Optimal temperature drop for the growth and development of young cucumber plants

Abstract

The thermomorphological responses of young cucumber plants to a temperature drop lasting 2, 4 and 6 hours applied at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the night were examined. Plant height, leaf petiole length and plant dry weight were measured and, based on the experimental data, the regression dependences of growth variables on the temperature drop were fitted. A method to determine the optimal temperature drop (the duration and time of exposure) which results in shortened plant height and leaf petiole length without a decrease in plant dry weight is proposed.