Quality and Yield of Cucumber Hybrids using Gynoecious and Bisexual Parents

Abstract Cucumber ( cucumis sativus L.) hybrids from crosses with 3 female (gynoecious) parents and 2 genetically similar male parents were evaluated at 3 locations to determine if bisexual (phenotypically andromonoecious) parents can be used in hybrid cultivars with no loss in yield or quality. Bisexual parents developed through 8 backcrosses to recurrent gynoecious lines produced hybrids that could not be distinguished from those obtained by using silver nitrate-induced, near-isogenic gynoecious pollen parents. Yield, fruit shape, defects, brining quality, and sex expression of hybrids from the 2 near-isogenic pollen parents were not significantly different. Deficiencies generally attributed to bisexual parents were corrected with adequate backcrossing to establishing bisexual lines.