Project Overview
Commodities
- Vegetables: cucurbits
Practices
- Crop Production: crop improvement and selection, plant breeding and genetics
Summary:
Research, breeding, selection and seed production work with squash in the Southeast has the potential to improve the pest resistance, disease resistance, quality and productivity of varieties available to Southeast growers.
In this project we researched several kinds of summer and winter squash, with goals of identifying existing varieties that are better suited to Southeast conditions, and of creating new ones. We are seeking varieties that thrive, produce, and keep well in our hot, humid weather and can withstand the pest and disease pressures we experience here. They should also have good eating quality and be easy to manage and harvest.
Summer Squash
In 2023 we screened 14 varieties of Cucurbita moschata-species summer squash and 18 varieties of Cucurbita pepo-species summer squash. In 2024 we did breeding trials of several new populations generated in 2023, as well as some small follow-up screenings. We especially looked for varieties with resistance to vine borer, downy mildew, and plectosporium.
Winter Squash
With winter squash, where we already have done many years of research and breeding work, we focused on testing the feasibility of using pollination cages with introduced bumble bee pollinators, and on continuing selection and comparison of existing breeding lines. Most of the varieties and populations we worked with are Cucurbita Moschata-species.
In both 2023 and 2024 we were successful in using pollination cages with introduced bumble bee pollinators to save seeds from multiple seedstocks growing in the same field.
Through the 2023 and 2024 growing seasons we made progress in breeding and selection work with 9 populations of Cucurbita moschata winter squash and one population of Cucurbita maxima winter squash.
Here is a list of the populations we worked with (and continue to work with) - more details later in the report.
-75% South Anna Butternut, 25% Chinese Tropical Pumpkin. We've named this seedstock "Bakers Branch Butternut."
-South Anna (75%) x Guatemalan Green Ayote (25%)
-Chinese Tropical Pumpkin
-Moranga Coroa x Winter Sweet (C. maxima)
-South Anna Butternut
-Cuban Neck Pumpkin
-Guatemalan Green Ayote
-Cuban Neck Pumpkin x South Anna and JWS6823
-Xiye Butternut
-Ofelia Butternut
If you have questions about this project or our ongoing work, please contact us at info@commonwealthseeds.com.
Project objectives:
Our project objectives were as follows:
-To screen multiple varieties of summer squash, especially focused on disease and pest resistance, yields, and fruit quality. We trialed over 30 varieties.
-To test the feasability of using pollination cages with introduced bumble bee pollinators for production of small lots of squash seed, mainly for variety preservation and plant breeding purposes. We successfully saved seed from 10 squash seedstocks using this method.
-To pursue breeding and selection work with multiple winter squash seedstocks. We made progress with selection work in 10 winter squash seedstocks.
-To create new Cucurbita moschata summer squash populations and begin breeding and selection work with them. We saved seed from three Korean summer squash F1 hybrids in 2023, and began selection work on the F2 seedstocks in 2024. We are continuing to select in 2025. Also in 2023 we generated several crosses between Korean and Brazilian summer squashes; we advanced these in 2024, and are beginning selection work in 2025.