Cucumbers are sensitive to environmental and chemical factors that influence their flowering patterns. One effective method is the chemical incremental approach. When cucumbers have developed 1 to 3 true leaves, the flower buds on leaf positions 2 to 21 begin to differentiate, but it's not yet clear if they will become female or male flowers. This is the optimal time for ethephon application. The recommended concentration of ethephon is typically between 100-200 ppm. If the concentration is too low, there will be no noticeable effect, while a higher concentration may inhibit further development of the flower buds, leading to empty nodes. Spraying twice at 200 ppm or three times at 100 ppm generally yields the best results. It’s important to spray both sides of the leaves during the late afternoon on a sunny day, ideally around 4 PM. After spraying, it’s advisable to water the plants thoroughly. Additionally, increasing the number of fruits and maintaining proper fertilizer and irrigation management is crucial for optimal growth.
Another strategy involves light control. Cucumbers are short-day plants, meaning that reducing the length of daylight can increase the number of female flowers. Before the formation of flowers, especially in summer, black shade nets with a low shading rate, such as SZW-10, can be used. These nets help lower the average daily temperature of the planting beds by about 1.4°C and the temperature at 5 cm depth by 2.1°C, while also reducing light intensity by up to 66.2%. The total hours of sunlight should be kept below 9 hours per day. In the absence of shade nets, alternatives like black paper or fabric can be placed over the trellis to achieve similar results.
Lastly, managing moisture and nitrogen levels plays a key role in promoting female flower development. Cucumbers grown in soil with 80% humidity show significantly better performance compared to those in drier conditions (around 40% humidity). Ensuring consistent watering throughout the growing season helps maintain a moist environment, which is essential for healthy plant development. Providing adequate nitrogen fertilizer during the early stages of growth can also enhance the formation of female flowers. After applying ethephon, it’s important to replenish nutrients and strengthen disease and pest management practices to support the plant’s overall health and productivity.
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