MIXTURES OF CUCUMBER CULTIGENS AFFECT YIELD IN A MULTIPLE-HARVEST SYSTEM

Seeds of cucumber (Cucurnis sativus L.) cultigens were mixed and compa red for fruit yield (Mg.ha(-1)) and crop value ($/ha). Three cultigen pairs (Gy 14A + M 21, Gy 4 + WI 2757, and 'Regal' + 'Carolina') and fi ve component ratios of each cultigen pair (0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and 100:0) were evaluated in five plantings over a 3-year period. Fru its were harvested six to eight times for each planting date. Early an d total fruit yields and crop values were greatest when either Gy 14A or Gy 4 were planted as pure stands. As the ratio of Gy 14A or Gy 4 in creased in the seed mixture, the yield and crop value increased. Howev er, when the two predominantly gynoecious hybrids,'Regal' and 'Carolin a', were mixed, the yield and crop value were greater than those of pu re stands of either hybrid. The combination of 75% 'Regal' and 25% 'Ca rolina' resulted in higher early and total fruit yields and crop value than the other ratios of the same cultigen pair. The 'Regal' + 'Carol ina' pair produced significantly higher early yield and early crop val ue (first two harvests) than did the other cultigen pairs tested. Howe ver, total yield and total value for 'Regal' + 'Carolina' did not diff er from the Gy 14A + M 21 pair. The practice of mixing two cultivars i n arbitrary combinations does not offer an advantage over single culti vars in a multiple-harvest system. In some cases, predominantly gynoec ious-predominantly gynoecious mixtures may have advantages over monoec ious-predominantly gynoecious cultigen mixtures if pollination is not limiting. Seed mixtures need to be evaluated to determine whether spec ific combinations offer advantages, as this study indicated that super ior mixtures may exist.