Effect Of Some Cucurbits Rootstocks On Growth, Yield And Resistance To Some Soil Pests Of Cucumber Under Plastic Houses:

Said Mohamed Aly Moustafa Kabeel

v. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONEFFECT OF SOME CUCURBITS ROOTSTOCKS ON GROWTH, YIELDAND RESISTANCE TO SOME SOIL PESTS OF CUCUMBER UNDERPLASTIC HOUSESTwo field experiments were carried out in plastic green house (60m.L.X 9m.W. X 3m height) at Kaha Research Station, Horticulture ResearchInstitute, Agricultural Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Giza, duringthe two autumn and spring successive seasons of 1996 - 1997 and 1997 _1998This study was conducted to elucidate the effect of grafting cucumberPassandra FI hybrid which is a susceptible to fusarium wilt disease andnematode on four cucurbitaceous rootstocks i.e., figleaf gourd, bottle gourd,pumpkin and squash on plant growth, flowering, yield, leaf chemicalcomposition and fruit physical and chemical characteristics as well as theeffect of infection with fusarium and nematode on eleven cucurbitaceousrootstocks.The obtained results can be summarized as follows :_1- The obtained results showed thatfigleaf gourd is the best rootstock forresistantance to fusarium wilt and nematode infection percentages anddiseases severity followed by bottle gourd and pumpkin.2- Successive transverse section in grafted union of different fourrootstocks showed that figleaf gourd and pumpkin were the best stocksregarding the degree or ratio of successful grafting and physiologicalcompatibility.3- Lateral roots were obtained at all rootstocks especially from the sciongrafted on squash and bottle gourd. Once the grafting was compeletlysucceeded the development of lateral roots was blocked before thelateral roots become morphologically visible.4- Grafting cucumber onto figleaf gourd or pumpkin increased percentageof successful grafting.5- Grafting on figleaf gourd and bottle gourd had the most promotive effecton plant length in both autumn plantations. Meanwhile, the figleaf gourdand pumpkin as rootstocks had the most increasing effect on plant lengthin both spring plantations.6- Grafting cucumber on the used four rootstocks on the number of leavesper plant, data indicated that grafting had no significant effect onincreasing the number of leaves in the autumn and spring plantationexcept in the second spring season.7- The figleaf gourd and pumpkin as rootstocks showed the highest valuesof leaf area in both spring and first autumn plantation but did not reachto the level of significancy.8- Concering the effect of grafting on fresh and dry weight of stem, leavesand total foliage, figleaf gourd and bottle gourd had the highest effect onfresh and dry weights of plant foliage at both autumn plantation.Meanwhile, cucumber grown onto figleaf gourd and pumpkin had thehighest values at both spring plantations.9- Cucumber grafted on figleaf gourd and pumpkin resulted in thesignificantly highest values of chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll andcarotenoids while, bottle gourd had a highest value of chlorophyll bat both autumn plantations. Meanwhile, cucumber grafted on figleafgourd and pumpkin had the highest values of chlorophyll a,b, totalchlorophyll and carotenoids content in plant leaves at both springplantations.10- Figleaf gourd had the highest values for the effect of grafting on totalphenols and indoles of scion leaves than other rootstocks and control.-67-11- Using figleaf gourd followed by pumpkin as rootstocks significantlyincreased the values of such plant foliage constituents of macro elementsat both seasons of this work except first autumn plantation figleaf gourdfollowed by bottle gourd for plant foliage constituents ofN.P. K. Ca andMg.12- Concerning the effect of grafting on protein analysis scion leaves, theresults of the water soluble protein, the presence of seven novel proteinbands that were absents in control plant leaves. The results of the waternonsoluble protein indicated the presence of five novel proteins thatwere absent in the control leaves. These results suggest the possiblemigration of some proteins across the graft union via the connectingarea.13- Grafting on different rootstocks led to the decrement in the number ofdays required for appearance of the first flower specially at the use offigleaf gourd.14- Grafting on four rootstocks increased the number of flowers per plantcompared with cucumber without grafting specially pumpkin at autumnplantation while figleaf gourd came at the first rank at both springplantations.15- Grafting cucumber onto figleaf gourd or pumpkin increased percentageof fruit set while the grafting cucumber onto bottle gourd led todecrement in percentage of fruit set during both autumn and springplantations.16- Using figleaf gourd and pumpkin as rootstocks significantly increasedthe number of fruits per plant at both autumn and spring seasons.17_ Bottle gourd as rootstock had the highest value for the fruit weight atboth autumn and spring plantations.18- The maximum early and total yield per plant as well as total yield kg/rrr’were obtained from plants grafted on figleaf gourd and pumpkincompared with those plants grafted on the other rootstocks.19- Fruit quality:A- Concerning fruit quality, it was found that grafting led to asignificant increment in fruit length and diameter especially inautumn season. The Bottle gourd was distinguished compared withthe control or the other used rootstocks. However, grafting had nosignificant effect on fruit length particularly in the first season of thespring plantation.B- The total soluble solids was significantly increased in fruits resultedfrom the cucumber grown onto pumpkin or figleaf gourd in eitherautumn or spring seasons.C- Using figleaf gourd rootstocks increased the total carbohydrates infruits in either autumn or spring seasons.D- Fruits produced from cucumber plants that grown onto Bottle gourdshowed high physical characteristics expressed in colour, shape,flavour, smell and touch compared with the other usedrootstocks.Figleaf gourd and pumpkin came in the second and third rankrespectively. Meanwhile, The control followed by squash came in thefollowing ranks.20- Evidently, from these results, it may be concluded that all rootstocks arenearly superior at all parameters compared with control (cucumberwithout grafting) especially figleaf gourd and pumpkin or bottle gourd.Generally, it is advisable to use figleaf gourd and pumpkin as rootstocksfor maximum growth and yield while it may be recommended to usefigleaf gourd or bottle gourd to avoid infection with fusaruim diseaseand nematode.