizers

“…produced. In cucumbers, little leaf types produce more branching than normal leaf and additional branching of the little leaf type cucumber results in higher flower and fruit production (Bowers et al, 1981;Goode et al, 1989;Schultheis et al, 1998). Watermelon flowers develop in the nodes (Rubatzky and Yamaguchi, 1997) and the obvious additional branching observed on 'Sidekick' and 'SP1' likely created more locations for flower development.…”

Yield, Nitrogen Dynamics, and Fertilizer Use Efficiency in Machine-harvested Cucumber

“…Six meters of the center three to five rows, depending on plot width, were hand-harvested to simulate onceover machine harvest. The entire trial was harvested when it was estimated that %10% of the fruit were Grade 4 (Schultheis et al, 1998). Based on market standards in Ontario, fruit was graded according to size (Table 3); cucumbers not suitable for pickling as a result of shape or size were considered culls and were included in total yield calculations.…”

Integration of Cover Crop, Conservation Tillage, and Low Herbicide Rate for Machine-harvested Pickling Cucumbers

“…Cover crop residue was assessed visually weekly based on percent soil cover. Cucumbers were harvested on 1 Aug. 2005 and 31 July 2006 when %10% fruit was oversize as recommended by Schultheis et al (1998). Plants in the middle row of each bed were destructively harvested by hand to simulate machine-harvest.…”