Search for resistance to gummy stem blight (Didymella bryoniae) in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Summary Resistance to gummy stem blight (Didymella bryoniae) was not detected among 1208 cucumber lines of diverse origin when cotyledons of four-day-old seedlings were inoculated with an aqueous suspension of 5000 spores of D. bryoniae delivered to freshly crushed tissue, followed by 48 h incubation at 20°C and 100% RH in the dark. Among 49 lots evaluated for gummy stem blight in the field, cv. Homegreen #2 and Pl 200818 from Burma were resistant. Earliness in fruit maturity was positively correlated with susceptibility to gummy stem blight (r=0.424). Cucumber accessions differed in the incidence of stem and hypocotyl cankers. In greenhouse grown plants at the 2nd–3rd leaf stage, differentiation of resistant lines was obtained by spraying plants with an aqueous suspension of 10⁶/ml D. bryoniae spores followed by 48 h incubation at 20°C and 100% RH in the dark. One cycle of mass selection in Homegreen #2 resulted in improved gummy stem blight resistance.     

Comparison of inoculation methods with Didymella bryoniae on Cucumis sativus

Summary A good correlation between foliage attack of young and mature plants was observed. No evidence could be found that plants showing some resistance to plant infection produce fruits less susceptible to internal fruit rot. The extent of external fruit rot depended on the extent of wounding and on the thickness of the peel.     

Inheritance of parthenocarpy in pickling cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) and linkage with other characters

Summary The inheritance of parthenocarpy in the pickling cucumber has been studied with progenies of an incomplete diallel cross between lines with different degrees of parthenocarpy and with two sets of F₁, F₂ and B₁ of crosses between parthenocarpic and non-parthenocarpic lines. The inheritance of parthenocarpy could be explained by three independent, isomeric major genes with additive action, together with a non-allelic interaction of the homozygote-heterozygote type. Indications have been found for linkages between genes that govern parthenocarpy, femaleness and the spined/hairy fruit character. Consequences for breeding parthenocarpic varieties are discussed.     

Combining ability between lines of Cucumis sativus L. and Cucumis sativus var. hardwickii (R.) Alef

Summary Three Cucumis sativus L. (CS) lines adapted to USA growing conditions were used as female parents in crosses to one line each of seven Cucumis sativus var. hardwickii (R.) Alef. (CH) accessions used as male parents to determine the relative combining ability of the CH accessions for six horticultural characters. The 21 F₁ progenies were grown in a randomized complete block design in two locations and evaluated for fruit number, lateral branch number, fruit length, fruit length/diameter ratio, number of female flowering nodes, and days to anthesis. General combining ability (GCA) was significant for all characters in each location. Specific combining ability (SCA) was significant for all characters except days to anthesis in one location and lateral branch number in both locations. Significant location × combining ability interactions were also evident for several characters. Results suggest that CH may be useful for improving fruit yield in commercial cucumber, but that limitations may lie in the attainment of acceptable fruit.Research supported by the College of Agric. and Life Sci., Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison; USDA, ARS, and by funds from Pickle Packers Intl., Inc. Mention of a trademark, proprietary product, or vendor does not constitute a guarantee of warranty of the product by the USDA and does not imply its improval to the exclusion of the other products or vendors that may also be suitable.     

Breeding parthenocarpic pickling cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.): Necessity,genetical possibilities,environmental influences and selection criteria

Summary Parthenocarpic pickling cucumbers have been selected after crossing pickling and slicing cucumbers. On the best lines 90% of the female flowers set fruit (up to 75 fruits per plant within six weeks). At declining daylength productivity decreased, mainly because of a reduced flower initiation and partly by a reduced parthenocarpic potential.The correlation between several selection criteria and the possibilities of preselection of young plants is discussed.     

Inheritance of firmness in raw cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruit

Summary Inheritance of raw cucumber fruit texture (Magness-Taylor Fruit Pressure Tester firmness) was investigated over a 4-year period from 1971–1974. Results from 2 separate but related experiments suggested that firmness was quantitatively inherited with sufficient additive effects to permit gain from selection. In a selection study within 4 F₂ populations derived from crosses between firm (Chipper and Gy3) and soft (Mincu and Green F) fruit type cultivars, variation among and within F₃ and F₄ families was significant but overall family means were not significantly higher than the high parent in any of the 4 crosses. Narrow sense heritability estimates for fruit texture were 0.80 in the Mincu × Chipper population and 0.77 in the Green F × Chipper, Mincu × Gy3, and Gy3 × Green F crosses. In a separate experiment, generation means analysis was used to assess the mode of gene action in 2 crosses: Green F × Chipper, and Gy3 × Green F. Additive genetic effects accounted for 98.8% and 99.3% of the total genetic variation within each cross, respectively.Scientific Journal Series Paper No. 9794.     

