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Identity & Botany
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Canonical name | Acorn Squash |
| Scientific name | Cucurbita pepo |
| Family / Genus | Cucurbitaceae / — |
| Produce category | Cucurbit |
| Produce subcategory | Winter Squash |
| FSMA 204 covered? | No |
| PLU — conventional | 4771 |
| PLU — organic | 94771 |
| AGROVOC URI | c_2069 |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s01_identity. External: FAO AGROVOC.
Varieties
Estimated commercial varieties: 30.
| Variety | Market share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Table King (Bush) | 20% | A widely recognized standard dark green, ribbed acorn squash. Known for its bush habit, making it suitable for smaller gardens. Offers a sweet, nutty flavor and excellent yields. |
| Carnival | 18% | Highly popular for its distinctive mottled green, orange, and yellow skin. Features very sweet, nutty, and tender flesh. Excellent for visual appeal and flavor, with good disease resistance. |
| Table Queen | 15% | A classic heirloom variety with dark green, deeply ribbed acorn squash. Produces sweet, dry, and nutty flesh. Grows on a vigorous vining plant and remains a traditional favorite. |
| Starbrite | 12% | Produces uniform, dark green, slightly smaller fruits. Valued for high yields, good disease resistance (especially powdery mildew), and excellent storage quality. Offers a sweet flavor. |
| Taybelle PM | 10% | A key feature is its excellent powdery mildew resistance, crucial for growers. Produces uniform, dark green, medium-sized fruits with good yields and flavor. |
| Jester | 8% | Features attractive green and orange striped skin. The flesh is sweet, nutty, and firm. Offers good yields and disease resistance, popular for its unique appearance and flavor. |
| Black Kat | 5% | Distinguished by its very dark green, almost black skin. Produces uniform, medium-sized fruits with good flavor. Known for strong yields and good disease tolerance. |
| Cream of the Crop | 2% | A unique heirloom variety with creamy white skin. Offers sweet, tender, and flavorful orange flesh, providing a visually distinct option. |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s04_varieties.variety_summaries.
Post-Harvest Handling
Temperature
- Chilling injury threshold: 50°F.
- Freezing point: 29.5°F. Hard limit.
- Handling urgency: 2 / 5.
Ethylene
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Production class | very_low |
| Production rate (20°C) | 0.05 µL/kg·hr typical (0–0.1) |
| Sensitivity class | low |
| Sensitivity threshold | 1 ppm |
| Climacteric? | No |
Agent note: Acorn squash is a non-climacteric fruit with very low ethylene production and low sensitivity. Prolonged exposure to high ethylene levels may slightly reduce quality but is generally not a major concern.
Mixed-load compatibility
Mixed load compatible, but avoid prolonged exposure to high ethylene producers.
Operational flags
- Can be top-iced? No
- Light-sensitive? No
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s07_harvest_post_harvest.
Market Intelligence
Demand
Stable to slightly increasing, driven by seasonal and healthy eating trends
Elasticity
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Price elasticity | -0.4 |
| Income elasticity | 0.2 |
| Organic premium elasticity | -1 |
Market share by variety
| Variety | Share |
|---|---|
| Standard Green Acorn | 60% |
| Table Queen | 20% |
| Carnival | 10% |
| Other Acorn Varieties | 10% |
Pack sizes
- 1 1/9 bushel cartons (approx. 35-40 lbs)
- 20-lb cartons
- 35-lb cartons
- Individual
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s09_market_intelligence.
Rendered by commodity_profile_renderer v1.0.0 on 2026-05-15T23:50:00.000Z.