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Identity & Botany
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Canonical name | Delicata Squash |
| Scientific name | Cucurbita pepo |
| Family / Genus | Cucurbitaceae / — |
| Produce category | Cucurbit |
| Produce subcategory | Winter Squash |
| FSMA 204 covered? | No |
| PLU — conventional | 4761 |
| PLU — organic | 94761 |
| AGROVOC URI | c_2000 |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s01_identity. External: FAO AGROVOC.
Varieties
Estimated commercial varieties: 15.
| Variety | Market share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Delicata (Heirloom) | 25% | The original, classic Delicata. Creamy-yellow skin with dark green stripes, elongated cylindrical shape. Sweet, nutty flavor, tender edible skin. Good for baking, roasting, and stuffing. Moderate yiel |
| Bush Delicata | 20% | Compact, bush-type plant, ideal for smaller gardens and container growing. Produces fruits similar to the original Delicata in size, flavor, and appearance. Good disease resistance. High yield for its |
| Sugar Loaf | 15% | A popular hybrid known for excellent flavor and good yields. Fruits are slightly larger and more uniform than the heirloom Delicata, with creamy skin and green stripes. Good disease resistance. |
| Bonbon | 12% | Early maturing hybrid with high yields of uniform, medium-sized fruits. Features creamy skin with dark green stripes and a very sweet, rich flavor. Good disease resistance, particularly to powdery mil |
| Jester | 10% | A productive hybrid producing attractive, uniform fruits with a slightly more rounded shape than traditional Delicata. Creamy-white skin with dark green stripes. Sweet, nutty flavor. Good for commerci |
| Honeyboat | 8% | Smaller, very sweet heirloom variety with a distinctive dark orange-yellow flesh. Skin is creamy with darker green stripes, often with a netted appearance. Excellent flavor, good for single servings. |
| Starship | 7% | A high-yielding hybrid known for strong disease resistance, especially to powdery mildew. Produces uniform, medium-sized fruits with classic Delicata appearance and sweet flavor. Good for commercial p |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s04_varieties.variety_summaries.
Post-Harvest Handling
Temperature
- Chilling injury threshold: 50°F.
- Freezing point: 30.5°F. Hard limit.
- Handling urgency: 2 / 5.
Ethylene
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Production class | very_low |
| Production rate (20°C) | ? µL/kg·h typical (?–0.1) |
| Sensitivity class | low |
| Climacteric? | No |
Agent note: Non-climacteric, very low ethylene production and sensitivity. Avoid storing with high ethylene producers for extended periods to prevent potential quality degradation.
Mixed-load compatibility
Compatible with most produce; avoid storing with strong odor emitters or high ethylene producers for extended periods.
Operational flags
- Can be top-iced? No
- Light-sensitive? No
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s07_harvest_post_harvest.
Market Intelligence
Demand
Increasing, driven by culinary versatility, edible skin, and appealing flavor profile.
Elasticity
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Price elasticity | -0.8 |
| Income elasticity | 0.5 |
| Organic premium elasticity | -1 |
Pack sizes
- 20 lb cartons
- 1 1/9 bushel cartons (approx. 35-40 lbs)
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s09_market_intelligence.
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