Physiological maturity and its influence on seed yield and quality in cucumber (Cucumis sativus) under different growing environments

Abstract

To study the physical and physiological changes occurred during maturation in fruit and seeds of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) (cv. Pant Shankar Khira-1) grown under naturally ventilated polyhouse, insect proof net house and open field conditions at Centre for Protected Cultivation Technology (CPCT) farm, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi during summer and kharif seasons 2011. The fruits were harvested at 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 days from anthesis (DFA) and seeds were extracted following fermentation. Various physical parameters, viz. fruit weight, fruit length, fruit width, number of filled seeds, number of unfilled seeds, 100 seed weight, seed yield/fruit, seed fresh weight, seed dry weight were recorded. The physiological maturity was evaluated by germinating seeds before and after drying. There were only small, non-significant difference in germinability among seed harvested at 35, 40 and 45 DFA, all of which were of higher quality than seeds which had been harvested at 25 and 30 DFA. The analysis of data showed that the seeds attained physiological maturity at 35 DFA under naturally ventilated poly house and insect proof net house, whereas at 40 DFA under open field condition.