Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Report 7:31-32 (article
14) 1984
Effect of End Borders on Plot Yield of Once-over Harvested
Pickling and Fresh-market Cucumbers
T.C. Wehner
Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7609
Yield of pickling and fresh-market cucumbers from plots harvested
once-over is an efficient measure of yield in multiple-harvest
trials (Wehner and Miller, unpublished data). Smith et al. (1)
found the correlation between once-over and multiple-harvest
yield to be less useful (r=0.31) in their test of 9 cultivars of
pickling cucumbers. In the early stages of a breeding program
where many families are being evaluated for yield, it would be
efficient to use small plots harvested once-over as the selection
method. Since seed supplies are usually limited, and because
plots are small (1.5 x 1.5m was found to be optimal), trials are
often run with plots separated by 1.5 m alleys to make it easy to
identify the area to be harvested. It would, therefore, be
important to know that end borders on plots do not affect the
ranking of families for yield. The objective of this study was
to determine whether yield of different genotypes of pickling and
fresh-market cucumbers is affected by plot end borders.
Methods. Six cultivars and lines of pickling cucumbers
('Calypso', 'Castlepik', 'Clinton', 'NCSU M201, 'Pikmaster', and
'Tamor'), and 6 cultivars of fresh-market cucumbers ('Bush
Champion', 'Dasher', 'Early Triumph', 'Poinsett 76', 'Sprint
440', and 'Verino') were chosen to represent the diversity of
genotypes often used in breeding programs. The types represented
included hybrid vs. inbred, gynoecious vs. monoecious, and tall
vs. dwarf. The plots were planted on raised, shaped beds with
0.5 m tops and 1.5 m apart (center to center) on April 29 at the
Horticultural Crops Research Station near Clinton, NC. Plots
were 1.5 m long with either 1.5 m alleys or 1.5 m borders at each
end. Harvest areas were marked with flags. Plots were harvested
once-over when most of the plots reached 10% oversize (June 28
for the pickling cucumbers, and July 6 for the fresh-market
cucumbers). Fruit were graded into marketable and cull and
counted to determine total yield and yield per plant. The
experiment design was a split-split-plot in a randomized complete
block with 6 replications. Whole plots were the 2 crop types
(pickling vs. fresh-market cucumbers), subplots were the 6
cultivars and lines, and sub-subplots were the 2 border
treatments (ends vs. none).
Results. In the absence of end borders, the number of
total and marketable fruit per plot was inflated 7 and 19%,
respectively (Table 1). Plots with end borders had a higher
percent of cull fruit as well (35% more). However, there was no
significant interaction between cultivar and border treatment.
Therefore, if end borders are left off plots, yield will be
inflated, but the ranking of cultivars or lines will not be
significantly affected. Thus, plant breeders can safely choose
to plant small plots without end borders in order to make it
easier to identify the harvest area, or to save seed where
supplies are limited.
Table 1. Fruit yield of 12 cultivars and lines
in 1.5m plots harvested once-over where plots had either 1.5 m of
border or of alley at each end.z |
Cultivar or line
| Plot end treatment
| Yield (fruit/plot)
| Culls (%)
| Fruit per plant
| Plants in harvest area |
Total
| Marketable |
Pickling Cucumbers |
Calypso
| Ends
| 20
| 18
| 8
| 1.71
| 12 |
None
| 25
| 24
| 4
| 1.91
| 13 |
Castlepik
| Ends
| 24
| 22
| 10
| 1.70
| 14 |
None
| 26
| 24
| 8
| 2.00
| 13 |
Clinton
| Ends
| 18
| 18
| 0
| 1.52
| 12 |
None
| 17
| 17
| 0
| 1.49
| 12 |
M21
| Ends
| 22
| 21
| 3
| 1.65
| 13 |
None
| 24
| 22
| 5
| 1.70
| 14 |
Pikmaster
| Ends
| 20
| 18
| 7
| 1.54
| 13 |
None
| 25
| 24
| 6
| 1.81
| 14 |
Tamor
| Ends
| 19
| 17
| 11
| 1.73
| 12 |
None
| 23
| 21
| 8
| 1.76
| 13 |
Fresh-market cucumbers |
Bush Champion
| Ends
| 16
| 13
| 20
| 1.31
| 12 |
None
| 17
| 15
| 12
| 1.41
| 12 |
Dasher
| Ends
| 19
| 17
| 10
| 1.41
| 14 |
None
| 23
| 21
| 7
| 1.79
| 13 |
Early Triumph
| Ends
| 20
| 19
| 8
| 1.49
| 14 |
None
| 27
| 26
| 3
| 1.92
| 14 |
Poinsett 76
| Ends
| 17
| 14
| 17
| 1.28
| 13 |
None
| 18
| 17
| 8
| 1.42
| 13 |
Sprint 440
| Ends
| 20
| 18
| 9
| 1.58
| 11 |
None
| 22
| 20
| 12
| 1.79
| 11 |
Verino
| Ends
| 22
| 19
| 10
| 1.79
| 12 |
None
| 27
| 24
| 11
| 2.11
| 13 |
|
F ratio (line x treatment)
| 1.06ns
| 1.20ns
| 1.52ns
| 0.58ns
| 0.69ns |
LSD (5%)
| 3
| 3
| 4
| 0.27
| 1 |
CV (%)
| 17
| 17
| 65
| 20
| 12 |
Mean
| Ends
| 20
| 18
| 9
| 1.60
| 13 |
None
| 21
| 21
| 7
| 1.76
| 11 |
|
zData are means over 6 replications. |
Literature Cited
- Smith, O.S. and R.L. Lower. 1978. Field plot techniques for
selecting increased once-over harvest yields in pickling
cucumbers. J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 103:92-94.