Induction of male flowering in gynoecious cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) by silver ions

Summary Silvernitrate (AgNO₃) and silverthiosulphate (Ag(S₂O₃)₂ ^3-) effectively induced male flowering in many nodes of 7 gynoecious cucumber genotypes in 3 glasshouse trials. A single spraying of the plants in the first true leaf stage with 3 mM Ag⁺ as Ag(S₂O₃)₂ ^3- or AgNO₃ (500 ppm) yielded many more staminate flowers than GA-3 (1500 ppm) and almost as many as 3 consecutive sprayings of GA-4/7 (50 ppm).Male flowering started about 3 weeks after treatment and lasted for a period of up to 4 weeks thereafter. Plants treated with silver ions did not elongate and grew normally; effective concentrations of AgNO₃ proved phytotoxic only in poor growing conditions, while Ag(S₂O₃)₂ ^3- never gave deleterious side-effects. Even very strongly female lines can be induced to male flowering with silver ions, thus increasing the feasibility of large scale seed production of gynoecious × gynoecious cucumber hybrids.     

Gynoecious sex expression and stability in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Summary Results indicated that gynoecious stability in the F₁ is governed by partial dominance. The degree of gynoecious stability is dependent upon genotypes, stages of plant for AgNO₃ application and number of sprays. Depending upon the genotypes, the one-true-leaf stage and one spray of 250 ppm AgNO₃ showed more gynoecious stability in the F₁. Twice application of AgNO₃ at the two-true-leaf stage produced the maximum number of male flowers. Plants exposed to light for longer time (10.00 h) after AgNO₃ application produced less flowers than when exposed for shorter time (15.00 and 20.00 h).Present address: Division of Vegetable Crops, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012, India.     

Resistance in Cucumis sativus L. to Tetranychus urticae Koch. 4. The genuineness of the resistance

Summary For several generations subpopulations of the twospotted spider mite were reared on cucumber varieties previously selected as partially resistant. Subsequently resistance tests were carried out in the laboratory and the glasshouse with mites from these subpopulations and concurrently with mites from a basic population reared on a susceptible cucumber line. In these tests neither acceptance nor net reproduction or damage index on the partially resistant varieties depended on the kind of mite populations used as inoculum. Therefore it is concluded that the resistance is genuine. The stability of the resistance is discussed.     

Resistance in Cucumis sativus L. to Tetranychus urticae Koch. 3. Search for sources of resistance

Summary After a first screening of 800 cucumber varieties, a laboratory test and a practical test, the following nine varieties have been selected for their distinguishable level of resistance to the twospotted spider mite: PI 220860, Hybrid Long Green Pickle, PI 178885, Ohio MR 200, Taipei no 1, Robin 50, Aodai, PI 163222 and PI 218036. Besides resistance tolerance for the twospotted spider mite also appears to occur. Related Cucumis species do not seem to possess higher levels of resistance than the most resistant C. sativus varieties. The resistance-parameters acceptance and reproduction appear to be positively correlated. On resistant varieties the metabolism of the spider mites is clearly disturbed, but this seems not to be caused mainly by bitter principles.     

Resistance of Cucumis sativus L. to Tetranychus urticae Koch. 6. Comparison of near isogenic bitter and non-bitter varieties for resistance

Summary The bitter cucumber variety Improved Long Green did not differ in resistance to the twospotted spider mite from its near isogenic non-bitter mutant, the source of all non-bitter varieties. Four pairs of near isogenic bitter and non-bitter varieties gave similar results. Therefore any causal relation between bitterness and resistance is denied.     

Incompatibility in diploid and tetraploid crosses of Cucumis sativus and Cucumis metuliferus

The African horned cucumber (Cucumis metuliferus Naud.; 2x = 2n = 24) contains genes that can confer resistance to many important cucumber (C. sativus L.; 2x = 2n = 14) pests [e.g., root-knotnematode, Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood]. Cucumber is highly susceptible to this root-knot nematode species, and a recent screening of C. sativus accessions in the U.S. National Plant Germplasm collection did not identify sources of resistance. Thus,autotetraploids of Cucumis sativus and C. metuliferus were created to recover fertile resistant interspecific progeny. Autotetraploids were obtained at the highest rate when seeds were immersed in 0.5% colchicine for a period of 6 to 8 hrs. Treatment durations less than 6 hrs produced few tetraploids, and durations of 10 hrs or more were lethal to seeds or developing seedlings. Crosses between C. sativus and C. metuliferus were made using diploid and tetraploid lines in all possible combinations, including reciprocals. Fruit development occurred in crosses when diploid and tetraploid C. sativus were used as the female parent. However, seeds developed only in fruit of C. sativus (4n) ×C. metuliferus (2n) crossings. Seeds from these crosses, however,were flat and not viable. No fruit development occurred in crosses whereC. metuliferus was used as the female parent. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Resistance in Cucumis sativus L. to Tetranychus urticae Koch. 5. raising the resistance level by the exploitation of transgression

summary After crossing partially resistant varieties some lines with a markedly higher resistance level were selected. This transgression for resistance indicates a polygenic inheritance of the resistance. On the most resistant F₅ lines selected, oviposition was reduced by 50 to 60% and the economic damage threshold was reached 5 to 8 weeks later than in the susceptible control. The level of acceptance was not influenced by the selection.The selection of individual F₂ plants was hampered by low heritabilities, whereas the heritabilities of F₃- and subsequent line means were generally high enough. Selection for higher resistance levels was attended by an unintended increase in cucurbitacin content. This is explained by linkage of genes for resistance and bitterness rather than by identity of these genes.     

