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2002 Fruit and Vegetable Crops Research Report

VEGETABLES

Yields and Gross Returns from New Slicing Cucumber Varieties

Brent Rowell, April Satanek, Darrell Slone, and John C. Snyder, Department of Horticulture

Introduction

Slicing cucumbers have become a profitable "new" crop for a number of Kentucky growers. Growers planted more than 50 acres of slicing cucumbers this year for fresh market sales through new marketing cooperatives in Central and Western Kentucky. Slicing cucumber trials had not been conducted in Kentucky since 1989, and many new disease-resistant hybrids have come on the market since then. Some Kentucky growers have tried trellising cucumbers to achieve higher yields of more uniformly dark green fruit. Anecdotal evidence suggests that trellising improves color and lowers the incidence of "yellow bellies"; however, this has not been tested, and it is not known if an increase in yields of higher quality cucumbers would pay for the labor and material costs of trellising. Although the primary purpose of this trial was to compare new varieties, we also wished to observe differences between trellised and non-trellised cucumbers.

Methods and Materials

Sixteen slicing cucumber varieties were compared for yield, potential returns, and overall appearance in the spring of 2002 at the Horticultural Research Farm at Lexington. Dasher II and Marketmore 76 were included as standard (check) varieties. Marketmore 76 is an old standard for disease resistance, while Dasher II is one of the most popular hybrids in the region. With the exception of open-pollinated Marketmore 76, all varieties tested were gynoecious F1 hybrids with approximately 12% pollinators. All varieties are reported to have disease resistance although our trial was nearly disease-free and resistance was not evaluated in this trial.

Cucumbers were seeded in 72-cell flats in the greenhouse on 16 May and transplanted to the field after 12 days on 29 May. Most cultural practices were according to our current commercial recommendations for Kentucky. A total of 50 lb N/A was applied prior to transplanting; an additional 70 lb N/A from ammonium nitrate was fertigated in seven weekly doses of 10 lb N/A. All P and K were applied preplant according to recommendations based on soil tests. The fungicide Ridomil Gold was applied on 28 May and was followed by alternating weekly applications of Bravo or Quadris for disease control. The systemic insecticide Admire was applied as a post-transplant drench one day after transplanting for cucumber beetle/bacterial wilt control. A single application of Pounce and two applications of Sevin were made after 27 June for cucumber beetle control.

Plots consisted of raised beds 8 ft long with black plastic mulch and drip irrigation; bed centers were 6 ft apart. Single plants were spaced 12 inches apart within double rows (two rows/bed) with approximately 15 inches between double rows (16 plants/plot). Plots were replicated four times in a randomized complete block design. Cucumbers were harvested every three to four days from 1 July to 29 July for a total of nine harvests. After grading into either marketable fruit or culls, fruits were counted and weighed. Marketable fruits were sorted according to USDA grades U.S. Fancy, U.S. No. 1, U.S. No. 1 Large, U.S. No. 1 Small, and U.S. No. 2.

Yields, Gross, and Early Returns. Average yields of each USDA grade were compared using Waller-Duncan's LSD (k-ratio t-tests, P = 0.05) following an analysis of variance. Although yields for these grades are important, we believe that the large tables of data usually reported are confusing and often difficult to interpret. Although reporting only total marketable yields simplifies matters, this variable is of limited practical use to commercial growers and can mask more important economic considerations. It is possible that some varieties with high total marketable yields might have been later maturing with a larger proportion of their marketable yield achieving only marginal prices later in the season. Making planting decisions based on total marketable yield data alone could lead to disastrous results.

Because we believe comparing the potential income or gross returns per acre is a more useful way of evaluating yield data from several different grades, raw data were converted by multiplying the yield of each grade by that grade's actual price for that harvest date. Yields in pounds per acre were first converted to boxes per acre by dividing yield by the average weight of one 1¹/₉ bushel box of slicing cucumbers (55 lb). Box yields were multiplied by actual average weekly wholesale prices received by a Kentucky cooperative less box costs, packing charges, and commissions (Table 1). The resulting single variable "gross return" provides a better indicator of a variety's overall performance, taking into account yields of the different grades and their price differentials. "Early returns" were calculated in the same way using data from only the first three harvests on 1 July, 5 July, and 8 July.

Table 1. Average weekly wholesale prices received for slicing cucumbers during the trial harvest period from 1-29 July 2002. Prices are FOB less $1.40 box/packing charge and less 16% marketing commissions. Prices are dollars per standard 1 1/9 bu (55 lb) carton.
Week Ending		Market Gradez
		Super-select	Select	Small	24-Count
		price per box ($)
06 Jul		9.99	5.21	9.89	3.23
13 Jul		11.41	6.58	7.61	2.96
20 Jul		5.70	4.06	5.75	1.57
27 Jul		5.95	2.66	4.32	0
03 Aug		4.69	0.80	3.91	0.05
z	Market grades correspond to the following USDA grades: Superselect = U.S. Fancy + U.S. No. 1; Select = U.S. No. 2; Small = U.S. No. 1 Small; 24-count = U.S. No. 1 Large.

Trellising. In order to make preliminary observations on the possible benefits from trellising, the four blocks (replications) in this trial were treated as follows (all plots on raised beds with black plastic and drip irrigation):

• Block 1: no trellis.
• Block 2: simple trellis; tomato stakes were placed on each side of the beds every 4 ft of row (every four plants). Tomato twine was wrapped around each stake to create a "fence" on both sides of the bed. Cucumber plants were simply laid up upon this "fence" by hand and were not otherwise trained to the trellis (Figure 1). Four stringings were used to make trellises in all trellised blocks.
• Blocks 3 & 4: more complex trellis; stakes placed as in Block 2 but with strings that crossed over from one side of the bed to a stake on the opposite side, creating an "X" pattern. It was thought that this method might be better for training vines to the trellis (Figure 2).

Although this arrangement of trellising or not trellising blocks does not allow for statistical comparisons, it was intended to give us some indication of the possible benefits from trellising. In addition to this trial, several farmers' field demonstrations of trellising for slicing cucumbers were conducted in 2002, the results of which can be found elsewhere in this volume.

Figure 1. Simple trellising method used in Block 2 of slicing cucumber cultivar trial at Lexington, 2002.

Figure 2. Trellising method using crossed twine used in Blocks 3 and 4 of slicing cucumber cultivar trial at Lexington, 2002.

Fruit Appearance Ratings. All fruits of each trial entry harvested from all four replications were graded and laid out on the ground for careful examination and appearance ratings on 12 July. Fruits were visually assessed for shape, extent of yellow color, and overall appearance. Appearance ratings took into account, in order of importance, overall attractiveness, shape, shape uniformity, and color.

Results and Discussion

Yields and Returns. Varieties are ranked from highest to lowest yield of a combination grade of U.S. Fancy plus U.S. No. 1 fruits in Table 2. This combination corresponds to the trade designation Superselect. The U.S. No. 2 grade corresponds to the Select category, while fruits of the U.S. No. 1 Large grade are usually packed as 24 count (24 fruits/box). The group of highest yielding varieties included SRQ 2389, Dasher II, Daytona, Panther, Indy, and Thunder; these were not statistically different from SRQ 2983, which was the highest yielding entry (Table 2). All varieties in this group had 65% or more fruit graded as Superselect except for SRQ 2389 (59%). Other varieties with high average percentages of Superselect fruit included Stonewall, General Lee, Greensleeves, Intimidator, and Turbo.

