Evaluation of resistance to causal agents of downy mildew and powdery mildew, morphological characteristics and sensory quality of small fruit cucumber lines

Nikolay Velkov, Galina Pevicharova

Abstract: The trail was carried out at “Maritsa” Vegetable Crops Research Institute – Plovdiv, during 2008 – 2010 period. Eleven small fruit cucumber lines were tested according their response to causal agents of downy mildew and powdery mildew. It was established that line 20-6-4 possessed the highest level of resistance to both pathogens. Line 20-6-4 originates from PI 179676 that possesses high level of resistance to both pathogens. Lines 5551, 2963, 1983G, Gy-14 and 1379G responded as resistant to downy mildew and powdery mildew.
Sensory analysis of the fruits demonstrated that lines 5551, 2963 and 1983G (4.4-4.7) were given the highest total sensory evaluations while line 20-6-4 had the lowest one (3.7). Correlation analysis revealed strong relations between resistance to downy mildew and powdery mildew (r = 0.961** and r = 0.899**), days to mass flowering and powdery mildew (r = -0.761** and r = -0.696*), days to mass flowering and resistance to downy mildew (r = -0.717*** and r = -0.683*). The evaluated resistant small fruit cucumber lines can be used in breeding programs as parent components in order to obtained F1 hybrid combinations with high quality organoleptic traits, resistant to causal agents of downy mildew and powdery mildew.

Keywords: correlation; cucumber; fruit; mildew; quality; resistance

Date published: 2017-07-26