Cucurbitacin B and Total Sugar Inheritance in Cucurbita pepo L. Related to Spotted Cucumber Beetle Feeding1

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Abstract
Seedlings in cotyledon stage of the F1, F2, and backcross generations from a cross between (susceptible) ‘Black Zucchini’ (BZ) and (resistant) ‘Early Golden Bush Scallop’ (EGBS) Cucurbita pepo L. were studied, with the parents, for inheritance of susceptibility to cucumber beetle injury, cucurbitacin, and total sugar content. BZ had a higher cucurbitacin content than EGBS. Highest cucurbitacin B in BZ cotyledons occurred at full cotyledon expansion. Inheritance of cucurbitacin in cotyledons was controlled by a single gene; both insect injury and total sugar content appeared to be controlled by polygenic mechanisms comprised of at least 2 or 3 gene pairs each. Environmental, additive, and dominance variance and epinstatic interactions were determined for the 3 traits. A quantitative relationship between cucurbitacin concn and cucumber beetle feeding was evident in segregating populations. Heritable resistance to the beetle was discernible and can be achieved in cultivars by selecting for nonpreferred seedlings low in cucurbitacin concn.

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