Volume: 2 Issue 5 [May 2019]

Article:Influence of Ethephon on Vegetative Character, Flowering Behaviour and Sex Expression of Cucumber in Pokhara Lekhnath, Kaski

Author: Pandey Pratap, Jha Ritesh Kumar, Shrestha Arjun Kumar

Volume: 3, Issue 5; May-2019

DOI: Nor. Am. Aca. Res. 2019 : 2(5) : 01-13

Abstract: The research entitled “Influence of ethephon on vegetative character, flowering behaviour and sex expression of cucumber in Pokhara, Lekhnath, Kaski” was conducted in Kaski, Nepal during 11th January, 2017 to 15th April, 2018. Bhaktapur Local variety of cucumber was used under study as it is popular among farmers. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 4 replication and 5 treatments (four different doses of ethephon @ 200 ppm, @ 300 ppm, @ 400 ppm and @ 600 ppm as well as (water spraying) as control. Spraying was done twice, the 1st at true two leaf stage and the second at four true leaf stage. It was observed that all the doses of ethephon reduced the plant height compared to control. Ethephon @ 400 ppm and @ 600 ppm produced significantly higher number of nodes per plant than control. The number of primary branches increases with increasing dose of ethephon.Ethephon @ 600 ppm produced 7.72 nodes more as compared to control.Ethephon @ 600 ppm produced female flowers at the lowest node and male flowers at the uppermost node as compared to other treatments. Ethephon @ 400 ppm resulted in earlier female flowering (3.68 days sooner compared to control). Ethephon @ 600 ppm delayed the appearance of first male flower by 3 days as compared to control. Ethephon @ 400 ppm was found superior to other treatments for increasing total female flowers and reducing sex ratio. The total female flowers per plant was increased by 64.65% with ethephon @ 400 ppm as compared to the control. The highest sex ratio was obtained with control (3.350) while the lowest (1.262) with ethephon @ 400 ppm.

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