Table 2. Marketable yields and gross returns of slicing cucumber varieties and advanced breeding lines; data are averages from four replications at Lexington, Kentucky, 2002. Entries ranked from highest to lowest yield of U.S. Fancy plus U.S. No. 1 grade fruits.
Entry		Seed Source	U.S. Fancy+ U.S. No. 1 (tons/acre)	Marketable YieldsZ			Gross Returnsy $/acre	Early Returns $/acre	Overall Appearancex
				% Fancy+ No. 1 (%)	U.S. No. 2 tons/acre	U.S. No. 1 Large tons/acre
SRQ 2983		SS	35.1	71	8.4	6.0	11555	4495	4.5
SRQ 2389		SS	33.8	59	13.7	9.6	12311	4153	4.5
Dasher II		S	31.1	75	5.4	5.1	9951	4086	5.0
Daytona		S	30.4	70	7.8	5.3	10392	4314	4.0
Panther		SS	30.4	65	6.1	10.1	9879	3737	5.7
Indy		S	30.1	71	5.9	6.7	9589	3855	5.7
Thunder		S	29.9	74	6.2	4.5	9922	4802	4.2
SRQ 2387		SS	28.6	62	10.2	7.6	10314	4053	4.0
Greensleeves		HM	28.6	70	7.7	4.5	9627	4012	5.0
Stonewall		HM	27.4	75	5.9	3.1	8699	3594	5.7
General Lee		HM	27.2	72	6.7	4.1	9079	3274	4.0
Speedway		S	26.8	63	7.7	8.6	9586	4641	5.5
Intimidator		S	26.1	67	8.3	4.4	9237	4126	3.7
Turbo		S	24.5	66	7.9	4.7	8162	2087	5.5
SliceMore		SK/SW	23.0	60	8.3	7.4	8447	3426	4.5
Marketmore 76		SW	20.0	64	5.4	5.8	6657	1470	5.0
Waller-Duncan LSD (P = 0.05)			5.8	6.3	2.5	3.7	1593	772	ns
z	The combined yields of USDA grades Fancy and U.S. No. 1 are equivalent to the Superselect marketing category, while U.S. No. 2 grade is equivalent to Select; yields of U.S. No. 1 Large are equivalent to yields of cucumbers used in 24-count packs.
y	Gross returns are calculated for each entry by multiplying yields of each marketing category (Superselect, Select, and 24-count) by its appropriate price for a given harvest date (9 harvests). Prices used were actual average weekly prices received by a Kentucky cooperative from July 1-30, 2002 less $1.40/box packing/box charge and less 16% commissions. Higher returns may reflect earlier yields and/or higher yields of Superselect cucumbers. Prices are shown in Table 1.
x	Appearance ratings: 1 = worst; 9 = best taking into account, in order of importance, shape, shape uniformity, and color.

Sunseed's SRQ 2983 and SRQ 2389 had significantly higher gross returns than the other varieties tested (Table 2). Other varieties with very high returns included Daytona, SRQ 2387, and Dasher II. Early returns were highest for Thunder, Speedway, SRQ 2983, and Daytona. While there were no statistically significant differences among the qualitative assessments shown in Table 3, average overall appearance scores tended to be higher for Panther, Indy, Stonewall, Speedway, and Turbo. Appearance scores tended to be lower for Intimidator, Daytona, SRQ 2387, and Thunder. SRQ 2389, SRQ 2387, SRQ 2983, Stonewall, Dasher II, Turbo, and Thunder, tended to have less fruit yellowing, while Marketmore 76 and Speedway appeared to have more fruit yellowing than the other varieties (Table 3). Intimidator tended to have more misshapen or curved fruits than the other varieties tested.

Table 3. Fruit shape, color, and overall appearance assessments for slicing cucumber varieties; scores are averages for all fruits of each variety from four replications harvested on 12 July 2002; varieties are listed from highest to lowest U.S. Fancy + U.S. No. 1 yields.
Entry		Shapez	Fruit Yellowingy	Appearance Ratingx
SRQ 2983		2.5	1.7	4.5
SRQ 2389		2.0	1.2	4.5
Dasher II		3.5	1.5	5.0
Daytona		2.7	2.0	4.0
Panther		3.0	2.2	5.7
Indy		3.5	2.2	5.7
Thunder		2.7	1.5	4.2
SRQ 2387		2.2	1.2	4.0
Greensleeves		3.0	1.7	5.0
Stonewall		3.0	1.2	5.7
General Lee		2.7	2.0	4.0
Speedway		3.2	2.7	5.5
Intimidator		2.7	2.0	3.7
Turbo		3.0	1.5	5.5
Slice More		2.7	2.0	4.5
Marketmore 76		3.5	3.0	5.0
Statistical significance (P = 0.05)		ns	ns	ns
z	Shape ratings: 1 = worst (large percentage of misshapen fruits) to 5 = best (most fruits uniform, long, straight, cylindrical).
y	Extent of yellowing: 1 = best (no yellow color on most fruits) to 5 = worst (large percentage of fruit surface yellow on most fruits).
x	Appearance ratings: 1 = worst; 9 = best taking into account, in order of importance, shape, shape uniformity, and color.

Trellising. Since each trellising method was applied uniformly to all varieties in a separate block or replication in the trial, it was impossible to make any conclusive statements regarding benefits of trellising based on these results. As we were well aware when planning the trial, the effects of trellising were confused ("confounded" is the proper statistical term) with the effects of field position (the location of a block and its trellising method in the trial field). Having said that, however, it is still useful to call attention to our observations, especially for characteristics like fruit color and appearance that are likely less affected by field position than by trellising. There was a highly significant difference among blocks/trellising methods for the extent of yellowing on fruits with the untrellised block showing the most yellowing (rating of 2.3 on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 = best [no yellow color on most fruits] and 5 = worst [large percentage of fruit surface is yellow on most fruits]). Fruits from the simple trellis block showed the least yellowing (1.2 rating). While there were no other statistical differences among blocks/trellising methods for fruit quality ratings, the trend was for slightly better fruit appearance ratings with trellising than without trellising (data not shown). We also found no indication of improvement of fruit color or appearance with the more complex trellis versus the simpler trellis. We also noticed that cucumber beetle damage to fruits tended to be more serious in the trellised blocks where it was more difficult to achieve complete spray coverage. The question for further research is whether a small improvement in fruit appearance is worth the considerable added expense of trellising.

We recommend the following varieties for further on-station trials and for small test plantings in growers' fields: SRQ 2983, SRQ 2389, Panther, Greensleeves, and Stonewall. Dasher II, Daytona, Indy, and Speedway will remain in the list of suggested slicing cucumber varieties for Kentucky growers.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the following persons for their hard work and assistance in the successful completion of this trial: Dave Lowry, Larry Blanford, Phillip Bush, Barry Duncil, Justin Clark, Stephanie Goode, Courtney Bobrowski, Witoon Jaiphong, Sopon Issaravut, Takanobu Suzuki, Darren Taylor, Eric Bowman, and Spencer Helsabeck.

Trellising Slicing Cucumbers in Western Kentucky

Clint Hardy and Brent Rowell, Department of Horticulture

Introduction

Fresh market slicing cucumbers are being grown in Western Kentucky as a supplement to tobacco and other farm enterprises. Growers are interested in producing long, straight, dark green cucumbers that show very little yellowing. A combination of U.S. Fancy and U.S. No. 1 grades (i.e., "Superselect") receives the highest prices, and growers naturally want as much of their harvest to be in this category as possible. In this demonstration trial, we evaluated two different trellising methods to determine which, if any, produced more quality fruit, and if increased yields from either method would pay for the cost of trellising.

Materials and Methods

The variety chosen for the demonstration was Speedway, which performed well in 2001. The trial plots were located within a grower's field in McLean County. Besides trellising, the grower-cooperators kept the plots sprayed, maintained, and watered. Plants were started in 242-cell trays and transplanted to the field on 31 May using raised beds, black plastic mulch, and drip irrigation. The trial was set up as a randomized complete block design with four replications. Each plot contained 50 plants in 18-inch- wide double rows with 15 inches between plants within the rows. Phosphorus and potassium fertilizer was applied based on soil test results. One-half of the total of 100 lb N/A was applied prior to planting with the remainder applied weekly through drip irrigation at 10 lb N/A per application. No herbicides were used, and no insecticides were used until after the crop was established. Bravo fungicide was applied weekly according to current UK recommendations. Treatments were: 1) no trellis, 2) single-stranded trellis wrapped in five "layers" or stringings, and 3) a double-stranded trellis also in five stringings. Plots were scouted twice weekly to monitor pests and diseases. Plots were harvested 13 times between 24 June and 29 July.

