TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY AFFECT PILLOWY FRUIT DISORDER IN CUCUMBER

A study was designed to determine whether temperature alone or tempera ture and relative humidity (RH) interactions affect the development of pillowy fruit disorder (PFD) in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Fruit of 'Calypso', 'Flurry', 'Carolina', and inbred breeding line 39 were m atured in four environments: cyclic and high (22 to 45C) and moderate (22 to 30C) temperatures at two RHs (35% and 75%). PFD symptoms were m ost severe at high temperature and RH; thus, both contribute to the de velopment of this disorder. Line 39 had the highest PFD ratings, regar dless of growing environment, a result indicating that cultigens respo nd differently to these imposed stresses.