Pluto F1 hybrid is a Cucurbita moschata type butternut with medium sized fruit and excellent fruit quality. Plants are adaptable and vigorous and tend therefore to be less susceptible to diseases. Yield potential is excellent and the fruit are not inclined to crack. Fruit set is excellent and covers a long bearing season. Fruit shape is similar to that of Waltham and the weight is 1 000 – 1 500 g. The firm, deep orange flesh has an excellent flavour and high sugar content. The smooth rind has a tan colour when mature. Mature fruit have an excellent shelf life. Pluto is well adapted for cooler season harvests where small to medium fruit are required. Fruit are used as traditional butternut for the fresh market, however the superior flesh quality makes Pluto suitable for processing and export. Pluto has intermediate resistance to Powdery mildew (Px) (ex Sf).
Special Varietal Requirements
- Pluto performs good in cool and warm season plantings however during cool seasons, fruit size is smaller than during summer
- Fruit size is affected by plant population: The higher the population, the smaller the fruit size. We suggest
| Characteristic | Pluto F1 Hybrid Butternut Squash |
| Kind | F1 hybrid squash (Cucurbita moschata (Duchesne) Duchesne ex Poiret) |
| Type | Butternut squash |
| Maturity | 85 – 100 days to harvest as mature fruit |
| Season | Widely adapted for warm season production and cool season production in tropical and sub-tropical areas |
| Plant Type | Full vine |
| Fruit Shape | Cylindrical, with a bulbous blossom end |
| Rind Colour | Tan |
| Yield Potential | 35 – 50 t/ha |
| Mature Harvest Mass | 1 000 – 2 000 g (depending on season) |
| Shelf Life (Mature Fruit) | Excellent |
| Uniformity | Very good |
| Population Guide | Final stand of 12 000 – 15 000 plants per ha |
| Disease Resistance (Scientific) | Intermediate resistance: Podosphaera xanthii (ex Sphaerotheca fuliginea) Px (ex Sf) |
| End Use | Export, fresh market and processing |
