Multi-year Yellow Squash and Zucchini Trials in Georgia

Summer squash (zucchini and yellow) (Curcurbita pepo) is a significant crop for growers in Georgia. Valued at more than $50 million/annually, squash is grown during spring and fall seasons in Georgia. To ensure up to date recommendations are available to growers variety trials are routinely conducted in southwest Georgia in spring and fall seasons. In 2014 and 2015 variety trials were conducted including up to 20 varieties of yellow and zucchini squash. Plants were grown on raised beds with black plastic mulch and drip irrigation. Plants were spaced on 30 cm in-row spacing with 1.8 m between row spacing. In Spring and Fall of 2014, ‘Gentry’ was the highest yielding variety, while ‘Solstice’ was the highest yielding variety in Spring and Fall 2015. ‘Gentry’ is a yellow crookneck variety, while ‘Solstice’ is a yellow straightneck variety. In Spring 2014 ‘SV6009YG’, was the highest yielding zucchini variety; however, in Fall 2014 and both seasons in 2015, ‘Respect’ was the highest yielding zucchini variety. In general those varieties with little or no virus resistance had the highest rates of cull fruit due to virus symptoms in the fall. Spine and vigor ratings were done as well. Varieties such as Spineless King and Spineless Beauty had the least spines, while the yellow straightneck variety Cosmos consistently had the most spines. This data will be used to inform growers and seed companies regarding performance of summer squash in Georgia.