Trellis Types. Stakes for the trellises were ordinary 52-inch long tobacco sticks that were driven 9 inches into the raised beds directly in the plant row. A stick was placed every five plants (about 6 ft apart). Since there were two rows per bed, there were also two rows of sticks on each bed. Two sticks were also driven every 25 plants on each row to serve as braces for the structure and to allow a gap to pass harvest buckets across. With the sticks in place, we began the stringing process. Staked tomato twine was used. The twine was wrapped around a stick once and then moved to the next stake. This was done at five different positions, beginning at 6 inches above the plastic and ending at the top of the stick. When finished, the trellis looked similar to a five-strand fence (Figure 1). The double-strand trellis type was exactly the same as the single, but two strings were used to see if the plant would be better supported when it held a full fruit load. The vines were manually trained twice prior to the first harvest in order to ensure the trellises were used to their full potential.

Figure 1. Trellised cucumber planting (single strands) in Daviess County, Kentucky, 2002.

New tobacco sticks cost $0.15 each; this cost can be amortized over two years resulting in an annual cost of $0.07/stick. Approximately 2,070 sticks are required per acre so stake costs would be around $145 per acre. The estimated labor cost for trellis establishment and removal was $400 per acre. Total material and labor costs for trellising cucumbers were about $600/acre.

Results and Discussion

Cucumbers from the same treatment but from different replications were inadvertently combined at harvest so that it was impossible to perform statistical analyses on the data collected; however, some general trends were observed. Yields of Superselect cucumbers were considerably higher for the trellised treatments (nine to 10 boxes/plot) than for non-trellised (six boxes/plot), while yields for most other grades were similar among the treatments (Table 1). More fruit was culled from the non-trellised plots than from trellised plots (Table 1). There appeared to be little difference between the single- and double-stranded trellises.

Table 1. Yields of market grades of ‘Speedway’ slicing cucumbers from trellised and non-trellised plots in McLean County, Kentucky, 2002. Data are combined yields from four replications of each treatment.
Market Grade	No Trellis	Single Strand	Double Strand
	boxes/plot
Superselect	6	9	10
Select	10.5	9	10.5
Large (24 per box)	7	8	6
Small	3	2	2.5
Culls	5.5	3.5	3
Avg. harvest time for 200 plants	16 min.	17 min.	18 min.

No time was saved in harvesting trellised versus non-trellised cucumbers. It was also observed that due to better exposure to sunlight, trellised cucumbers were more uniform in color than the non-trellised. Early summer was a good growing season this year, and cucumbers were little affected by disease. We observed that the trellised cucumbers could have been picked for about two weeks longer than those grown on the ground. When the non-trellised vines began to grow off the plastic and onto the bare ground middles, belly rot became a common problem in mature fruit; at the same time, trellised vines continued to produce good quality fruit with little belly rot.

Costs and Returns. When the small plot yields in Table 1 were extrapolated to yields on a per-acre basis, the yield of Superselect cucumbers was 1,780 boxes per acre for the trellised plots versus 1,125 boxes per acre for non-trellised. Based on an average return to the grower of $7.55 per box of Superselect cucumbers for the month of July, the 655 boxes per acre gained from the trellised plots would have been worth an additional $4,952/acre, returning more than eight times the cost of trellising.

Although this test needs to be repeated, we concluded that trellising did contribute to a better crop overall. Growers need to use this information with caution, however, as fewer benefits were observed from trellising in the cucumber variety trial at Lexington. In the Lexington trial, we also observed problems with spray coverage within the dense foliage of the trellised plantings and subsequently had more cucumber beetle feeding damage to fruits in those plots.

The grower-cooperators involved in this demonstration were happy with the results and plan to continue using the single-string trellis method, while another grower in the same county decided not to continue using trellises after having problems with spray coverage and damage from cucumber beetles. A few growers who tried trellising cucumbers in Central Kentucky this year reported that benefits were considerably greater in late summer plantings compared to spring plantings. Cucumber prices were moderate to high this year; had prices been lower, the extra material and labor costs of trellising may not have been justified.

Yield of Double-Cropped Cucumber Varieties for Fall Harvest in Western Kentucky

Clint Hardy, Brent Rowell, and John C. Snyder, Department of Horticulture

Introduction

Fresh market slicing cucumbers are becoming a major commercial vegetable crop in Western Kentucky. Cucumber production has increased in this area due to the strong marketing potential established through the West Kentucky Grower Cooperative. Since cucumber prices often rise in September and October, we wanted to evaluate nine different varieties in a late-summer planting. In addition, the trial was planted as a double crop after main season cucumbers to observe the feasibility of this technique.

Materials and Methods

Nine cucumber varieties were direct seeded on 7 August into old planting holes after plants from the previous crop had been removed. Glyphosate had been applied to burn down weeds and residues of the previous crop. The trial was conducted in a commercial grower's field near the co-op's packing facilities in western Daviess County. Drip tape from the previous crop was left in place and water was provided immediately after seeding in order to promote germination.

Black plastic mulch from the previous crop was painted white with a product called KoolGro®. KoolGro is formulated for use with plasticulture and is supposed to keep the area around the plants cooler than with unpainted black plastic. The trial was established as a randomized complete block design with four replications. Cucumbers were planted in double rows that were 18 inches apart with plants spaced 12 inches apart within the rows. Two seeds were sown in each planting hole; seedlings were later thinned so that 16 plants remained in each plot.

The plots had been fertilized prior to planting the previous crop. In addition, 10 lb N/A was fertigated weekly during the growing season. The crop was cultivated twice for weed control. Insecticides were applied as needed according to UK recommendations. Bravo was applied weekly, and Nova was applied twice for disease control. Ridomil Bravo was applied once. The plot was scouted once a week to monitor pests and diseases.

Results

Fungicide treatments were applied according to current recommendations; however, the cool and very rainy period that began in mid-September and continued through October resulted in serious plant and fruit losses from Phytophthora capsici that effectively ended the trial. This disease was prevalent in the portion of the grower's field where the trial was located after heavy rains occurred and standing water was observed. Ridomil Bravo was applied on 4 October and slowed subsequent development of the disease; however, severe fruit and plant losses had already occurred. This problem decreased quality and yield from the affected area in the trial field and resulted in much uncontrolled variability in the yield data collected. In addition, only four harvests were possible and yields were low (Table 1). Under these conditions, it was impossible to identify the best varieties with any confidence, and there were no statistically significant differences among varieties for most of the yield components measured (Table 1). We were also not able to detect any visible differences between the cucumbers in this trial on the white painted mulch and those in adjacent sections of the field that were grown on black plastic.

Table 1. Yields of fall-harvested, double-cropped cucumber varieties in Daviess County, Kentucky, 2002. Data are averages from four replications.
Variety		Seed Source	U.S. Fancy + U.S. No. 1z	Total Mkt.y
			boxes/acre
Speedway		S	179	523
SRQ 2387		SS	171	476
Indy		S	164	330
Daytona		S	161	290
SRQ 2983		SS	136	267
EX4675898		S	131	425
Greensleeves		HM	115	206
Turbo		S	114	209
SRQ 2389		SS	105	397
Significance			NS	NS
z	The combined yields of USDA grades Fancy and U.S. No. 1 are equivalent to the Superselect marketing category; yield expressed as number of 1 1/9 bu (55 lb) boxes/acre.
y	Total marketable yield includes combined yields of U.S. Fancy, U.S. No. 1, U.S. No. 2, U.S. No. 1 Large, and U.S. No. 1 Small.

While double cropping on black plastic helps spread out the annual expense of plastic mulch, drip tape, and labor required for laying and removal, the labor costs for direct seeding by hand were high. In addition, the increased risk of serious disease problems in double-cropped cucurbits should be weighed carefully when considering this planting technique. We plan to repeat this trial for fall-harvested cucumbers in 2003.

Yield and Powdery Mildew Resistance of Fall-Harvested Summer Squash

Brent Rowell, William Nesmith, April Satanek, Darrell Slone, Janet Pfeiffer and John C. Snyder, Departments of Horticulture and Plant Pathology

Introduction

Although squash from late summer plantings often achieve the highest market prices, fungal and virus diseases frequently cause serious damage in fall-harvested squash and are considered important barriers to profitable production in Kentucky and surrounding states.

