Researcher: Dr. John O'Sullivan, Dept. of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Simcoe

Objective:

The objective of this study was to evaluate new cucumber varieties for yield performance, quality (fresh and brined), disease tolerance, adaptability and acceptability to Ontario processors for hand-pick and machine harvested applications. New superior yielding cucumber varieties are required to ensure that industry can compete with U.S. markets. Many new varieties are being introduced by seed companies each year, therefore, variety evaluation is essential in order to recommend these varieties to the industry in Ontario. In particular, varieties that have local adaptability and market acceptance, together with higher yields, improved fresh quality, improved brining quality and better disease tolerance are needed.

Methodology:

Trials were conducted at the University of Guelph, Dept. of Plant Agriculture, Simcoe and off station trials at Otterville (Vic Hamm farm). Three hand pick trials were conducted in 2000. The ADVANCED trial evaluated 13 named varieties that are available commercially to compare how these varieties perform under the same environmental conditions.

The MAIN trial evaluated 14 named and experimental varieties that performed well in the 1999 trials conducted at Simcoe to see whether they have potential for introduction into the Ontario market. In addition, one trial containing isolated varieties was conducted to evaluate the potential of growing PARTHENOCARPIC (seedless) cucumbers in Ontario. Each cultivar was replicated 3 times in the advanced and main trials. The plot size for these trials was 30' long by 5' wide and the plants were thinned to 6" in the row to give a plant population of 18,000 plants/acre. All hand pick trials were harvested 6 times throughout the season.

Three machine harvest trials were evaluated in 2000. The ONCE-OVER MACHINE harvested trial at Simcoe evaluated varieties that are grown commercially by growers and new numbered lines that have potential for mechanical harvest. The once-over harvested crop was grown in rows 28" apart and thinned to 4" in the row to give a plant population of 58,000 plants/acre. This trial was harvested by hand in a once over pick to simulate machine harvesting. This gives an indication of how these varieties will perform relative to each other but this does not give an indication of the percent recovery that would be obtained in the field with a machine.

The MAIN MACHINE harvest trial grown off-station evaluated 15 named varieties. The plot sizes were approximately 0.2 acres. Hand samples were taken prior to harvest to obtain percent recovery information by the machine (FMC). The LATE PLANTING MACHINE harvest trial was planted to assess fruit quality and yield of a late seeded crop.

The crops were grown according to accepted commercial practices used in Ontario. Data was taken on fresh fruit quality such as fruit shape, length to diameter ratio (L:D), fruit colour, firmness, seed size and overall fruit quality. In addition, yields were measured at harvest as plot fruit weights, fruit number per plant and dollar value per acre. All varieties were brined at Simcoe for evaluation by the industry and seed companies in November, 2000.

Results:

Multi Pick Trials

Yields expressed in the following summary only include Grades #1 to 4 (including nubs and crooks). Thirteen varieties were examined in the ADVANCED hand pick trial. The top yielding varieties in this trial were Patton C ($3,120/Acre), Patton Supreme ($2,987/Acre), XP 1903 T ($2,848/Acre) and Bradley C ($2,721/Acre). The lowest yielding variety in the trial was Duke ($2,075/Acre).

In the MAIN trial, of named and numbered varieties, Stallion O was the highest yielding variety at $2,449/Acre. This was followed by Vlasstar B ($2,405/Acre), Palomino ($2,390/Acre) and HMX 9466 ($2,324/Acre). The lowest yielding variety in this trial, Calypso M, yielded $1,553/Acre. Hand harvest varieties that had good to excellent fruit quality in brining evaluation tests included Arabian O, Palomino, Colt and Calypso M.

Parthenocarpic varieties grown isolated from other cucumbers resulted in poor yields mainly due to wet growing conditions. These included Mirabelle ($1,925), SXQP 2685 ($1,757/Acre) and M01447 ($1,521/Acre). Seed size was excellent in most isolated varieties. These varieties did not perform well in the brining evaluation tests in 2000. Further research is required to assess the potential of introducing these varieties to the Ontario industry.

Machine Harvest Trials

The once-over variety trial at Simcoe was harvested by hand to simulate machine harvest. Data from this trial ranks the 18 varieties tested for yield potential based on $/acre. It doesn't give any indication of the percent recovery that would be obtained in the field with a machine. When the data is presented on a graded basis, which includes Grade #1 to 4 (including nubs and crooks), Wellington is the highest yielding variety at $2,427/Acre. This variety is followed by XVC 5834 M ($1,956/Acre), Discover M ($1,924/Acre) and Atlantis ($1,922/Acre). Machine harvest varieties that had good brining evaluation tests included Primio, Calypso M, and Royal

In the LATE PLANTING MACHINE harvest the highest yielding variety was Vlaspik ($750) followed by Discover M ($626) and Atlantis ($617).

At Vic Hamm's farm, the highest yielding varieties included HMX 3469 ($2,130), XVC 5834 ($1,967/Acre), Excel ($1,794/Acre) and Atlantis ($1,627/Acre). The lowest yielding variety was Royal ($1,152/Acre).