Stability of vegetative growth characteristics and marketable fruit yield of seven field-grown summer squash genotypes under arid zone conditions

Abstract EN

A 2-year field study (1995-1996) was conducted in King Abdulaziz University Experimental Station, northeast of Jeddah at Wadi Hada Al-Sham, which represents arid zone climate, to examine the stability and variation of seven commonly grown summer squash cultivars (‘Cilca F1’, Spirit, Lebbanum V.

nerrow, ‘Gada F.

Rs’, Gbery Zucchini, ‘Hybrid Scarlita’, and ‘Alexandrani’).

Seasonal variation in plant growth was great between the least (1996) and the more favorable (1995) growing season.

Summer squash cultivars also differed markedly in their growth across different seasons.

Spirit cultivar showed an excellent performance and had the tallest plants during both seasons of planting, as well as the largest number of leaves / plant followed by Alexandrani cultivars.

The cultivars showed a wide range of variation for number of flowers/plant, number of fruits/plant and fruit yield, as well as fruit length, diameter and fruit size and shape.

Cilica F1 produced above average yield in both years and exhibiting superior adaptability compared to other cultivars included in this study, followed by Spirit cultivar.

This investigation re-emphasizes the need for several growing seasons for testing cultivars stability and performance.