Screening the cucumber germplasm collection for fruit storage ability

Abstract

All available cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cultigens were tested for combining ability for fruit storage ability by crossing them with the gynoecious inbred Gy 14. Fruit weight and firmness were measured before and after storage, and fruits were rated for water loss after storage. The cultigens with the lowest percentage of fruit weight loss during storage were PI 172839, PI 344067, PI 264667, PI 171612, PI 33924.5, PI 220171, PI 279469, and PI 368550; those with the lowest percentage of loss in fruit firmness were PI 379284, PI 339241, PI 414159, PI 422177, 'Regal', PI 109483, 'Addis', PI 285603, PI 257486, and 'Calypso'. The cultigens demonstrating the least fruit shriveling were 'Dasher II', 'Sprint 440', 'Texas Long', PI 390255, PI 432870, 'Pacer', PI 419078, PI 390247, PI 321011, and PI 414158. The 10 best cultigens from the initial screening study, along with the four worst cultigens and six checks, were retested directly (not as F1 progeny) for fruit keeping ability in two storage conditions and at two harvest dates. No significant differences were detected between the two harvest dates and storage conditions.