EFFECTS OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS ON FLOWERING BEHAVIOUR AND YIELD OF CUCUMBER

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, during the period from February, 2015 to July 2015 to study the effects of plant growth regulators on flowering behaviour and yield of cucumber. The experiment considered of nine plant growth regulators viz. T0= 0 ppm (control), T1= MH 100 ppm , T2= Silver nitrate 250 ppm, T3= Ethophon 250 ppm, T4= GA3 300 ppm , T5= MH 200 ppm, T6= Silver nitrate 500 ppm, T7= Ethophon 500 ppm, T8= GA3 500 ppm. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Data were collected on stem length, number of primary branches per plant, days required to first female flower and male flower, days to 50% flowering per plot, total number of male and female flowers per pant, number of fruit per plant, fruit length and diameter, weight fruit per plant, yield of fruits. A statistically significant variation was recorded in terms of all the characters related to growth and yield of cucumber. The maximum stem length and number of branches per plant was produced by 500 ppm gibberelic acid. The GA3 500 ppm required the earliest of days of female first flowering and 50% flowering. The maximum number of male flowers per plant was produced by Silver nitrate 250 ppm treatment. The maximum number of fruit per plant, fruit length and fruit diameter were produced by GA3 500 ppm treatment. The maximum yield of fruits per plant (2.38 kg) was produced by GA3 500 ppm treatment. The minimum yield of fruits per plant (1.13 kg) was produced from control treatment. The maximum yield of fruits per hectare (16.72 tones) was obtained GA3 500 ppm treatment and the minimum yield of fruits per hectare (6.74 tones) was obtained from control treatment. Finally, it can be said that it is possible to increase female flower as well as yield of cucumber by suppressing male flower with the help of applying GA3 at the rate of 500 ppm.