Breeding Cucurbits for Organics in the Southeast Region. This handout/these slides were presented at the 30th Annual Carolina Farm Stewardship Association by the Author. Please do not reproduce without the express consent of the authors.
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Breeding Cucurbits, CFSA SAC 2015
1. Breeding Cucurbits for Organics in the Southeast Region
This work made possible through an Organic Research and
Extension Initiative grant. number: 2012-51300-20006
24. Pollination
• Day before:
– Close buds to be crossed
• Full petal color in bud
• Skip if in greenhouse with good insect control
– If any perfect flowers, emasculate first
• Morning of:
– Transfer pollen
– Use multiple male flowers for cucumber
– Cover pollinated female flower with bag or gel cap
– Pollen timing depends on season and weather
Hinweis der Redaktion
While SCB can feed on many Cucurbita, we are focusing on C. pepo (acorn, summer squash, zucchini, pumpkin, scallop)
While SCB can be devastating, we do know that there is endogenous differences within the species
Over the past two years, we have done extensive choice trials in the field, and in the controlled greenhouse and know that some market classes of C. pepo, are, in general, more preferred than the others
Zucchini, as you can see, is highly preferred, but also something that growers want! Summer squash is non-preferred
Even more importantly, there is a distinct biological distinction between these market classes; they are two separate subspecies that arose from two different domestication events!
Even more importantly, there is a distinct biological distinction between these market classes; they are two separate subspecies that arose from two different domestication events!
This is exciting because it provides a logical explanation of why beetles may prefer one over the other – being from different domestication events, we would expect different biochemistries, selection pressures, etc.
So, we are confident that one subspecies has characteristics that make it more preferred, or conversely, one subspecies has characteristics that make it non-preferred, or both are happening simultaneously
So, via traditional plant breeding, we can (probably) make a non-preferred zucchini.
Would it work?
So, focusing on zucchini, our question was a key question to answer is whether introgression of non-preference traits from summer squash into zucchini via traditional plant breeding can yield a non-preferred zucchini that can withstand beetle pressure on a commercial scale.
Would this breeding strategy work?
We planted monocultures of known preferred and known non-preferred
Non-preferred, Success PM summer squash (ask question, if this is only choice, what would happen)?
Preferred, Golden Zucchini (positive control of how beetles would inflict damage in a landscape without non-preference)
We clearly see difference in preference when SCB is given a choice!