Cucurbit Genetics Cooperative Report 15:9-10 (article 4) 1992
Jonathan R. Schultheis
Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7609
A survey of North Carolina cucumber growers was administered via mail in January and February, 1991 for the 1990 crop of pickling and fresh-market types. The survey encompassed 15 counties, comprising over 90% of the North Carolina production area. Of the 935 cucumber growers that received questionnaires, 404 or 43% responded. Those who responded to the questionnaire reported that they had planted 3876 ha (9574 A) of cucumbers in the spring and 1657 ha (4092 A) in the fall. Total reported cucumber production area accounted for 5533 ha (13, 666 A), 4338 ha (10, 716 A) for pickling and 1199 ha (2962 A) for fresh-market (Table 1). A total of 12,672 ha (31,300 A) were estimated to be planted statewide in 1990.
The primary reason for the survey was to determine pesticide usage patterns of cucumbers. However, additional information was obtained about cultural practices such as scouting, types of sprayers, plant and tissue sampling, cultivation practices, and cultivar. The report focuses on the cultivars grown in North Carolina.
The predominant pickling cultivar grown in North Carolina was Calypso, while Dasher II was the dominant fresh-market cultivar (Table 1). Primepak and Regal pickling cucumber cultivars were grown on nearly one-third of the state’s area. Small but substantial fresh-market cucumber production area of Poinett 76, Centurion, Marketmore, Supersett and Revenue and comprised approximately 25% of the North Carolina production area. New cultivars such as H-19 Little leaf and Striker were still being evaluated by growers, so usage was low.
Yields varied considerably depending on the cultural practices employed. The yield for pickling cucumbers ranged from 12 to 528 q-ha-1 (23 to 981 bu-A-1 ) with an average of 119 and 108 q-ha-1 (221 and 200 bu-A -1 ) in the spring and fall, respectively. For fresh-market cucumber, yield ranged from 8 to 175 q-ha-1 (14 to 325 bu-A-1 ) with an average of 105 and 135 q-ha-1 (196 and 251 bu-A-1) in the spring and fall seasons, respectively. The low yields, in many cases, were attributed to lack of irrigation. About one-third of the cucumber production is irrigated in North Carolina. In addition, cucumber is often grown as a secondary crop in order to utilize and keep labor prior to the harvest season of the primary crop. The crops most often planted with cucumber were (in order of importance): 1) tobacco, 2) corn, 3) soybeans, 4) wheat, 5) beans, 6) pepper and 7) sweetpotato.
Pickling type |
Fresh-Market type |
||||||
Rank |
Cultivar |
Area (ha) |
% |
Rank |
Cultivar |
Area (ha) |
% |
| 1 | Calypso | 2384.1 | 54.1 | 1 | Dasher II | 663.8 | 60.6 |
| 2 | Primepal | 760.7 | 17.3 | 2 | Poinsett 76 | 82.1 | 7.5 |
| 3 | Regal | 655.5 | 14.7 | 3 | Centurion | 63.6 | 5.8 |
| 4 | Cross Country | 189.9 | 4.3 | 4 | Marketmore | 57.7 | 5.3 |
| 5 | Carolina | 124.0 | 2.8 | 5 | Supersett | 48.2 | 4.4 |
| 6 | Discover | 72.5 | 1.6 | 6 | Revenue | 42.5 | 3.9 |
| 7 | Royal | 42.1 | 1.0 | 7 | Striker | 30.2 | 2.7 |
| 8 | Napoleon | 41.7 | 1.0 | 8 | Guardian | 25.3 | 2.3 |
| 9 | Vlaspik | 36.4 | 0.8 | 9 | Comet A | 24.3 | 2.2 |
| 10 | Flurry | 25.3 | 0.6 | 10 | Spring 440S | 24.1 | 2.2 |
| 11 | Little leaf H-19 | 23.1 | 0.5 | 11 | Slicemaster | 20.2 | 1.8 |
| 12 | Little leaf H-16 | 20.2 | 0.5 | 12 | Maximore 100 | 6.1 | 0.6 |
| 13 | Little leaf unknown | 21.1 | 0.5 | 13 | Raider | 4.5 | 0.4 |
| 14 | Sumpter | 11.3 | 0.3 | 14 | Everslice | 3.2 | 0.3 |
| 15 | Raleigh | 0.2 | 0.0 | 15 | Medalist | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| 16 | Fancipak | 0.2 | 0.0 | ||||
| Total | 4408.3 | 100.0 | 1095.9 | 100.0 | |||