Search Results
Abstract
Germination and radicle elongation experiments were performed with six cultivars of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) at seven salinity concentrations (0, 0.8, 4.0, 6.0, 9.0, 12, and 15 dS·m−1). Increasing salinity has no effect on final germination percentage after 5 days, but did decrease radicle elongation. In seedling growth studies with salinity levels ranging from 0.8 to 12 dS·m−1, increasing salt levels decreased shoot length and shoot dry weight. Analysis of shoot tissue from these seedlings indicated that higher salinity levels increased concentrations of Ca and Na, while Mg and K concentrations decreased. Yield and fruit quality were measured in a greenhouse study at two salinity levels (1.6 and 4.0 dS· m−1). Salinity significantly decreased fruit yield in five of six cultivars, but had no effect on fruit quality. Seedling shoot length of a cultivar grown at 9.0 dS· m−1 was correlated with relative yield at 4.0 dS· m−1. A salinity screening technique based on this relationship is proposed.
Fifteen shortday onion cultivars grown at two production locations (GB and ST) in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas were evaluated for pungency levels using gas chromatography (GC) and pyruvic acid tests.
Significant differences (P=0.05) were observed between cultivars in the pyruvic acid and GC tests within each location. Pyruvic acid content ranged from 3.0 to 5.1 μmol·g-1 fresh wt. The amount of total sulfur volatiles measured by the GC method ranged from 28 × 103 to 58 × 103EU. The correlation coefficients between GC and pyruvic acid were 0.10*** and 0.18*** at the GB and ST location, respectively.
When the two locations were combined, no significant differences (P=0.05) were observed between cultivars or locations using the GC test. However, the pyruvic acid test showed significant differences between locations. This result indicated that each cultivar had a different response in pungency as influenced by production location or environment.