ПРОЧНОСТНЫЕ ПОКАЗАТЕЛИ СОРТОВ И СОРТООБРАЗЦОВ ПЛОДОВ ТЫКВЫ, ВОЗДЕЛЫВАЕМЫХ МЕХАНИЗИРОВАННО В УСЛОВИЯХ УМЕРЕННОЙ ЗОНЫ

Abstract

In recent years, industrial growing of pumpkin has been practeced in the temperate zone. The proportion of varieties and hybrids suitable for cultivation in temperate climates and mechanized harvesting is insignificant. Correct choice of varieties requires the knowledge of the physical and mechanical properties of pumpkin. To determine the varieties with the highest hardness, suitable for cultivation in temperate climates and mechanized harvesting, the authors studied the size and weight parameters (biometric), determined the bark and pulp hardness with a penetrometer and the density of pumpkin fruits by hydrostatic weighing. The research objects included sixteen both domestic and foreign pumpkin varieties and hybrids cultivated in a mechanized way: hard-barked (Spaghetti, Pivdennaya, Mozoleevskaya); large-fruited (Pastila Champagne, Barn, Marine Di Chioggia, No. 119-C); nutmeg (Butternut, No. 19-Pgv, Muscat of Provence, Beauty, Vitamin, No. 13-M, No. 26-Mch, No. 28-Ig); fig-leaved – No. 4480. The studies were carried out in the conditions of the Moscow region. Cultivation technology, setting up field experiments and statistical processing of the obtained results were carried out according to the standard method of B.V. Dospekhov. The research was carried out from 2016 to 2020. Based on the studies, the authors stated that the hard-barked pumpkin of the Spaghetti variety (1.20 and 0.80 kg/mm2), large-fruited – Pastila champagne (1.02 and 0.79), nutmeg – Muscat of Provence (1.10 and 0.65) and fig-leaved specimen No. 4480 (1.25 and 0.97 kg/mm2) feature the highest strength indicators. The total number of pumpkins is subject to the law of distribution in terms of size and weight, the weight of fruits on yearly average ranges from 1.56 to 3.3 kg. The obtained results provide enough grounds to recommend these varieties for cultivation in a temperate climate and mechanized harvesting.