CUCURBITA PEPO: CHARACTERISTICS, HABITAT, CULTIVATION AND DISEASES - BIOLOGY - 2025

Cucurbita pepo, better known as zucchini, is one of the most widespread vegetable species in the world and one of the most economically important crops due to its high commercial use. Its use is based on its consumption and culinary use in many countries.

It is commonly known as zucchini, zucchini, common squash, butternut squash, or scallop squash. It is a plant native to America, although some authors place it as native to the East.

Zucchini. Source: pixabay.com

Cucurbita pepo is an annual plant, belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family, with a creeping bearing and producing an edible fruit that has an important presence in the culinary art.

The stem of this plant grows in a sinuous way and reaches up to a meter in length, it is cylindrical and thick, with abundant trichomes and a rough surface. The stem internodes are short and the rest of the structures such as leaves, flowers, fruits and tendrils emerge from it. It has heart-shaped or obtuse and denticulate leaves. The fruit is elongated, oblong, smooth and edible.

Within this species are also wild pumpkins, as well as those used on Halloween. Zucchini has a fibrous root system and the seeds are oily like the rest of the cucurbits.

The zucchini has numerous varieties and cultivars which are classified by the shape of the plant and by the color and shape of the fruits.

Zucchini. Source: pixabay.com

This species of cucurbit is important for health due to the great contribution of beta-carotenes, which promote the production of vitamin A and function as antioxidants; They are also highly valued for the health of the skin, vision and the prevention of cellular aging.

characteristics

Stem

The stem of this plant species is cylindrical, thick, with numerous trichomes and from it the rest of the structures arise such as leaves, flowers, fruits and tendrils.

Zucchini plant. Source: pixabay.com

The stem grows in a sinuous way and can reach more than a meter in length depending on the variety.

Leaves

Cucurbita pepo leaves are very large, which is why its evapotranspiration surface is very extensive. In addition, it has a long hollow petiole. Zucchini leaves are heart-shaped.

The zucchini leaf blades are hairy and rough, with colors ranging from light to dark green. Sometimes the leaves have whitish spots.

flowers

Cucurbita pepo is a monoecious plant with unisexual, male and female flowers that produce fruit. The flowers have a corolla with large yellow lobes and lanceolate shape. For their part, the sepals have lobed leaves. In haute cuisine, fried male flowers are consumed while they are still in the bud.

Zucchini flower. Source: pixabay.com

Fruit

The fruits of this plant species are elongated, speckled colored peponids, and each plant can contain between 30 and 40 fruits that weigh between 60 and 250 grams (commercial size).

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Tracheophyta

Class: Magnoliopsida

Order: Cucurbitales

Family: Cucurbitaceae

Genus: Cucurbita

Species: Cucurbita pepo L. (1753).

Habitat and distribution

Cucurbita pepo is a typical crop in areas with cold or temperate climates. Note that there are also varieties that adapt to sea level. The temperature at which the culture develops in the different phases is between 20 and 30 ° C.

Cucurbita pepo requires abundant light, especially in the initial phase of growth and flowering. In addition, it adapts to fairly humid soils.

Zucchini is a species native to America. It is a domesticated crop, and the one with the greatest diversification worldwide, whose distribution is found in countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela, Argentina, Cameroon, Australia, China, Cuba, Dominican Republic, United States, Nepal, Trinidad and Tobago, Korea, Japan, among others.

Culture

Zucchini is a species that is grown under the open sky. Its cultivation is annual, and it is associated with both traditional agriculture and intensive agriculture systems. It requires abundant irrigation and thrives in soils that maintain moisture for 6 to 7 months.

For its part, this crop is sown directly on the ground or in sand, spreading 2 and 3 seeds per hole, subsequently covering it with about 4 cm of soil. In general, 10 kg of seed are used per hectare.

In sowing from the seedbed, it is carried out for 5 to 7 weeks before transplanting it to the field. In sowing from a seedbed and in direct sowing, the production results are similar.

