ASSESSMENTS OF STRUCTURAL YIELD INDICATORS OF CUCUMBER GENOTYPES USING CLUSTER ANALYSIS

Abstract. Purpose: to select promising starting materials of cucumber genotypes using multivariate analysis based on yield indicators for further use in the breeding of heterozygous hybrids. Methods. The study was conducted outdoors at the Institute of Vegetable and Melon Growing of NAAS in 2021-2023. Seventeen breeding accessions from the Institute's working collection were studied. Traditional methods were used in the study: field, laboratory, and statistical methods. Results. Using cluster analysis, we evaluated the genetic similarity or dissimilarity between cucumber genotypes by yield indicators ("total yield", "marketable yield", "yield for the first ten days of fruiting"). The results of cluster analysis indicated that the studied accessions could be combined into four clusters. The inter-cluster differences were significant (Fobs. > Ftable, p < 0.05). Clusters III and IV were characterized by high total and marketable yields, while cluster II had high yields at the first stage of fruiting. Conclusions. The study established that breeding accessions of clusters III (F5І2 'Holub', F7І6 'Kuzia' (stalk), 'Line No. 1720') and IV (CS No. 57 F3 'Asteriks', F7І2 'Pavlyk', F14І6 'Kozyrna Karta', F3 'Oktopus', CS No. 54 F3І1 'Karaoke') can be used as parents for hybrid combinations to improve total and marketable yields, while accessions of clusters II (F15І11 'Toma-18' (whole fruit), F6І3 'Holan. Hibryd', CS No. 59 F3І1 'Kibriia', CS No. 56 F3І1 'Amur', F7І5 'Holub' (whole fruit), F7І5 (F10І5 'Marinda' / F8І6 'No. 11')) and III (F5І2 'Holub', F3 'Oktopus', CS No. 54 F3І1 'Karaoke', F7І6 'Kuziа' (stalk), 'Line No. 1720') can be used to increase yields at the first stage of fruiting in F1 hybrids.