The objective of this work was to evaluate general and specific combining ability of six 'Caipira' cucumber lines, hybridized in a diallel cross, totalizing 15 experimental hybrids (H-1 to H-15), without reciprocals. The experimental design was randomized blocks with 23 treatments (6 lines, 15 experimental hybrids and two commercial hybrids: 'Safira' and 'Guarani'), four replicates and 5 plants per plot. The following characteristics were evaluated: total fruit number and weight per plant, commercial fruit number and weight per plant and rate of commercial fruits. Hybrid H-5 showed the highest heterosis for fruit yield (45 to 51%), and had commercial yield (fruit number per plant) superior to five lines and to 'Safira' hybrid. Additive and non additive effects were significant for fruit yield (number and weight) per plant, resulting in high specific combining ability for most of lines combinations. From the 75 heterosis estimates, only three were negative.
Cucumis sativus; yield; breeding
