Night temperature and flower abortion of glasshouse cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.).

Plants of the gynaecious cucumber cv. Farbio were planted under glass, about 30 days after sowing, on 13 and 27 December and on 10 and 24 January. Night temperatures of 12, 16 and 20 deg C were compared until 1 April, the day temperature being 21-27 deg . Only 835 of 3600 flowers aborted shortly after opening. The later planted crops showed less abortion than earlier planted ones and the lower the night temperature the higher was the level of abortion. Abortion of the second and third flowers in an axil accounted for 60% of the total, regardless of night temperature. Fruits were picked every 5 days; those with the longest hanging time (i.e. slowest growth) were found primarily in axils just below axils in which all flowers had aborted. Such fruits are known to have a reduced shelf life [see HcA 50, 7105] and quality could thus be controlled to some extent by selective thinning of fruit in these axils. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission