Impact Of Acetylsalicylic Acid Foliar Application And Sowing Dates On Cucumber Growth

Abstract

This study examines the effects of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) foliar application and various dates of sowing on the growth and yield of cucumber plants. The research was conducted to ascertain the impact of varying ASA concentrations and planting times on critical growth parameters, including the number of fruits per plant, vine length, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight, and overall fruit yield. Additionally, the male-to-female flower ratio and the days to flowering were studied. Early sowing dates (SD1) exhibited a 40-day delay in flowering, whereas later sowing dates (SD3) resulted in a 34-day early flowering period. Application of ASA also had a substantial impact on flowering time; plants treated with the highest ASA concentration (ASA3, 270 mg L-1) flowered the earliest (34 days), while untreated plants took the longest (41 days) to flower. The duration between the first harvest and the SD1 and SD3 plots differed as well; the former took the longest (62 days) and the other one the shortest (53 days). Plants treated with ASA3 were harvested 54 days earlier than untreated plants, which took 61 days. Early-planted seeds (SD1) had a lower male-to-female floral ratio than late-planted seeds (SD3). This ratio was decreased by ASA application; ASA3 displayed the lowest ratio, 2.93. Early sowing (SD1) yielded higher fruits per plant (11.1), longer vines (167 cm), and larger fruits (4.27 cm), whereas late sowing (SD3) gave the lowest values for these characteristics. The maximum number of fruits per plant (10.9), longest vines (167 cm), and highest fruit output (40.2 tonnes ha-1) were all consistently achieved with the highest ASA concentration (ASA3). The results show that increasing the concentration of ASA and planting the cucumbers earlier can both improve their development and yield.