NCSU Cucumber Breeding Report - 2006
Todd C. Wehner
Professor
Tammy L. Ellington
Agric. Res. Tech. III
Department of Horticultural Science
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-7609
Pickling Cucumbers
Brinestock Evaluation
Spring (Stage 3) Pickle Trial
Todd C. Wehner and Tammy L. Ellingtonz
Department of Horticultural Science
North Carolina State University
Introduction
Cucumbers from harvests 2, 3 and 4 of the stage 3 spring pickling cucumber
trial were each placed in one brine tank at Mt. Olive Pickle Co. The tanks
were purged with nitrogen to remove excess carbon dioxide from the brine.
Methods
The cultigens (cultivars and breeding lines) were evaluated for fruit quality
(shape, external color, texture, seedcell size, and lot uniformity), firmness,
bloaters, and other defects in October. Quality was evaluated by judges from
industry: Phil Denlinger, Bob Quinn, Henry Woods, and Nick Flores (Mt. Olive),
John Cates and Curtiss Cates (Addis Cates Co.), Steve Apol (Toisnot), and
Sara Walpole (Nunhems).
Fruit quality was evaluated using a rating system (that approximated letter
grades) from 1 to 9, where 9 = A+, 8 = A, 7 = A-, 6 = B+, 5 = B, 4 = B-, 3 = C,
2 = D, 1 = F. Bloaters and defects were measured as percentage of fruits with
damage in a sample of 20 grade 3B fruits. Firmness was measured by punching 10
grade 2B fruits with a Magness-Taylor tester (having a 5/16" diameter tip). All
cultigens were randomized, replicated and coded to prevent bias and provide a
measure of error variance.
Results
The cultigens are presented in order by decreasing fruit quality in Table 1, and
are ranked for resistance to bloaters and defects in Tables 2 and 3, respectively.
Fruit texture and firmness rankings are in Table 4. The average quality ratings
assigned by each judge in the test are presented in Table 5, showing how lenient
each judge was relative to the others. Because of low bloater incidence, the
bloater data showed few significant differences among cultigens.
Summary
- The cultigens with best fruit quality in brinestock were Atlantis,
Exp04-2759, NC-Danbury, Exp05-6819, Feisty, Vlasstar, Exp05-6828,
Classy, NC-Duplin, Starex, HMX-5406, Pershing, NC-Davie and Powerpak.
- Most cultigens were bloater resistant.
- The firmest cultigens were Sumter, Exp05-6828, NC-Danbury, Rocket,
Atlantis, Exp05-6819, Exp04-2759, NC-Lexington, HMX-5406, Starex,
Exp05-6838, Wis.SMR 18, EX0450-6143, NC-Dixon and NC-Duplin.
- As usual, brinestock firmness (from the punch test) was only partially
correlated with texture (subjective rating from the judges), so the two
traits are measurements of different aspects of cucumber fruit firmness.
- Judges ranged from Steve Apol who assigned the highest quality ratings, to
Nick Flores who assigned the lowest. Analysis of variance indicated significant
differences among judges for the way they rated fruit quality. However,
interaction of judge with cultigen was non-significant (all judges gave
good cultigens high ratings, and bad cultigens low ratings).
____________________________
z Thanks to Mt. Olive Pickle Co., Mt. Olive, N.C. for assistance in brining the
cucumbers, and for providing the facilities for evaluating the cultigens tested.
Thanks also to the personnel at the Horticultural Crops Research Station,
Clinton, N.C. for help in running the field trials.
