Effects of Seed Soaking with Ethephon on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Cucumber in Greenhouse in Winter

The aim of the research was to discuss the feminizing effect of seed soaked with ethephon and screen out the optimum seed-soaking time and treatment concentration.Cucumber seeds were treated with different concentrations of ethephon(2 000,3 000,4 000,5 000,6 000 and 7 000 mg/L) for different seed soaking time(8,12 and 16 h) and their effects on seed germination and seedling growth were observed.Cucumber seeds treated with ethephon had an obvious promotion on seed germination.The germination rate,germination potential,germination index and activity index were all increased than those of CK,which showed trends of first increasing and then decreasing.The germination rate and germination potential of cucumber seeds treated with 4 000 and 5 000 mg/L of ethephon had extremely significant difference with that of CK.The treatment of seed soaked with 5 000 mg/L of ethephon for 12 h got best effect and its germination index and activity index both reached maximum,being 70.46 and 55.87 respectively.Treatment with ethephon in the seed stage can inhibit the excessive growth of cucumber seedlings,promote the strong seedlings,reduce the plant height and increase plant stem diameter.Strong seedling index and G value in the treatment with 5 000 mg/L ethephon was best.