The yield and quality of pickling cucumber cultivars was evaluated in Petrolina, Pernambuco State, Brazil, from April to June of 1999. The experimental design was a complete randomized block, with three replications in a 5 x 3 factorial scheme, with five cultivars (Calypso, Eureka, Supremo, Vlaspik and Vlasset), and three planting spaces (0.20; 0.30 and 0.50 m). Experimental plots consisted of four rows spaced 1.00 m apart, with three meters in length and two plants per hole. The main plot was comprised of the two central rows. Negative linear effect on yield was observed with the increase of the interplant spacing (inside the row) for the cultivars Vlaspik, Vlasset and Eureka and the cultivars Supremo and Calypso showing quadratic effects points of minimum and maximum. The greatest fresh mass of fruits was found on the cultivars Vlaspik (35.44 g/fruit) and Vlasset (35.07 g/fruit) with no statistical differences between them. Positive linear effect for the number of fruits per plant was observed with increasing interplant spacing for the cultivars Vlaspik, Vlasset and Supremo. Quadratic effect was observed in 'Calypso' and 'Eureka' with maximum points of the number of fruits per plant. No significant effect of the treatments was observed for the commercial fruit production.
Cucumis sativus; grading; yield; density
