Fruit Textures of Beit Alpha, Greenhouse, Japanese, Pickling, and Slicer-type Cucumbers

Abstract

To differentiate the fruit texture characteristics of five major cucumber types (Beit Alpha, greenhouse, Japanese, pickling, and slicer) that are grown worldwide and to identify beneficial traits for cucumber breeding, we compared their physical properties [flesh firmness, placental firmness, skin toughness, crispness index, ratio of placental firmness to flesh firmness (relative placental firmness), and ratio of skin toughness to flesh firmness (relative skin toughness)]. We also compared the time-dependent changes in the physical properties of each type. Although differences existed in the standard size among the various types, physical properties clearly differed among the types and can be summarized as follows: the Japanese type has firmer flesh and placenta, lower relative skin toughness, and the highest crispness; Beit Alpha and greenhouse types have softer flesh, placenta, and skin, and the lowest crispness; the pickling type has firmer (tougher) flesh, placenta, and skin; and the slicer type has softer flesh and placenta, and the toughest skin. The physical properties of sequentially harvested fruits in each cultivar varied widely, indicating that fruit texture is strongly affected by cultivar (or type) and fruit size (i.e., timing of harvest). It is suggested that much attention should be paid to cucumber texture to breed favorable cultivars.