Abstract

To breed gherkin cultivars with resistance to fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis, information about resistance and its of inheritance is necessary. Of the races of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis, race 2 is most prevalent and has been recognized since the 1930s in the United States. In this study, twenty three gherkin accessions were inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis race 2. Only one accession, PI 282442, showed resistance; all others were susceptible. In the F₁ generation from the cross PI 282442 x PI 320052 (susceptible) all plants were susceptible. The F₂ fits well the ratio 1 (resistant): 3 (susceptible). In the BC₁F₁ generation (F₁ x PI 282442), 14 plants were resistant and 16 were susceptible, a ratio that closely resembled the expected 1(resistant): 1(susceptible) ratio. In BC₁F₁ generation (F₁ x PI 320052), all 30 plants were susceptible. These results suggest that a single recessive gene controls resistance.

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