Dominance of bush growth habit in spaghetti squash (Cucurbita pepo)

Summary Bush and vine habit accessions and their reciprocal F₁s of spaghetti squash (Cucurbita pepo) were compared for various vegetative and reproductive characteristics. Bush habit was dominant to vine. Vine plants produced more leaves, longer internodes, and more male flowers than did bush and F₁ plants. Pistillate flowers developed at lower nodes in bush and F₁ plants than in vine plants. Vine plants produced as much or more vegetative matter than did bush and F₁ plants, but bush and F₁ plants produced more fruits and greater yields than did vine plants.