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Identity & Botany
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Canonical name | Buttercup Squash |
| Scientific name | Cucurbita maxima |
| Family / Genus | Cucurbitaceae / — |
| Produce category | Cucurbit |
| Produce subcategory | Winter Squash |
| FSMA 204 covered? | No |
| PLU — conventional | 4792 |
| PLU — organic | 94792 |
| AGROVOC URI | c_2004 |
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s01_identity. External: FAO AGROVOC.
Varieties
Estimated commercial varieties: 18.
| Variety | Market share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Burgess Buttercup | 28% | The classic open-pollinated Buttercup variety. Known for its dark green, turban-shaped fruit, deep orange, sweet, dry flesh, and excellent storage qualities. A benchmark for flavor. |
| Sweet Mama | 22% | An F1 hybrid known for its exceptional sweetness, uniform size, and very long storage potential. Fruits are typically dark green, slightly flattened, and weigh 2-3 lbs. Excellent for commercial produc |
| Bonbon | 18% | A popular F1 hybrid producing small, uniform, very sweet fruits, typically 1.5-2 lbs. Its compact size makes it ideal for individual servings and smaller households. Good yield and disease resistance. |
| Ambercup | 12% | Often considered a smaller, sweeter version of Buttercup, with bright orange flesh and a slightly less pronounced turban. Excellent flavor and texture, good for baking and roasting. Fruits typically 1 |
| Bush Buttercup | 7% | A compact, bush-type plant that produces standard-sized Buttercup squash (2-3 lbs). Ideal for smaller gardens or container growing, offering the classic Buttercup flavor and texture on a more manageab |
| Autumn Story | 6% | An F1 hybrid known for its high yields and excellent storage capabilities. Produces medium-sized (2-3 lbs) dark green fruits with sweet, deep orange flesh. Good disease resistance and vigor. |
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: 1 / 5.
Ethylene
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Production class | very_low |
| Production rate (20°C) | 0.05 µL/kg·h typical (0.01–0.1) |
| Sensitivity class | low |
| Sensitivity threshold | 1 ppm |
| Climacteric? | No |
Agent note: Store away from strong ethylene producers to prevent premature senescence, although sensitivity is low.
Mixed-load compatibility
Non-ethylene producing, low ethylene sensitive
Operational flags
- Can be top-iced? No
- Light-sensitive? No
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s07_harvest_post_harvest.
Market Intelligence
Demand
Stable with slight growth, driven by health-conscious consumers and culinary versatility.
Elasticity
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Price elasticity | -0.6 |
| Income elasticity | 0.3 |
| Organic premium elasticity | -1.2 |
Pack sizes
- 35 lb cartons
- 40 lb cartons
- 1/2 bushel
- 1 1/9 bushel
Source: GDF v2.1.1 s09_market_intelligence.
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