Table 1. Brinestock evaluation - quality ratings (cultigens are ranked by
average quality).z
_________________________________________________________________________________
Cultivar Seed Average Extrnal Text- Seed Uniform-
Rank or line source quality Shape color ure cell ity
_________________________________________________________________________________
1 Atlantis Bejo Seeds 6.5 6.1 6.3 6.4 6.9 6.7
2 Exp04-2759 Bejo Seeds 6.3 6.7 6.2 6.2 6.1 6.5
3 NCDanbury NCStateUniv 6.2 6.3 6.3 6.0 5.8 6.4
4 Exp05-6819 Bejo Seeds 6.1 6.1 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.3
5 Feisty(9464) HarrisMoran 6.1 6.0 6.2 6.0 5.8 6.5
6 Vlasstar(10489 Seminis 6.1 6.3 6.4 6.0 5.7 6.2
7 Exp05-6828 Bejo Seeds 6.1 6.0 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.1
8 Classy(1477) HarrisMoran 6.0 6.0 6.0 6.0 5.5 6.5
9 NCDuplin(56x57 NCStateUniv 6.0 5.8 6.2 6.1 5.6 6.2
10 Starex Baker Seeds 5.9 5.7 6.0 5.9 5.9 6.2
11 HMX-5406 HarrisMoran 5.9 5.4 5.5 6.5 6.3 6.0
12 Pershing Nunhems 5.9 5.7 6.4 5.8 5.6 6.2
13 NCDavie(54x55) NCStateUniv 5.8 5.9 6.0 5.7 5.2 6.4
14 Powerpak Seminis 5.8 6.0 5.9 5.4 5.5 6.3
15 NCDixon NCStateUniv 5.8 5.8 5.7 5.7 5.5 6.3
16 Crispina Nunhems 5.8 5.7 6.1 5.9 5.0 6.2
17 H-19 Seminis 5.8 5.0 5.5 5.9 6.3 6.2
18 Sumter ClemsonUniv 5.8 5.8 4.9 6.2 6.1 5.8
19 Rocket Baker Seeds 5.6 5.9 6.0 5.3 4.9 6.1
20 Cates Nunhems 5.6 5.3 5.7 5.5 5.7 5.9
21 Wainwright Nunhems 5.6 5.5 6.0 5.4 5.3 5.8
22 EX0450-6143 Seminis 5.6 5.4 5.8 5.6 5.3 5.7
23 Ballerina Nunhems 5.5 5.5 6.1 5.2 4.7 6.2
24 NCDenton(G5x55 NCStateUniv 5.5 5.3 5.7 5.6 4.9 6.1
25 Vlaspik Seminis 5.5 5.1 5.8 5.5 5.4 5.5
26 NCLexington NCStateUniv 5.4 5.0 5.8 5.5 5.0 5.8
27 Crispina(Parth Nunhems 5.4 5.3 5.5 5.4 4.6 6.0
28 NCDawson(G5x52 NCStateUniv 5.3 4.8 5.6 5.1 4.9 5.9
29 Raleigh NCStateUniv 5.3 5.0 5.8 5.3 5.0 5.3
30 Calypso NCStateUniv 5.3 4.7 5.5 5.3 5.1 5.7
31 Exp05-6838 Bejo Seeds 5.3 4.6 5.8 5.2 5.0 5.7
32 NCLeland NCStateUniv 5.2 4.5 5.7 5.2 4.9 5.6
33 BallerinaPrth Nunhems 5.1 4.9 5.8 4.8 4.6 5.6
34 Johnston NCStateUniv 5.1 4.5 5.6 5.2 4.9 5.4
35 NCLeland(Parth NCStateUniv 5.1 3.8 5.2 5.2 5.6 5.7
36 NCLonghurst NCStateUniv 5.1 3.6 5.3 5.4 5.3 5.9
37 NCLonghurstPrh NCStateUniv 5.1 3.4 4.8 5.6 6.0 5.5
38 NCLexingtonPrh NCStateUniv 5.0 4.4 4.9 5.1 4.6 5.9
39 Wis.SMR 18 Univ. Wis. 4.7 3.9 4.7 5.1 4.8 5.0
40 NCMoriah NCStateUniv 4.5 3.2 4.6 4.8 4.4 5.3
41 Coolgreen Seminis 4.4 3.8 4.7 4.2 3.8 5.5
42 NCMerritt NCStateUniv 4.3 3.2 4.6 4.5 4.6 4.8
_________________________________________________________________________________
LSD (5%) 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.5
Mean 5.5 5.2 5.7 5.5 5.3 5.9
CV (%) 12 20 15 19 21 14
_________________________________________________________________________________
z Quality rated 1 to 9 (9=A+, 8=A, 7=A-, 6=B+, 5=B, 4=B-, 3=C, 2=D, 1=F).
Correlation (Shape with Uniformity) = 0.75**
Correlation (Texture with Seedcell) = 0.80**
Table 2. Brinestock evaluation - percentage of fruit damaged by bloaters
(cultigens are ranked by balloon bloater resistance).
