Screening the Cucumber Germplasm Collection for Fruit Yield and Quality

Abstract

total area and production of slicing cucumber for 1997 was 9760 ha with a production of 202 514 Mg (USDA, Yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) in the United States has1998). Cucumber is the second most important vegetanot been significantly increased during the last two decades. Our objective was to evaluate the USDA cucumber germplasm collection ble crop in North Carolina, with a production area of for fruit yield and quality. All cucumber plant introduction accessions ≈9717 ha (USDA, 1997). Nationally, North Carolina from the USDA National Plant Germplasm System collection plus was ranked third in pickling cucumber production after check cultivars and breeding lines (hereafter collectively referred to Michigan and Florida, and fifth in slicing cucumber proas cultigens) were evaluated for early, total, and marketable yield duction after Georgia, Florida, Michigan, and California (number and weight), fruit quality rating, and days to harvest in during 1997 (USDA, 1997). small plots harvested once. All plants were treated with ethephonBreeding for yield in cucumber has been one of the (2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid) to make them gynoecious. Highly important objectives of many cucumber breeding prosignificant differences were observed among cultigens for all traits grams since the 1900s (Wehner, 1989). Yield of pickling evaluated in the study. Pickling type cultigens with the highest yield (fruit weight) were PI 209065, PI 326598, PI 137848, PI 285610, and cucumber has been improved by breeding for disease PI 264666. Slicing type cultigens with the highest yield were PI 234517, resistance (Peterson, 1975), as well as through the use PI 118279, PI 304085, and PI 512614. Beit Alpha type cultigens with of improved cultural practices (Cargill et al., 1975). Inthe highest yield were PI 167050, PI 163213, PI 532519, PI 211978, creased yield of cucumber cultivars has been due also to PI 357864, PI 183231, and PI 211117. Trellis type cultigens with the the improvement of qualitative traits such as gynoecious highest yield were PI 264228, PI 478366, PI 390262, PI 532524, PI sex expression, improved fruit color (improved percent-390267, and PI 532520. The USDA collection also exhibited a wide age marketable fruit), and direct yield improvement range in diversity for marketable fruit number, fruit weight, percent-(Wehner, 1989). age of culled fruit at harvest, fruit quality, and days to harvest. High The average yield of pickling cucumber in the United yielding cultigens identified in the study could be used to develop high yielding cultivars. Dep. Hortic. Sci., North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC 27695-7609. The research was funded in part by the North Carolina Agricultural Once-over harvest trials having three replications Research Service (NCARS).

Cucurbits (Cucurbitaceae; Cucumis spp., Cucurbita spp., Citrullus spp.)

“…The process of genetic improvement often involves the incorporation of genetic material [gene(s)] from one or more exotic accessions (Walters and Wehner 1994a;Wehner and St. Amand 1995) into a germplasm pool (Wehner, Elsey, andKennedy 1985, Wehner et al 1989;Wehner, Shetty, and Clark 2000a;Wehner, Shetty, and Wilson 2000b;Shetty 1997, 2000;Shetty and Wehner 2002) with subsequent cycles of enhancement of the broadened pool followed by testing of derived populations or lines for hybrid or per se performance (Rubino and Wehner 1986;Cramer and Wehner l 999a). This general strategy has resulted in important public germplasm releases in cucumber (Peterson et al 1982(Peterson et al , 1986bPeterson, Staub, and Palmer 1986;Wehner et al 1996b;, Wehner 1998a, 1998b, melon (Jagger and Scott 1937;McCreight, Kishaba, and Bohn 1984;Thomas 1986), and squash (Coyne and Hill 1976;Mutschler and Pearson 1987).…”

Phosphorus, Potassium and Nitrate Contents in Fruit of Pickling Cucumbers Grown in a High Tunnel

“…According to Scurtu et al (2016), high protected cultivation area will expand from 7,500 ha currently to 20,000 ha in 2020. To enhance the economic feasibility of growing pickling cucumber under high tunnels necessitates the use of high yielding cultivars (Wehner, 1989), improved diseases resistance (Peterson, 1975), and improvement of cultural practices (fertilization, irrigation etc) (Shetty and Wehner, 2002;Jilani et al, 2009). The use of high tunnels for vegetable crops continued to expand over the past five years (Lamont, 2009) due to the low start-up and operating costs, and the quick rate of return on investment.…”

“…), cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.) and onion (Allium cepa L.), (Shetty and Wehner, 2002;Shu et al, 2016). The soft and succulent pulp of cucumbers is used as either fresh (Shetty and Wehner, 2002), processed or cooked with other vegetables (Nwofia et al, 2015), while the immature cucumbers are used in pickles (Ahmed et al, 2004).…”

“…capitata L.) and onion (Allium cepa L.), (Shetty and Wehner, 2002;Shu et al, 2016). The soft and succulent pulp of cucumbers is used as either fresh (Shetty and Wehner, 2002), processed or cooked with other vegetables (Nwofia et al, 2015), while the immature cucumbers are used in pickles (Ahmed et al, 2004). Cucumber has a low caloric value (15 kcal 100 g -1 ) but it is a moderate source of vitamins (A, C, E, K and B complex) and a good source of minerals (K, Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Na and Zn) (USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, 2016).…”

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“…It is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, which is grown in a number of different types [Shetty and Wehner 2002].…”