Hybrid performance of qualitative and quantitative traits in summer squash affected by uv irradiation

Abstract EN

Summer squash, Cucurbita pepo L.

is the edible immature fruits belonging to the important family cucurbitaceae.

Therefore, the main objective of this study is to evaluate six hybrid performances of summer squash over the mid parent for vegetative growth and yield components.

The hybrids were extracted from the seeds of two varieties subjected to ultraviolet radiation.

Irradiated and non irradiated plants were hybridized via a half diallel crosses technique.

The better hybrid performance in leaf area per plant was achieved by the hybrid extracted from hybridization between P₁ × M₁~P₁ followed by P₂ × M₁~P₁.

Meanwhile, superiority hybrid performance in the number of days needed to first female flower appeared was shown by the hybrid extracted from P₂ × M₁~P₁ with a value 0.87 followed by the selfing hybrid P₂ × M₁~P₂ with a value 0.95.

Therefore, the best hybrid performance in the early maturity was achieved by the hybrid extracted from hybridization between P₂ × M₁~P₁ followed by P₁ × M₁~P₂ and P₂ × M₁~P₂.

The hybrid P₁ × M₁~P₂ revealed better performance in the gene expression of chlorophyll a in leaves followed by P₁× P₂.

In addition, the hybrid P₂ × M₁~P₂ was superior performance in the gene expression of chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll in leaves and fruits.

The hybrid P₁ × M₁~P₂ expressed superiority performance in the quality of fruits as fruit diameter, fruit volume and fruit shape index.

All hybrids obtained from these study exhibited positive performance in yield components.