Morpho-physiological aspects of productivity and quality in squash and pumpkins (Culcurbita spp.)

Squash and pumpkins are important horticultural crops worldwide, but there has been relatively little research to systematically describe yield components and improve productivity in this species. This review outlines some of the basic growth-analysis techniques for describing different aspects of productivity and attempts to summarize investigations on physiological, morphological, and ecological aspects of productivity and the relationship of these factors to eating quality in the three most important domesticated species of Cucurbita-C. pepo, C. maxima, and C. moschata. The emphasis of this review is on components of yield that can be modified either by selective breeding or through use of cultural techniques. Increasing economic crop yield while also balancing the needs to maintain and improve culinary qualities of the edible product will also be discussed. The bush phenotype is being increasingly exploited in new cultivar development. Advantages and disadvantages of using bush genotypes in cultivar development are addressed. In addition, because of increasing use of Cucurbita seeds for vegetable oils, snack-seeds, and pharmaceutical purposes, physiological components of seed yield are also discussed.