_________________________________________________________________________________
Cultivar Seed Total Honey-
Rank or line source bloaters Balloon Lens comb
_________________________________________________________________________________
1 Vlasstar(10489 Seminis 0 0 0 0
2 Starex Baker Seeds 0 0 0 0
3 Pershing Nunhems 0 0 0 0
4 H-19 Seminis 0 0 0 0
5 NCLexington NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
6 NCLeland NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
7 NCLeland(Parth NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
8 NCLonghurst NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
9 NCLonghurstPrh NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
10 NCLexingtonPrh NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
11 NCMoriah NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
12 NCMerritt NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
13 Crispina Nunhems 0 0 0 0
14 NCDavie(54x55) NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
15 NCDuplin(56x57 NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
16 HMX-5406 HarrisMoran 0 0 0 0
17 Sumter ClemsonUniv 0 0 0 0
18 NCDenton(G5x55 NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
19 Wainwright Nunhems 0 0 0 0
20 Calypso NCStateUniv 1 0 0 1
21 Cates Nunhems 1 0 0 1
22 EX0450-6143 Seminis 2 0 0 2
23 Crispina(Parth Nunhems 0 0 0 0
24 Exp04-2759 Bejo Seeds 0 0 0 0
25 Coolgreen Seminis 1 1 0 0
26 Rocket Baker Seeds 1 1 0 0
27 Raleigh NCStateUniv 1 1 0 0
28 Atlantis Bejo Seeds 1 1 0 0
29 Exp05-6838 Bejo Seeds 1 1 0 0
30 NCDixon NCStateUniv 1 1 0 0
31 Vlaspik Seminis 1 1 0 0
32 Ballerina Nunhems 2 1 0 1
33 Wis.SMR 18 Univ. Wis. 1 1 0 0
34 Johnston NCStateUniv 2 1 1 0
35 NCDanbury NCStateUniv 1 1 0 0
36 Classy(1477) HarrisMoran 2 2 0 0
37 Powerpak Seminis 2 2 0 0
38 Exp05-6819 Bejo Seeds 2 2 0 0
39 Exp05-6828 Bejo Seeds 2 2 0 0
40 NCDawson(G5x52 NCStateUniv 3 3 0 0
41 BallerinaPrth Nunhems 3 3 0 0
42 Feisty(9464) HarrisMoran 3 3 0 0
_________________________________________________________________________________
LSD (5%) 3 3 1 1
Mean 1 1 0 0
CV (%) 191 226 1122 410
_________________________________________________________________________________
Table 3. Brinestock evaluation - percentage of fruit damaged by defects
(cultigens are ranked by resistance to defects).
_________________________________________________________________________________
Blossom-
Cultivar Seed Total Placental end Soft
Rank or line source defects hollows defects centers
_________________________________________________________________________________
1 Starex Baker Seeds 0 0 0 0
2 H-19 Seminis 0 0 0 0
3 NCLeland NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
4 NCLeland(Parth NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
5 NCLonghurst NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
6 NCLonghurstPrh NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
7 NCLexingtonPrh NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
8 NCLexington NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
9 Exp04-2759 Bejo Seeds 0 0 0 0
10 Calypso NCStateUniv 0 0 0 0
11 Crispina Nunhems 1 0 0 0
12 NCDavie(54x55) NCStateUniv 1 1 0 0
13 Coolgreen Seminis 1 0 0 1
14 NCDixon NCStateUniv 1 1 0 0
15 Wis.SMR 18 Univ. Wis. 1 1 0 0
16 Classy(1477) HarrisMoran 1 1 0 0
17 Vlasstar(10489 Seminis 1 0 0 1
18 Pershing Nunhems 1 0 1 0
19 HMX-5406 HarrisMoran 1 1 0 0
20 Raleigh NCStateUniv 1 0 0 1
21 Feisty(9464) HarrisMoran 1 1 0 0
22 NCDuplin(56x57 NCStateUniv 1 1 0 0
23 Sumter ClemsonUniv 1 1 0 0
24 Crispina(Parth Nunhems 1 0 0 1
25 Atlantis Bejo Seeds 1 0 1 0
26 Exp05-6838 Bejo Seeds 1 0 0 1
27 Exp05-6828 Bejo Seeds 1 1 0 0
28 Johnston NCStateUniv 2 1 0 1
29 Exp05-6819 Bejo Seeds 2 1 0 0
30 NCDawson(G5x52 NCStateUniv 2 1 0 0
31 BallerinaPrth Nunhems 2 0 0 1
32 NCMoriah NCStateUniv 2 0 0 2
33 Cates Nunhems 2 1 0 1