Mixed virus infections commonly occur in fall-harvested summer squash in Kentucky. Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV, formerly WMV-2), zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV), squash mosaic virus (SqMV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), and papaya ringspot virus (PRSV, formerly WMV-1) have all occurred in Kentucky at one time or another and in most other southeastern states. Although the dominant virus(es) varies from site to site and from year to year, WMV has been the most frequently detected virus in summer squash (present in more than 90% of samples tested) during the last 11 years in Kentucky. Virus epidemics are often severe in late summer plantings and total destruction of the crop is not uncommon.

Effective virus resistance and tolerance were found among new transgenic (GMO) and conventionally bred cultivars tested in a fall-harvested trial in 1997 in Kentucky (see 1996-97 Kentucky Vegetable Crop Research Report). Although transgenic cultivars have become more popular with some growers since then, most yellow straightneck squash growers in Kentucky depend on cultivars with the precocious yellow (Py) gene for late-season production. These cultivars mask the greening effect in summer squash fruits when plants are infected by CMV or WMV but not if plants are infected by PRSV or ZYMV. In some areas, precocious yellow squash have reportedly been more difficult to market because of buyer preference for green, rather than yellow, fruit peduncles found in cultivars with the Py gene. Kentucky growers and marketers have not had difficulty marketing squash with this trait. Production of yellow crookneck squash, grown primarily in the southern part of Kentucky for southern markets, has been very risky without disease-resistant cultivars.

It was our intention to evaluate cultivars and breeding lines for yield and virus resistance in a fall-harvested trial. Because there was a near absence of virus diseases this year, cultivars and breeding lines were evaluated for marketable yield, powdery mildew (PM) resistance, and fruit appearance.

Materials and Methods

Thirty-four summer squash cultivars or advanced breeding lines (16 zucchini, nine yellow straightneck, and nine yellow semi-crookneck or crookneck entries) were evaluated at the University of Kentucky Horticultural Research Farm in Lexington in the late summer and fall of 2002. These included several of the best performing cultivars from the 1997 trial. Most cultural practices were according to our current commercial recommendations for Kentucky. Seeds were sown in the greenhouse on 18 July in 72-cell plastic trays and transplanted to the field on 6 Aug. Each plot consisted of eight plants spaced 18 inches apart in a single row on 6-inch high raised beds with white-on-black plastic mulch and drip irrigation. Beds were 6 ft apart from center to center. All 34 entries were planted together in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Cultivars of each type (zucchinis, yellow straightneck, or yellow crookneck) were grouped together within each block. Blocks consisted of two long rows with 16 or 17 entries per row. Single rows of the disease-susceptible cultivar Dixie were planted on both sides of each block to enhance natural disease buildup and uniform spread throughout the trial.

Sixty-five pounds N/A were applied prior to planting, while an additional 18 lb N/A were applied in three fertigations for a season total of 83 lb N/A. All P and K were applied preplant according to recommendations based on soil tests. Quadris was applied on Aug. 7, 14, and 30 for fungal disease control; a tank mix of Nova and Bravo was applied on Sept. 9 and 26. The systemic insecticide Admire was applied two days after transplanting as a post-transplant drench for cucumber beetle control. Two subsequent applications of Pounce were made for later season cucumber beetle and squash vine borer control.

Plots were harvested three days per week (MWF) from 27 Aug. until 4 Oct. for a total of 16 harvests. Fruits were counted and weighed after grading into either marketable fruit or culls. Marketable yield was expressed in terms of the number of half-bushel boxes per acre by dividing the total weight of marketable fruit per acre by 21 lb. Following an analysis of variance, average yields and disease ratings were compared using Waller-Duncan's K-ratio Ttest (P = 0.05).

Fruit Quality Ratings. All fruits of each trial entry harvested from all four replications were graded and laid out on tables for careful examination and quality rating on 11 and 20 Sept. Fruits were assessed for type, color, and overall appearance. Yellow squash type (straightneck, semi-crookneck, or crookneck) was determined based on our own observations rather than seed company descriptions. Yellow squash color was rated on a 1 to 5 scale with 1 = pale yellow with greenish tint and 5 = bright golden yellow. Zucchini squash color was scored from 1 = light green to 5 = very dark green, nearly black. Appearance was rated on a 1 to 9 scale with 1 = worst and 9 = best taking into account, in order of importance: overall attractiveness, shape, uniformity of shape, and color.

Disease Assessments. Plants were visually assessed for the extent of PM symptoms on leaves (both upper and lower surfaces) and stems on 11 Sept. and 7 Oct. Although we did not identify PM species in this trial, mixtures of Sphaerotheca fuliginea and Erysiphe cichoracearum are usually found in late-summer squash plantings; both species were identified in the 1997 trial.

Results and Discussion

This harvest season was exceptional in that only a few of the more than 2,000 plants in the trial field showed any virus symptoms or yielded unmarketable fruits having virus symptoms. This was in spite of the presence of other cucurbit trials, which were planted earlier at the same location, and in spite of the extensive planting of a susceptible cultivar within the trial field. Commercial squash growers in Central and Western Kentucky also reported very low virus incidence in 2002. Midsummer drought led to a decline in clover and other host plants, and this may have resulted in the low virus incidence.

Yellow Straightnecks. As was the case in 1997, conventionally bred hybrids having the precocious yellow gene were in the highest yielding group of yellow straightneck squash cultivars: Sunray, Multipik, Fortune, and Monet were not significantly different from the highest yielding Precious II (Table 1). Multipik and Fortune were also in this highest yielding group in 1997 when virus incidence was high. While lower yielding, Cougar and Seneca Supreme had the best fruit appearance scores among straightnecks (Table 1).

Table 1. Yields and powdery mildew assessments for yellow straightneck, crookneck, and zucchini squash cultivars, breeding lines; data are averages of four replications; appearance ratings are averages from two assessments of all fruits harvested from four replications.
Entry		Source	Typez	Mkt. Yield boxes/acrey	Powdery Mildewx			Appearance Ratingw
					11 Sept.	7 Oct.	Avg.
I. Yellow straightneck and slight semi-crookneck:
Precious II		AC	SN-Py	1660	1.8	0.7	1.2	5.5
Sunray		S	SN/sCN-Py	1536	0.1	0.4	0.3	6.5
Multipik		HM	SN-Py	1526	3.0	3.7	3.4	6.5
Fortune		RG	SN-Py	1513	3.7	3.2	3.5	6.5
Monet		HM	SN-Py	1511	2.5	3.5	3.0	6.5
Goldbar		S	SN	1475	2.5	2.7	2.6	5.5
Cougar		HM	SN/sCN-Py	1369	2.6	2.7	2.7	7.0
Seneca Supreme		S	SN-Py	1327	2.6	2.7	2.7	7.0
Lioness		HM	SN	1281	2.7	1.0	1.9	5.0
Conqueror III		S	SN,Tg-3+	1262	2.6	2.5	2.6	4.5
Liberator III		S	SN,Tg-3	1219	3.0	3.2	3.1	4.0
II. Yellow semi-crookneck or crookneck:
Medallion		AC	sCN/CN	1663	3.2	3.0	3.1	5.5
Sunglo		RG	sCN/CN	1495	0.2	0.5	0.4	5.5
Prelude II		S	CN	1462	0.0	0.1	0.1	5.5
Gentry		RG	sCN	1450	2.6	3.5	3.1	5.5
Dixie		S	CN	1384	3.9	3.5	3.7	5.5
Destiny III		S	sCN/CN,Tg-3	1267	3.5	3.5	3.5	6.0
Pic-n-Pic		SW	CN	1101	3.7	3.7	3.7	6.0
Waller-Duncan LSD (all yellow squash, P = 0.05).				220	0.6	0.7	0.6	---
III. Zucchini:
HMX 710		HM	Z	1722	0.0	0.0	0.0	7.0
Zucchini Elite		HM	Z	1694	3.3	2.3	2.8	6.0
SVT 4620327		S	Z, Tg-3	1686	0.4	0.0	0.2	5.5
Cashflow		RG	Z	1635	4.2	4.2	4.2	6.5
Lynx		HM	Z	1567	4.0	2.7	3.4	5.0
Dividend		RG	Z	1517	3.5	3.0	3.2	6.0
Spineless Beauty		RG	Z	1466	4.0	3.0	3.5	5.5
9523		SS	Z	1445	4.3	4.3	4.3	6.5
Revenue		RG	Z	1276	3.5	3.5	3.5	5.5
Robuster		SS	Z	1262	4.0	4.4	4.2	5.5
Senator		S	Z	1215	3.2	2.2	2.7	6.0
AXC 34		AC	Z	1207	4.7	3.5	4.1	6.0
Tigress		HM	Z	1172	2.0	1.7	1.8	6.5
Independence II		S	Z,Tg-2	1146	4.0	2.5	3.2	5.0
Seasons		AC	Z	1130	4.5	4.0	4.2	5.0
ACX 45		AC	Z	1123	5.0	4.2	4.6	5.5
Waller-Duncan LSD (zucchinis, P = 0.05)				326	0.6	1.3	0.7	--
z	All entries from conventional breeding programs except for: Tg = transgenic for resistance to two (Tg-2) or three (Tg-3) viruses; Tg-3+ = transgenic for three viruses with resistance to the fourth (PRSV) obtained through conventional breeding. Type descriptions based on our observations on 11 and 20 Sept.: SN = straightneck, CN = crookneck, sCN = semi-crookneck; some cultivars that we considered semi-crookneck are considered straightneck by the seed company and are included in the straightneck grouping; Py = has precocious yellow gene to mask virus symptoms.
y	Number of half-bushel (21lb) boxes per acre.
x	Visual rating scale: 0 = no symptoms, 5 = extensive symptoms on entire plants. Ratings took into account the percentage of upper and lower leaf and stem surfaces that were covered by powdery mildew symptoms; assessed by W. Nesmith on 11 Sept and 7 Oct (3 days after final harvest).
w	Appearance ratings: 1 = worst, 9 = best, taking into account, in order of importance, overall attractiveness, shape, and color.