Cucurbita pepo. Source: pixabay.com

Temperature

The optimal climatic conditions for the germination of the crop are at a temperature between 20 and 25 ° C, while for vegetative development, the crop must be at a temperature between 25 and 30 ° C.

On the other hand, the temperature for flowering should be between 20 and 25 ° C. In this sense, temperatures above 25 ° C produce a greater quantity of staminate flowers.

Light

Regarding the light conditions, these must be abundant, since the zucchini determines the production of the type of flowers according to the duration of illumination it receives, for example, in short photoperiod conditions (8 light hours), it increases the production of pistillate flowers, therefore, the production of fruits.

Floor

Zucchini adapts to virtually all soil types, but preferably deep, well-drained, loamy textured soils. However, the amount of organic matter present in the soil must be high. For its part, the optimum pH varies between 5.6 and 6.8, being able to adapt up to a pH of 7.

This species of cucurbit moderately tolerates the presence of salts in the soil and in the irrigation water.

Fertilization

For growing zucchini, as well as for many crops, fertilization is calculated based on the extraction of nutrients from the soil. Thus, for a production of 80,000 to 100,000 kg per hectare, it is recommended to apply 200 to 225 kg of nitrogen, 100 to 125 kg of phosphorus and 250 to 300 kg of potassium per hectare at sowing time.

Green pumpkins. Source: pixabay.com

For fertilization, soluble solid fertilizers such as calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, potassium sulfate and magnesium sulfate are used. While, the fertilizers in liquid presentation are phosphoric acid and nitric acid. The latter are easily adjusted to the nutrient solution.

Fruit development begins after fertilization, between 90 and 100 days after sowing. The harvest occurs approximately 4 or 5 months from sowing for consumption as a vegetable.

Diseases

As for the diseases that affect the cultivation of zucchini, there are viruses, which are transmitted by some insects such as whiteflies.

In particular, the squash yellow mosaic virus produces symptoms such as subsidence mosaic, filimorphism, necrosis and yellowing of leaves and petioles in the plant. In addition, in the fruits it produces dents, decrease in size and malformations.

On the other hand, zucchini can be infected by downy mildew, both woolly and powdery. Additionally, some bacteria can affect stems and fruits when there is excess humidity due to the rainy season or due to the irrigation provided.

In this case, Erwinia carotovora produces soft rot, which causes a watery, soft decomposition that emits a foul odor. Black spots with a damp appearance are observed on the stem and the plant usually dies.

In the fruit, you can also observe the rottenness caused by Erwinia carotovora. A temperature between 25 and 35 ° C favors the development of this disease.

Pests

Whitefly is the agent that most affects zucchini, affecting mainly in two ways:

- Weakens the plant and therefore for use as food. In this weakening, the leaves of the plant turn a silver color and the crop decreases its quality and production.

- With the transmission of viruses, the fruits deteriorate, producing a change in their color and typical commercial shape. For this reason, companies that produce the seeds of many vegetables are striving to introduce genes for resistance to these viruses into zucchini hybrids.

Another pest that attacks zucchini and also cucumber is the well-known plague diafania, which forms superficial holes in the fruit because it feeds on them. Fortunately, this pest is controlled with chitin-inhibiting insecticides and the biocontroller Bacillus thuringiensis.

Two forms of control can be used against whiteflies, one is with soap, and the other with the Beauveria bassiana biocontroller.

On the other hand, the Liriomyza lepidopteran (leaf miner) is another of the pests that cause diseases in zucchini. Finally, mites are other causative agents of diseases in this crop, since they produce diseases similar to those produced by viruses.

Properties

Zucchini has a high use as food, forming part of the preparation of many dishes in haute cuisine. On the other hand, zucchini provides many elements necessary for the body such as protein, potassium, calcium, sodium, vitamin C, vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin.

Zucchini. Source: pixabay.com

In addition, zucchini has several contributions to health such as beta-carotene, which promote the manufacture of vitamin A, as well as its antioxidant effects, protecting cells against free radicals. In turn, they increase the resistance of the immune system, and prevent cellular aging, preventing diseases such as cancer.

