Comprehensive assessment of parthenocarpic smooth-fruited cucumber hybrids in winter greenhouses based on biometric parameters, yield, and economic efficiency
Abstract
The article presents a comprehensive assessment of parthenocarpic smooth-fruited cucumber hybrids (Melen F1, Yani F1, Mewa F1, and Pakto F1) in terms of plant growth and development, yield, and economic efficiency of cultivation in “Antratsyt”-type winter greenhouses in the Steppe zone of Ukraine. In the European Union, smooth-fruited parthenocarpic cucumber hybrids dominate industrial greenhouse production. Their widespread use is attributed to high yield, stable fruit setting, uniformity and attractiveness of fruits, as well as high marketable quality meeting European market requirements. In conditions of high energy intensity of greenhouse cucumber production, the main way to improve economic efficiency is intensification through the use of high-yielding hybrids. The research was conducted at the hightech enterprise LLC TC “Dniprovskiy” in 2022–2024. The study included foreign smooth-fruited cucumber hybrids (Netherlands): Melen F1 (Enza Zaden, control), Pakto F1 (Seminis), Yani F1, and Mewa F1 (Rijk Zwaan). Phenological observations showed simultaneous seedling emergence for all hybrids (December 14) and the beginning of flowering on days 40–45 after emergence. The shortest period from seedling emergence to fruiting was observed in Yani F1 (56 days), while in other hybrids it was 60 days. The total fruiting duration ranged from 123 to 127 days, with the longest observed in Yani F1. Biometric measurements indicated that Yani F1 and Mewa F1 plants exceeded the control (Melen F1) in most growth and development parameters. Three-year studies showed that Yani F1 provided the highest yield increase relative to the control (+16.7 %), Mewa F1 had a moderate increase (+7.5 %), while Pakto F1 was lower than the control (-1.0 %), highlighting the significant role of genotype in yield formation. Economic evaluation demonstrated that Yani F1 was the most efficient in winter greenhouses due to high yield and profitability. Mewa F1 is recommended as an economically viable alternative, whereas the use of Pakto F1 is less justified due to lower profitability.
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