Efficiency of early generation testing in pickling cucumber

Summary

Early testing was evaluated for efficiency as a procedure for selecting among lines for yield (total and marketable fruit number), earliness and fruit quality (shape, color and seedcell size) in 24 sets of lines developed at random from a pickling cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) population. The advantage of early testing was calculated using the regression of S₆ on S₁ performance. The amount of effort required in worker-hours and the theoretical gain from selection were also considered in estimating the advantage of early testing. Early testing for specific combining ability and for general combining ability was up to 2.05 times as efficient as late testing for total yield, and up to 2.29 times as efficient as late testing for earliness. Early testing was not efficient for selection for the fruit quality traits measured, nor for inbred performance per se.