Other beneficial effects of beta-carotene for health have to do with tissues, skin and vision.

Main varieties

Zucchini varieties can be classified in several ways; either by the shape of the plant, shape of the fruit or color of the fruit, among others. According to the type of plant, these are some varieties:

Varieties of Cucurbita pepo. Source: pixabay.com

- Black beauty: compact plant of dense growth, dark green, with a maximum production of 30 zucchini for each plant.

- Green mata compacta: plant with reduced and compact foliage, it has green fruits with gray tones.

- Blanquete F1: hybrid of medium size with light green fruits or whitish tones.

- Diamant F1: erect, open-growing hybrid with light green or mottled fruits.

- Prolific F1: vigorous, compact hybrid with dark green and shiny fruits.

Likewise, varieties are known according to the color of the fruit such as:

- Green fruits such as: Largo verde, Tarmino, Diamante, Black Beauty, Majestic, Napolini, Samara, Consul, Corsair, Dynamic, Algina, Zucchini Aristocratas, and Vert des.

- Yellow fruits: Dixie, Sudance, Lemondrop, Goldbar or Seneca.

In addition, due to the shape of its fruits, varieties of "patisson" flattened fruits are known, such as Scalopini, Bening's Green Tint Scallop or Hybrid Patty Green Tint.

Cultivars

At present, 8 cultivars of the Cucurbita pepo species are known, namely:

- Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L. var. Pepo LH Bailey). Creeping plants with different fruit morphology (spherical, oval, rounded). The fruits of this cultivar are eaten ripe and can be used as forage.

- Scallop (Cucurbita pepo L. var. Clypeata Alefeld). Plants of subshrub bearing, with flattened fruits that present equatorial undulations and are consumed when they are immature.

- Acom (Cucurbita pepo L. Var. Turbinata Paris). Plants with both shrubby and creeping bearing, which present obovoid fruits that are eaten ripe, with a sharp apex and ribbed sides.

- Crookneck (Cucurbita pepo L. var. Torticollia Alefeld). Plant with a bushy bearing, yellow or golden fruits and a warty rind. The fruits are eaten immature.

- Straightneck (Cucurbita pepo L. var. Rectocollis Paris). Plants with a bushy bearing and golden-yellow fruits similar to the previous cultivar.

Common pumpkins. Source: pixabay.com

- Vegetable Marrow (Cucurbita pepo L. var. Fastigata Paris). Creeping plants and cylindrical fruits, widened at the apex, with a smooth rind which thickens when ripe. The fruits have a variable color between cream and dark green.

- Cocozzelle (Cucurbita pepo L. var. Longa Paris). Fruits elongated, slender and bulbous at the apex. They are consumed immature.

- Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L. var. Cylindrica Paris). It is the most common commercial group and includes bushy plants and cylindrical fruits, slightly widened at the apex. They are eaten immature as a vegetable.

References

1. Escobar, H. Zucchini Cucurbita pepo. In: Cost analysis for organic vegetables. Notebooks of the Agroindustrial Research and Advisory Center. Colombia. P. 24. Taken from: books.google.co.ve
2. Agricultural Technical Assistance. 2019. The cultivation of zucchini in the warm tropics. Taken from: agro-tecnologia-tropical.com
3. Conabio. 2019. Information System of Living Modified Organisms (SIOVM). Cucurbita pepo pepo. Taken from: conabio.gob.mx
4. Flowers and plants. 2011. The Zucchini. Taken from: floresyplantas.net
5. Catalog of life. 2019. Species details: Cucurbita pepo L. Taken from: catalogueoflife.org
6. The taxonomicon. (2004-2019). Species Cucurbita pepo Linnaeus - field pumpkin. Taken from: taxonomicon.taxonomy.nl
7. Paris, H. 2001. History of the Cultivar-Groups of Cucurbita pepo. Horticultural Reviews 25: 71-170.
8. Uruguayan Society of Hortifruticulture. 2004. Special Zapallo-May 2004, Month of the Pumpkin. Taken from: inia.org.uy