Powdery mildew symptoms were first observed inside leaf canopies of some cultivars in mid-September. Sunray exhibited exceptional PM resistance, while Precious II also had PM resistance that was significantly better than the resistance of other cultivars in this group; Fortune and Multipik appeared to be the most susceptible to PM among the straightnecks tested (Table 1). In the absence of virus diseases, transgenic cultivars Conqueror III and Liberator III were the lowest yielding in the group and were susceptible to PM; these cultivars also had the lowest appearance scores (Table 1). Transgenics were among the highest yielders in 1997 when virus pressure was very high.

Yellow Crooknecks. While transgenic cultivars Prelude II and Destiny III were clearly superior among yellow crookneck entries in 1997 under intense virus pressure, only Prelude II was among the highest yielding crookneck cultivars in 2002. Conventionally bred cultivars Sunglo and Gentry were also not significantly different in yields from the highest yielding Medallion among crooknecks (Table 1). Both Sunglo and Prelude II showed an exceptional degree of PM resistance, while the other cultivars in this group were much more susceptible (Table 1). Lower yielding Destiny III and Pic-N-Pic had the best appearance scores, while appearance scores for the other cultivars in this group were deemed acceptable (Table 2).

Table 2. Fruit color, appearance, and other observations for yellow straightneck, crookneck, and zucchini squash cultivars and breeding lines; ratings are averages from two assessments (11 and 20 Sept 2002); all fruits bulked from four replications at each of the two harvests.
Entry		Typez	Colory	Appearance Ratingx	Shape/Comments/Suitability
Precious II		SN-Py	2.7	5.5	Very long with long, thick neck; pale yellow w/greenish tint at blossom end; 50% curved.
Sunray		SN/sCN-PY	3.0	6.5	Elongated teardrop shape; very slight crook; good color.
Multipik		SN-Py	3.2	6.5	Long teardrop shape.
Fortune		SN-Py	3.0	6.5	Medium long teardrop shape; 20% curved.
Monet		SN-Py	3.5	6.5	Teardrop shape; nice color.
Goldbar		SN	2.0	5.5	Long w/very slight crook in most; greenish cast.
Cougar		SN/sCN-Py	3.0	7.0	Long teardrop shape; slight crook.
Seneca Supreme		SN-Py	3.0	7.0	Teardrop shape; attractive.
Lioness		SN	1.5	5.0	Long w/slight crooks; greenish cast in smallest fruits.
Conqueror III		SN	1.5	4.5	Very long, thin; 50% slightly curved; greenish cast.
Liberator III		SN	1.5	4.0	Very long, thin; 50% slightly curved; greenish cast.
Medallion		sCN/CN	3.5	5.5	Good color; medium thick neck.
Sunglo		sCN/CN	2.0	5.5	Medium thick neck; pale w/greenish cast.
Prelude II		CN	2.0	5.5	Medium thick neck; greenish cast.
Gentry		sCN	3.5	5.5	Medium thick neck; shape somewhat variable.
Dixie		CN	2.0	5.5	Thick neck; greenish cast.
Destiny III		sCN/CN	2.0	6.0	Medium thick neck; greenish cast.
Pic-N-Pic		CN	2.7	6.0	Thinner neck than most; greenish cast in smallest fruits.
HMX 0710		Z	3.0	7.0	Medium dark green; 50% w/slight curve and very slight taper (almost cylindrical.
Zucchini Elite		Z	3.0	6.0	Medium green; 50% w/slight curve; larger diam. Blossom end (slight taper).
SVT 04620327		Z	3.7	5.5	Medium dark green; 50% w/slight curve; many w/slight and occasionally uneven taper.
Cashflow		Z	3.0	6.5	Medium green; 40% w/slight curve; very slight taper.
Lynx		Z	3.7	5.0	Medium green; 60% w/slight to moderate curve; slight taper.
Dividend		Z	3.0	6.0	Light to medium green; 20% w/slight curve; slight taper, nearly perfectly cylindrical; very nice looking.
Spineless Beauty		Z	3.7	5.5	Medium dark green; angular fruit; mostly slightly curved and tapered (larger blossom end).
9523		Z	4.0	6.5	Medium dark green; most slightly curved; strong taper (larger blossom end); attractive glossy color.
Revenue		Z	3.0	5.5	Light to medium green; slightly larger blossom end; most slightly curved.
Robuster		Z	3.0	5.5	Medium green; 20% curved w/very slight taper.
Senator		Z	2.5	6.0	Light to medium green; heavily speckled; most slightly curved with smooth taper; one plant with off-type fruits in this trial.
AXC 34		Z	3.0	6.0	Light to medium green; mostly slightly curved w/very slight taper.
Tigress		Z	2.0	6.5	Gray-green speckled; 50% slightly curved; tapered; one plant with off-type fruits in this trial.
Independence II		Z	2.7	5.0	Medium green; most fruits slightly curved and tapered.
Seasons		Z	4.2	5.0	Medium dark green; 40-50% slightly curved, straight to very slight taper; shape not uniform.
ACX 45		Z	4.7	5.5	Very dark green; most slightly curved; no taper.
z	Type descriptions based on our observations on 11 and 20 Sept. (SN = straightneck, SN-Py = straightneck with precocious yellow gene, CN = crookneck, sCN = semi-crookneck); some cultivars that we considered semi-crookneck may be considered straightneck by the seed company.
y	Color ratings for yellow squash: 1 = pale yellow with greenish tint; 5 = bright golden yellow; for zucchini, 1 = lightest green; 5 = nearly black.
x	Appearance ratings: 1 = worst; 9 = best, taking into account, in order of importance, overall attractiveness, shape, and color.

