Inbreeding reduces the vigor in plants as a result of a decrease in the proportion of heterozygous loci. However, the influence of inbreeding is different among the species. The objective of this work was to evaluate the inbreeding depression in a cucumber Japanese population. An F2 population was obtained from a commercial hybrid (Natsu suzumi), which was considered as S0 population. S1, S2, S3, S4 and S5 progenies were obtained by the 'Single Seed Descent' methodology. A complete blocks design with seven treatments (different generations of self pollination - S0 to S5 and the hybrid Natsu suzumi), and six replications of five plants per plot was used in protected cultivation from Aug. 21 to Nov. 29, 2002. Number of leaves, length of the main stem, number and weight of fruits (total and commercial) number of nodes and vines percentage were evaluated. For most of the traits appraised differences were not observed among populations showing that there was no loss of vigor due to inbreeding in this population.
Cucumis sativus L.; breeding; heterosis
