Articles
EFFECT OF 1-MCP, NAA AND IBA ON FRUIT RETENTION OF GHERKIN (CUCUMIS SATIVUS ‘ANGURIA’) UNDER GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS
Article number
1004_22
Pages
189 – 195
Language
English
Abstract
Gherkin (Cucumis sativus Anguria) experiences a heavy pre-mature fruit drop, resulting in low crop productivity under humid tropical greenhouse conditions.
Therefore, the influence of exogenous auxines (NAA and IBA) and an ethylene inhibitor, 1-methylcyclopropane (1-MCP) on the fruit retention of gherkins was examined in a two-step glass house experiment.
In the first step, foliar application of 1-MCP (50 mg L-1 at three week intervals) and NAA (10 mg L-1 at one, two and three week intervals) were carried out as separate treatments with a control (water spray), commencing at 50% flowering.
In the second step, 1-MCP treatment was replaced with IBA (10 mg L-1) while two concentrations of NAA (5 and 10 mg L-1) were applied in two week intervals.
Number of fruits dropped and harvested fruits per plant were monitored continuously.
Results revealed that 1-MCP significantly reduced cumulative pre-mature fruit drop up to 27% (32 fruits/plant) compared to 43% in the control (50 fruits/plant). Exogenous NAA did not show a significant treatment effect.
However, hormonal regulation could not improve the overall fruit yield of gherkins.
In the second step, foliar application of IBA resulted the highest fruit yield (652 g/plant) due to more fruit retention.
The experiment revealed the positive impact of foliar application of 1-MCP as well as IBA for retaining more fruits in greenhouse grown gherkins.
Therefore, the influence of exogenous auxines (NAA and IBA) and an ethylene inhibitor, 1-methylcyclopropane (1-MCP) on the fruit retention of gherkins was examined in a two-step glass house experiment.
In the first step, foliar application of 1-MCP (50 mg L-1 at three week intervals) and NAA (10 mg L-1 at one, two and three week intervals) were carried out as separate treatments with a control (water spray), commencing at 50% flowering.
In the second step, 1-MCP treatment was replaced with IBA (10 mg L-1) while two concentrations of NAA (5 and 10 mg L-1) were applied in two week intervals.
Number of fruits dropped and harvested fruits per plant were monitored continuously.
Results revealed that 1-MCP significantly reduced cumulative pre-mature fruit drop up to 27% (32 fruits/plant) compared to 43% in the control (50 fruits/plant). Exogenous NAA did not show a significant treatment effect.
However, hormonal regulation could not improve the overall fruit yield of gherkins.
In the second step, foliar application of IBA resulted the highest fruit yield (652 g/plant) due to more fruit retention.
The experiment revealed the positive impact of foliar application of 1-MCP as well as IBA for retaining more fruits in greenhouse grown gherkins.
Publication
Authors
A.P.S. Rupasinghe , R.M. Gunarathna Banda, N.A.A.K. Wickramasinghe, W.A.P. Weerakkody, D.M.D. Dissanayake
Keywords
ethylene inhibition, fruit drop, auxins, fruit thinning, fruit yield
Online Articles (22)