Zucchinis. One transgenic and six conventionally bred zucchini cultivars were in the highest yielding group that were not significantly different from highest yielding line HMX 0710; these included Zucchini Elite, SVT 04620327 (transgenic virus resistance), Cashflow, Lynx, Dividend, Spineless Beauty, and Sunseeds 9523 (Table 1). Dividend was also in the highest yielding group in 1997. As in 1997, the transgenic virus-resistant Independence II was among the lowest yielding zucchini cultivars. Appearance ratings were highest for HMX 0710, Cashflow, Sunseeds 9523, and Tigress; fruit from a single observation plot of Tigress also had high appearance ratings in 1997. Plots of both Tigress and Senator, however, had a single plant (of the 32 plants of each cultivar that were grown for the trial) that yielded off-type fruits. Zucchini Elite, Dividend, Senator, and ACX 34 also had good appearance ratings (Tables 1 and 2); Zucchini Elite, Dividend, and Senator had high scores in the 1997 trial.

PM resistance was exceptionally high in breeding lines HMX 0710 (no symptoms) and SVT 04620327; Tigress also appeared to be resistant or tolerant to PM. PM ratings were significantly lower for HMX 0710, SVT 04620327, and Tigress than for the other zucchini cultivars. Neither of the two numbered breeding lines had been named/released at the time of this writing.

Results from the 1997 fall-harvested trial at this location together with those from similar trials in other states demonstrated that transgenic virus-resistant squash cultivars could provide excellent resistance to two or more of the viruses involved in mixed infections in the southeastern United States. Transgenic zucchini line SVT 04620327 and transgenic crookneck Prelude II both have high levels of PM resistance and performed well in this trial; the other transgenic cultivars did not perform as well in 2002 in the absence of significant virus pressure and under epidemic powdery mildew conditions.

Marketable yields in late plantings can be expected to vary considerably among cultivars from year to year and location to location depending on the resistance package in the cultivar, diseases present in the field, and the growth stage at which the crop becomes infected. Precocious yellow straightneck cultivars remain an excellent choice for high yields and masking of green fruit symptoms associated with moderate epidemics of WMV and CMV. New straightneck cultivars Precious II, Sunray, Monet, and Cougar are recommended for small-scale trial by growers; Sunray and Precious II should provide valuable levels of PM resistance. Fortune and Multipik will remain on our list of suggested cultivars for Kentucky growers in spite of their susceptibility to PM. While lower yielding in this trial, transgenic virus resistant cultivars should perform considerably better in most late-summer plantings when virus diseases are serious risks for growers.

New crookneck cultivars Medallion and Sunglo are recommended for grower trial. Prelude II will remain the only transgenic crookneck on our list of suggested cultivars. New standouts among zucchinis recommended for grower trial are HMX 0710 (not yet released) for its high yields of attractive fruits and exceptional PM resistance. Cashflow, SVT 04620327 (not released), Lynx, and Sunseeds 9523 are also recommended for growers' trials. High levels of PM resistance are now available in cultivars of all three types of summer squash grown in Kentucky. PM resistance should be considered together with virus resistance, fruit appearance, and other horticultural characteristics in selecting cultivars for late-summer production.

Pumpkin Cultivar Trial, Eastern Kentucky

Terry Jones, Department of Horticulture

Introduction

As a fall crop, pumpkins allow Kentucky growers to extend their marketing season and take advantage of labor used to cut and house tobacco. Both wholesale and direct market pumpkin acreage has increased dramatically during the past five years. Howden has been the predominate cultivar grown for jack-o'-lantern sale. However, problems with fruit set during high temperatures and Fusarium fruit rot have created a need for better cultivars.

A pumpkin cultivar trial was conducted at the University of Kentucky Robinson Station, Quicksand, Kentucky. Ten cultivars, two of which were small or miniature pumpkins, were evaluated in replicated plots.

Methods

Seeds were planted directly in the field on June 18, 2002. Each cultivar was replicated four times in a randomized complete block design. Each replication consisted of a single row 20 ft long containing 10 plants (two/hill). Seeds were hand-sown 4 ft apart in the row with 14 ft between rows. The seed was planted about 1 inch deep. A total of 500 lb of 5-20-20/A was applied preplant. Fifty pounds per acre of N (ammonium nitrate) was applied as a sidedressing two weeks after planting. A second sidedressing of ammonia nitrate was applied when the vines began to run, bringing the total nitrogen applied to 125 lb actual N/A. Command 4EC (1 pt/A) was applied preplant and incorporated. Curbit 3EC at 2 qt/A was applied immediately after planting. Pest control sprays were applied during the growing season for disease and insect problems as conditions warranted. Overhead irrigation was applied as needed. Growing conditions during the season were hot and dry.

Results and Discussion

Pumpkin yields were very good for a hot, dry year (Table 1). None of the eight standard pumpkin cultivars showed any significant difference in fruit number. Appalachian, Gold Standard, Magic Lantern, and Pro Gold 510 all had more than 3,000 fruit per acre. Autumn King, Jumpin Jack, Gold Strike, and Gold Gem had closer to 2,000 fruit per acre. The highest yielding (lb/A) large jack-o'-lantern in the trial was Appalachian. Magic Lantern and Pro Gold 510 also produced well. Gold Gem produced the fewest pounds per acre and had the fewest fruit per acre. Pro Gold 510 had the largest fruit size. Touch of Autumn produced significantly more fruit and pounds per acre than Baby Bear. Both were attractive, nicely shaped miniature pumpkins. Appalachian, the best producing jack- o'-lantern in this trial, produces fruit on bush vines, which would allow for a much closer row spacing than that used in this trial. Gold Standard, a slightly smaller pumpkin, has consistently produced good yields of attractive fruit that are a nice size for school children. Magic Lantern, because of its resistance to powdery mildew, has potential for growers who follow a reduced spray program or do not own a good, high-pressure sprayer.

Table 1. Seed source, fruit number per acre, yield, average weight, and quality evaluations for pumpkin cultivars, Quicksand, 2002.
Cultivar		Seed Source	Fruit No./A1	Yield (lb/A) 1	Avg. Wt. (lb)1	Shape2	Smooth3	Ribbing4	Color5	Stem Quality6	Stem Color7
Touch of Autumn (RWS-6260)		RG	8,517 A	16,510 DE	1.9 D	3	4	3	LO	3	DG
Baby Bear		RU	6,145 B	7,106 E	1.2 D	3	4	3	MO	2	DG-T
Appalachian		PS	3,461 C	52,440 A	14.9 AB	1.8	2.8	2.3	DO	2.3	L-DG
Gold Standard		RU	3,306 C	36,250 BC	11.1 C	2.8	2.5	2.3	DO	3	MG
Magic Lantern		HM	3,228 C	42,580 AB	13.1 ABC	3	4.3	1.5	MO	2.5	MG
Pro Gold 510		RU	3,034 C	43,710 AB	15 A	1.5	3.5	4.3	LO	2	MG
Autumn King		RG	2,411 C	30,820 BC	12.7 BC	1.8	3	2.5	MO	2.5	DG-T
Jumpin Jack		RU	2,334 C	29,910 BCD	12.9 ABC	1.8	3	3.3	LO	1.5	T
Gold Strike		RU	2,061 C	30,750 BCD	14.2 AB	1.5	1.8	1.5	DO	1.8	DG-T
Gold Gem (Rex 38041)		RU	1,945 C	26,550 CD	13.8 AB	2.8	2.3	1.8	M-DO	1.8	T
LSD 8			1,543	14,300	2.2
1	Means followed by the same letter are not significantly different as determined by LSD (P = 0.05%).
2	1 = oblate or flat, 2 = blocky, 3 = round.
3	1 = rough, warty skin, 5 = very smooth.
4	1 = heavy ribbed, 5 = no ribbing, smooth.
5	lo = light orange, mo = medium orange, do = dark orange, ro = reddish orange, w = white.
6	1 = weak, small, breaks off; 3 = strong and large.
7	lg = light green, mg = medium green, dg = dark green, t = tan.
8	Least Significant Difference (P = 0.05).

Yield of New Muskmelon Cultivars in Eastern Kentucky

William Turner, Charles Back, and R. Terry Jones, Department of Horticulture

Introduction

Eastern cantaloupe has been identified as one of several profitable crops that Kentucky farmers can produce. Potential yields of 8,000 to10,000 fruit per acre, with gross returns of $5,000/A are possible. Variable costs are roughly $1,000 per acre, and net returns to the grower are in the $2,200 range. One farm cooperative, several grower marketing associations, and numerous farmers' market producers are currently producing cantaloupes for fresh market sales. This cultivar trial compares Athena, which is currently produced on 75% of all Eastern cantaloupe acreage, with five other cultivars that produce similar fruit. Six cantaloupe cultivars were compared to determine yield and size and for potential use by Kentucky growers for wholesale, roadside, and farmers' markets.