34 Vlaspik Seminis 2 1 0 1
35 NCMerritt NCStateUniv 2 0 0 2
36 NCDanbury NCStateUniv 2 1 0 1
37 EX0450-6143 Seminis 2 2 0 0
38 NCDenton(G5x55 NCStateUniv 3 2 0 0
39 Rocket Baker Seeds 3 2 0 1
40 Ballerina Nunhems 3 0 0 3
41 Wainwright Nunhems 5 4 0 0
42 Powerpak Seminis 7 3 1 3
_________________________________________________________________________________
LSD (5%) 2 2 1 2
Mean 1 1 0 1
CV (%) 101 169 427 210
_________________________________________________________________________________
Table 4. Brinestock evaluation - firmness and texture of fruit, and resistance
to bloaters and defects (cultigens are ranked by firmness).z
_________________________________________________________________________________
Firm- Total
Cultivar Seed ness Text- bloaters Total Bal-
Rank or line source (lb.) ure & defects bloaters loon Defects
_________________________________________________________________________________
1 Sumter ClemsonUniv 24.5 6.2 1 0 0 1
2 Exp05-6828 Bejo Seeds 23.1 6.1 4 2 2 1
3 NCDanbury NCStateUniv 23.0 6.0 4 1 1 2
4 Rocket Baker Seeds 22.9 5.3 4 1 1 3
5 Atlantis Bejo Seeds 22.9 6.4 2 1 1 1
6 Exp05-6819 Bejo Seeds 22.5 6.0 4 2 2 2
7 Exp04-2759 Bejo Seeds 22.3 6.2 1 0 0 0
8 NCLexington NCStateUniv 22.3 5.5 0 0 0 0
9 HMX-5406 HarrisMoran 22.3 6.5 1 0 0 1
10 Starex Baker Seeds 22.1 5.9 0 0 0 0
11 Exp05-6838 Bejo Seeds 22.0 5.2 2 1 1 1
12 Wis.SMR 18 Univ. Wis. 22.0 5.1 2 1 1 1
13 EX0450-6143 Seminis 21.9 5.6 4 2 0 2
14 NCDixon NCStateUniv 21.8 5.7 2 1 1 1
15 NCDuplin(56x57 NCStateUniv 21.8 6.1 1 0 0 1
16 NCDavie(54x55) NCStateUniv 21.6 5.7 1 0 0 1
17 Raleigh NCStateUniv 21.6 5.3 2 1 1 1
18 Vlaspik Seminis 21.5 5.5 3 1 1 2
19 NCDenton(G5x55 NCStateUniv 21.4 5.6 3 0 0 3
20 Cates Nunhems 21.3 5.5 3 1 0 2
21 Vlasstar(10489 Seminis 21.1 6.0 1 0 0 1
22 NCLexingtonPrh NCStateUniv 21.1 5.1 0 0 0 0
23 NCLeland NCStateUniv 21.1 5.2 0 0 0 0
24 Pershing Nunhems 21.0 5.8 1 0 0 1
25 Wainwright Nunhems 20.8 5.4 5 0 0 5
26 Johnston NCStateUniv 20.7 5.2 4 2 1 2
27 H-19 Seminis 20.7 5.9 0 0 0 0
28 Crispina Nunhems 20.5 5.9 1 0 0 1
29 Powerpak Seminis 20.2 5.4 9 2 2 7
30 Calypso NCStateUniv 20.0 5.3 1 1 0 0
31 NCDawson(G5x52 NCStateUniv 20.0 5.1 5 3 3 2
32 Crispina(Parth Nunhems 19.8 5.4 2 0 0 1
33 Ballerina Nunhems 19.8 5.2 5 2 1 3
34 NCLonghurst NCStateUniv 19.5 5.4 0 0 0 0
35 BallerinaPrth Nunhems 19.5 4.8 5 3 3 2
36 NCLeland(Parth NCStateUniv 19.3 5.2 0 0 0 0
37 Feisty(9464) HarrisMoran 19.2 6.0 4 3 3 1
38 Classy(1477) HarrisMoran 19.1 6.0 3 2 2 1
39 NCMoriah NCStateUniv 18.8 4.8 2 0 0 2
40 NCMerritt NCStateUniv 17.9 4.5 2 0 0 2
41 NCLonghurstPrh NCStateUniv 17.6 5.6 0 0 0 0
42 Coolgreen Seminis 12.3 4.2 1 1 1 1
_________________________________________________________________________________
LSD (5%) 2.0 0.6 4 3 3 2
Mean 20.8 5.5 2 1 1 1
CV (%) 6 19 99 191 226 101
_________________________________________________________________________________
z Firmness determined by punch-testing (Magness-Taylor) 10 grade 2B fruits.
Correlation of Texture with: Firmness = 0.39**, Balloon = -0.23**
Correlation of Texture with: Honeycomb = -0.09ns, Soft centers = -0.30**
Table 5. Brinestock evaluation - quality ratings assigned by the judges
(judges are ranked by leniency).z
_________________________________________________________________________________
Average External Seed Uniform-
Rank Judge quality Shape color Texture cell ity
_________________________________________________________________________________
1 Apol 7.3 7.4 7.4 7.3 7.2 7.3
2 Denlinger 6.2 5.6 6.8 6.1 6.0 6.6
3 Cates,J 5.8 4.5 6.0 6.1 6.3 6.0
4 Walpole 5.4 5.2 5.5 5.8 5.5 5.1
5 Woods 5.4 5.2 5.3 5.5 5.3 5.5
6 Cates,C 4.8 5.1 5.1 4.7 4.5 4.8
7 Quinn 4.7 3.8 4.6 4.3 3.7 7.0
8 Flores 4.6 4.4 4.6 4.6 4.3 5.2
_________________________________________________________________________________
z Quality rated 1 to 9 (9=A+, 8=A, 7=A-, 6=B+, 5=B, 4=B-, 3=C, 2=D, 1=F).
