Effect of establishment date and crop competition on burcucumber fecundity

An experiment examining the effect of burcucumber emergence date and corn competition on burcucumber fecundity was conducted in 1997 and 1998 in central Pennsylvania. Burcucumber seedlings were transplanted in the field in approximately 10-d intervals starting in late May through mid-August with or without competition from corn. Burcucumber plants grown without competition from corn produced 716 g dry matter and 4,500 seeds plant^-1 in 1997 and 607 g dry matter and 1,800 seeds plant^-1 in 1998. Biomass was greatest for plants established in late May, whereas seed production was greatest for plants established in mid-June. Although seed numbers were reduced in comparison to the May and June establishment periods, plants established as late as August still produced seed. Burcucumber established in corn produced 96% less dry matter and seed than the plants in a noncompetitive environment in both years of the study. Although the growth and seed production of burcucumber grown in corn was drastically reduced, plants established in mid-July still produced seed.