Inheritance of resistance to cucumber green mottle mosaic virus in muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.)

Summary Studies on inheritance of resistance to CGMMV showed that resistance was governed by polygenes with recessive nature. Out of 15 crosses studied, 10 were found to be interacting. All the interacting crosses (except one Phoot x Harela) showed duplicate type of epistasis. Kachri x Phoot (R × R type) cross exhibited heterosis in F₁ and transgressive segregation in F₂ for resistance. Studies pointed out the need to exploit this F₁ further to develop a new breeding line with higher level of resistance than both the parents.     

Search for novel genes for resistance to powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca fuliginae) in cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

Summary The current powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca fuligninea) resistant cucumber varieties suffer from leaf chlorosis during autumn, winter and early spring cultivation in the Netherlands. Therefore screening was carried out for novel powdery mildew resistance genes. From 177 accessions, derived from different sources, 108 accessions proved to be partially resistant to S. fuliginea. Crosses were made with 53 resistant accessions to distinguish the presence of novel genes. It is likely that the accessions C. sativus 2145, C. sativus LV 41, PI 188807, Vladivostokij, White and Yellow 1 have one or more recessive powdery mildew resistance genes, different from powdery mildew resistance genes of the line NPI, which was used for variety breeding. Powdery mildew resistance tests with S. fuliginea give similar results in different regions of the world.Abbreviations pmr powdery mildew resistance     

Relation in the inheritance of resistance to Pseudoperonospora cubensis rost and Sphaerotheca fuliginea poll. in cucumber (Cucumis sativusl. L.)

Summary Among the genes for resistance against Sphaerotheca fuliginea, the gene s for resistance of the hypocotyl is linked to or identical with gene p for resistance to Pseudoperonospora cubensis. This gene s is present in the cultivars Ashley, Poinsett, Natsufushinari, Pixie, Taipei and in accessions PI 179676. PI 212233 and PI 234517.Although gene s initially brings about some resistance of the true leaf, it appears that when s is present. other genes are necessary for complete resistance to S. fuliginea.     

Resistance in Cucumis sativus L. to Tetranychus urticae Koch. 7. The inheritance of resistance and bitterness and the relation between these characters

Summary The inheritance of resistance to the twospotted spider mite and of bitterness in cucumber has been studied in three sets of P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂, B₁₁ and B₁₂ of crosses between three bitter, resistant lines and one non-bitter, susceptible line. Resistance to the twospotted spider mite as measured by acceptance and oviposition appeared to be determined by several to many genes, which are inherited mainly in an additive fashion. Bitterness is basically governed by the gene Bi, which, contrary to earlier reports, is inherited in an intermediary way, while the expression of Bi is influenced by additively inherited intensifier genes. Whereas Bi and the bitterness intensifier genes are not related to the resistance factors acceptance and oviposition, they are related to resistance or tolerance as measured by the damage index. This relation is explained by linkage rather than by identity of the genes concerned. Changes in the test methods and breeding consequences are discussed.     

Resistance in Cucumis sativus L. to Tetranychus urticae Koch. 1. The role of plant breeding in integrated control

Summary The role of plant breeding and particularly of host plant resistance in integrated control is discussed. Host plant resistance to insects and mites, especially to Tetranychus urticae is reviewed. A standard terminology for disease and pest resistance is recommended.     

Occurrence and chromosome number of Cucumis sativus var. hardwickii (Royle) Alef. in South India and its bearing on the origin of cultivated cucumber

Summary Cucumis sativus var. hardwickii (Royle) Alef., the wild progenitor of cultivated C. sativus is reported for the first time from peninsular India. The South Indian specimens showed n=7 bivalents in PMCs. The discontinous occurrence of the wild taxon in the Himalayan regions and peninsular hills and the existence of cultivars of C. sativus adapted to the tropical and temperate climates suggest polytopic domestication of the cultivated forms. The possibility of utilizing this wild germplasm for crop improvement is indicated.     

Resistance in Cucumis sativus L. to Tetranychus urticae Koch. 2. Designing a reliable laboratory test for resistance based on aspects of the host-parasite relationship

Summary The relationship between the twospotted spider mite and cucumber has been studied on plants and on leaf disks of a number of varieties with different levels of resistance. Existing laboratory tests are critically discussed and it appears that they are only reliable if many factors are taken into account. A new, more efficient laboratory test for resistance, measuring acceptance and reproduction is described.