Materials and Methods

Cantaloupe seeds were planted in plug trays and grown in the greenhouse for four weeks before transplanting through black plastic on 28 May 2002. Cultivars were planted in a randomized complete block. There were four replications with five plants per replication. Each replication was 15 ft long with plants set 3 ft apart in the row. Rows were 7 ft on center.

A total of 150 pounds of nitrogen was applied through drip lines as either ammonium or potassium nitrate. Curbit 3E (1 qt/A) and Gramoxone Extra (2pt/A) were applied for weed control between the mulched beds one week after transplanting. An additional spot spray was made 14 days later to improve control. Admire 2F at the rate of 24 fl oz/A was applied as a drench just after transplanting, using a backpack sprayer with the nozzle removed. Either mancozeb or chlorothalonil was applied weekly, and Quadris was applied on alternate weeks during July and August. Endosulfan 3EC or Pounce 3.2EC was applied for insect control when needed.

Following harvest, cantaloupes were sold through a local produce stand. The owner observed customer reactions to the various melons and reported buyer preferences and comments when he came to obtain more melons. He also began selecting only those melons that his customers wanted.

Results

There were no significant differences in fruit number per acre for the six cultivars (Table 1). The average fruit weight of Athena was less than those of the other five cultivars. Odyssey, the highest yielding cultivar in the trial, produced significantly more cwt/A than Athena. The yields of the other four cultivars were not different from that of Odyssey or Athena. The appearance of Odyssey was very similar to that of Athena, except it was larger. Vienna fruit were not as attractive as those of the other cultivars and tended to have more cracking around the stem end. All six muskmelon cultivars produced marketable fruit. At a roadside market Minerva, Eclipse, and RML 8793VP were the first to sell. These are large, attractive melons that look like the Indiana melon that consumers wanted. Unfortunately, they are softer and do not store or ship as well as Athena. Athena and Odyssey also sold well as long as they had good size (larger than 5 lb). Vienna sold only if nothing else was available. None of the new cultivars tested is likely to replace Athena in the commercial wholesale market because produce buyers demand that particular melon. Odyssey might be mixed with Athena to improve overall fruit size.

Table 1. Maturity, seed source, average fruit weight, number of fruit per acre, yield, and shape and appearance evaluations for six muskmelon cultivars, Quicksand, 2002.
Cultivar		Days to Maturity*	Seed Source	Avg. Wt. (lb/fruit)1	Marketable Fruit/A1	Yield (cwt/A)1	Comments (Shape and Appearance)
Eclipse		63	SW	8.1 A	5906 A	480 AB	large size, good taste and quality, local sales
Odyssey		65	SU	8.2 A	6327 A	519 A	heavy netted, shallow sutures, holds & ships well
Vienna		63	SW	8.15 A	5082 A	415 AB	medium shelf life, cracks
RML 8793VP		63	SW	8.8 A	4978 A	439 AB	large, attractive, similar to Minerva, local sales
Athena		63	SW	6.5 B	5393 A	351 B	firm flesh, good shipper
Minerva		65	SW	8.6 A	4978 A	426 AB	large, very attractive fruit, local sales
LSD2				1.2	2245	146
*	Day from transplanting to first fruit harvested.
1	Means, within a column, followed by the same letter, are not significantly different as determined by LSD (P≤ 0.05).
2	Least Significant Difference, P = 0.05.

Specialty Melon Variety Observation Trial

John Strang, April Satanek, Chris Smigell, Dave Lowry, and Phillip Bush, Department of Horticulture

Introduction

This trial was designed to screen 19 different specialty melon varieties under Kentucky growing conditions. Honeydew, galia, casaba, muskmelon, charentais, and specialty hybrid melons were evaluated in this trial.

Materials and Methods

All varieties were seeded on April 25 into cell packs (72 cells per tray) at the Horticulture Research Farm in Lexington. Cell packs were set on a mist bench with bottom heat until seeds germinated, then moved to a drier, cooler bench in the greenhouse, where the seedlings were thinned to one per cell. Plants were set into black plastic-mulched, raised beds using a waterwheel setter on May 29 and May 30. A single plot of each variety was planted. Each was 36 ft long, with 12 plants set 3 ft apart within the row and 6 ft between rows. Drip irrigation provided water and fertilizer as needed.

Fifty pounds N/A as ammonium nitrate were applied and incorporated into the field prior to bed shaping and planting. The plot was fertigated with a total of 60 lb N/A as ammonium nitrate divided into eight applications. The systemic insecticide Admire 2F was applied as a drench to the base of each plant after planting, using the maximum rate of 24 fl oz/A. Foliar insecticide applications during the season included Sevin and Pounce. Fungicide applications included a pre-plant application of Ridomil Gold and foliar applications of Bravo and Quadris. Curbit preemergent herbicide was applied and incorporated between the rows, just as the vines began to grow off the plastic mulch. Two average-sized fruit of each variety were measured and evaluated for flavor, soluble solids, interior color, and rind color as each variety reached harvest maturity.

Results and Discussion

Admire 2F helped to reduce the number of early cucumber beetles. The growing season was marked with rainy, cool periods, followed by hot, dry periods. The dry weather helped to reduce plant and fruit disease severity, although diseases became more destructive mid- to late season. Very little virus was observed in the plot. Vine cover was thick, with little plant death. Fruit were generally harvested twice a week, more often at the beginning of the harvest period due to the rapid ripening of the galia melons. The weather proved beneficial to most melon varieties. Although the charentais melons did not split as rapidly or as severely as in last year's trial, a considerable amount of fruit was culled due to small cracks.

Honeydews

Honey Dew Green Flesh, Honey Pearl, and San Juan all looked good in this evaluation. All had excellent eating quality and low cull numbers. Honey Pearl had a cream-colored flesh, while the other two varieties had light green flesh. Honey Dew Green Flesh melons were large, averaging 5.6 lb per fruit, while Honey Pearl and San Juan were smaller melons weighing 3.9 lb and 3.7 lb per fruit, respectively. Honey Pearl produced a second crop of quality melons (Tables 1 and 2).

Table 1. Specialty melon variety trial yield and fruit characteristics, Lexington, Kentucky, 2002.
Variety		Melon Type1	Seed Source	Days to Harvest	Yield (cwt/A)2		Avg. No. Melons/A	Avg. Wt./Fruit (lb)	No. Melons/A Culls	Outside Measurements		Flesh Thick. (in.)	Seed Cavity
										Length (in.)	Width (in.)		Length (in.)	Width (in.)
Sundew		HD	SS	85	747.1	a	10900	6.9	173	8.5	7.8	1.8	5.6	4.0
Honey Brew		HD	AC/RU	90	714.4	ab	10100	7.1	432	9.4	7.4	1.9	6.2	3.7
Sweet Delight		HD	RU	90	704.4	ab	9000	7.8	86	8.9	7.8	1.7	5.8	4.6
Sweet Barcelona		CR	BU	84	739.7	ab	6800	10.8	346	14.1	8.3	2.0	10.0	4.0
St. Nick		CR	HR	84	668.3	abc	6600	10.2	346	10.5	7.8	2.4	7.1	3.4
Golden Beauty		CA	JS	80	654.8	abc	9700	6.8	0	10.3	7.4	1.8	7.1	3.8
Dorado		CA	HR	85	654.3	abc	10600	6.2	432	9.5	7.0	1.9	6.4	3.4
HSR 4002B		AN	HL	95-100	580.4	abcd	10400	5.6	432	7.9	6.9	1.7	4.9	3.3
HSR 2528		AN	HL	95	547.9	bcd	10200	5.4	432	8.2	6.6	1.7	5.5	3.5
Dove		AN	HL	75	508.1	cd	10400	4.9	1210	6.8	6.4	1.7	4.0	3.0
Branco Perfecto		SC	SW	92	637.0	abc	7900	8.1	432	9.4	7.3	1.7	5.8	3.7
Sapomiel		PD	UG	94	586.2	abcd	8100	7.2	346	10.8	7.7	1.8	7.6	4.0
Sweet Dreams		GA	SW	79	493.7	cd	7300	6.8	1815	7.7	7.4	2.2	4.3	3.0
Gourmet		SH	HL	73	547.6	bcd	9900	5.6	1988	8.0	7.1	1.9	5.1	3.4
HSR 4011		SH	HL	75-80	417.8	d	7300	5.8	2506	7.0	7.0	1.9	3.5	3.1
1	Melon type: HD = honeydew, CR = Christmas, CA = Canary, SC = Sicilian, PD = Piel de Sapo, AN = ananas, GA = galia, SH = specialty hybrid.
2	Numbers followed by the same letter are not significantly different (Waller-Duncan LSD P = 0.05). Cwt = hundreds of pounds per acre.

Table 2. Specialty melon trial fruit characteristics, Lexington, Kentucky, 2002.
Variety		Flavor (1-5)1	Sugar (%)	Interior Color2	Rind Color3	Fruit Shape	Cracking (1-4)4	Net Type5	Comments
Sundew		4.5	12.8	cr-lg	lg	oval	1	na	Doesn’t slip, attractive exterior and interior.
Honey Brew		4.4	12.5	cr-lg	lg	oval	1.25	na	Doesn’t slip, some surface checking.
Sweet Delight		4.4	12.9	cr-lg	lg	oval	1	na	Doesn’t slip, some oddly shaped, attractive interior.
Sweet Barcelona		2.6	10.4	cr-lg	dg w/yl streaks	oblong	1	na	Doesn’t slip, coarse surface checking, distinctive exterior.
St. Nick		4.3	13.2	cr-wh	dg w/lg streaks	oblong	1	na	Slips at full/over maturity, harvest before slip for storage, light surface checks, crisp flesh, distinctive exterior.
Golden Beauty		4.3	13.4	cr-lg	dy	oblong	1	na	Doesn’t slip, very attractive, wrinkled exterior, harvest when dark yellow.
Dorado		4.6	14.5	cr	dy	oblong	1	na	Doesn’t slip, attractive interior and exterior, harvest when dark yellow.
HSR 4002B		3.0	9.9	lo	tn	oblong	1	md	Stem slips when ripe, attractive.
HSR 2528		2.9	8.9	cr	tn	oval	1	lt	Stem slips when ripe, attractive interior and exterior.
Dove		3.4	10.7	cr	tn	oval	1.3	lt	Stem slips when ripe, becomes overripe very quickly, must be harvested at first sign of exterior yellowing.
Branco Perfecto		4.0	11.6	cr	lg	oblong	1	na	Doesn’t slip, wrinkly exterior, slightly pink cavity walls.
Sapomiel		4.5	13.8	cr	dg w/yl streaks	oblong	1	na	Doesn’t slip, surface checks, large fruit, attractive exterior.
Sweet Dreams		4.6	12.8	lo-cr	gr/yl	oval	1.5	lt	Stem slips when ripe, becomes overripe very quickly, coarse netting, distinctive exterior, attractive interior, must be harvested at the first sign of exterior yellow.
Gourmet		3.8	10.6	cr	tn	oval	1.5	md	Stem slips when ripe, becomes overripe very quickly, attractive exterior, must be harvested at the first sign of exterior yellow.
HSR 4011		3.9	11.0	cr-wh	lg/yl	round	1.5	lt	Stem slips when ripe, coarse netting, distinctive exterior, small seed cavity.
1	Flavor: 1 = poor, 5 = excellent, sweet taste, pleasant texture.
2	Interior color: lo = light orange, cr = cream, lg = light green, wh = white.
3	Rind color: lg = light green, gr = green, dg = dark green, yl = yellow, dy = dark yellow, tn = tan.
4	Cracking: 1 = little or no cracking, 4 = severe cracking and fruit splitting.
5	Net type: lt = light netting, md = medium netting, hv = heavy raised netting, na = none.

Galia Melons

Arava and Sweet Dreams were the best galia melons. Both had excellent eating quality. Arava was judged to have a more attractive exterior and was slightly smaller than Sweet Dreams. It also had very low cull numbers (Table 1). Galia melons must be harvested as soon as the rind starts to turn yellow. Otherwise, the melons rapidly become overripe and are unmarketable. After the initial melon set was harvested, most varieties continued producing fruit, although the number harvested decreased.

Charentais

Four charentais melon varieties were evaluated. None of these performed well in this trial (Tables 1 and 2). It is difficult to visually determine the correct harvest time for charentais melons. Suggested harvest maturity criteria include the yellowing and wilting of the leaf nearest the fruit stem, a change in the rind color from green to grey, and softening of the blossom scar. None of these maturity cues aided in proper harvest timing for this trial. The fruit were mostly either immature or split and decayed when following these criteria.

Miscellaneous melon types

Marygold, a casaba melon, performed very well. It had excellent eating quality and very low numbers of culls. Vanilla Ice, a specialty hybrid melon, was found to have excellent flavor when it was evaluated at the first harvest, but the flavor varied in subsequent harvests. Vanilla Ice melons were not very attractive and had a very short shelf life. HSR 4122, a netted western type cantaloupe, produced well but was not of outstanding quality (Tables 1 and 2).

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Larry Blanford, Barry Duncil, Justin Clark, Stephanie Goode, Courtney Bobrowski, Witoon (Toon) Jaiphon, Sopon (Toni) Issaravut, Takanobu (Bell) Suzuki, Darren Taylor, Eric Bowman, and Spencer Helsabeck for their help with this trial.

Specialty Melon Variety Evaluation

John Strang, April Satanek, John Snyder, Phillip Bush, Chris Smigell, and Dave Lowry, Department of Horticulture

Introduction

Fifteen specialty melon varieties were evaluated in this trial. These included ananas, Christmas, honeydew, galia, canary, Sicilian, Piel de Sapo, and specialty hybrid types of melons. This trial was designed to evaluate a number of different specialty melons under Kentucky conditions.

Materials and Methods

All varieties were seeded on April 25 into cell packs (72 cells per tray) at the Horticulture Research Farm in Lexington. Cell packs were set on a mist bench with bottom heat until seeds germinated, then moved to a drier, cooler bench in the greenhouse, where the seedlings were thinned to one per cell. Plants were set into black plastic-mulched, raised beds using a waterwheel setter on May 29. Each plot was 21 ft long, with seven plants set 3 ft apart within the row and 6 ft between rows. Each plot was replicated four times in a randomized complete block design with 6 ft between replications. Drip irrigation was used to provide water and fertilizer as needed.

Fifty pounds N/A as ammonium nitrate were applied and incorporated into the field prior to bed shaping and planting. The plot was fertigated with a total of 60 lb N/A as ammonium nitrate divided into eight applications over the season. The systemic insecticide Admire 2F was applied to the base of each plant as a drench treatment the day after planting, using the maximum rate of 24 fl oz/A. Foliar insecticide applications during the season included Sevin and Pounce. Fungicide applications included a pre-plant application of Ridomil Gold, and foliar applications of Bravo and Quadris. A pre-emergent herbicide, Curbit was applied and incorporated between the rows as the vines began to grow off the plastic mulch. One fruit from each replication was measured and evaluated for flavor, soluble solids, interior color, rind color, and net type.

Results

The use of Admire 2F helped to reduce the number of early cucumber beetles. Early in the season, cool, rainy weather prevailed, and this was followed by hot, dry periods. The dry weather helped to reduce the severity of some diseases, although disease became more destructive mid- to late season. Very little virus was observed in the plot. Early vine cover was thick, with little plant death. Plants were generally harvested twice a week, more often at the beginning due to the quick ripening of the galia and ananas type melons.

Honeydew type

Sundew and Honey Brew performed very well. These melons were also two of last year's best performers, with high yield (Table 1) and high sugar (Table 2). Sweet Delight also performed well, but it produced some oddly shaped fruit, making it less marketable. This season t