RESPONSE OF CUCUMBER TO FOLIAR APPLICATION OF ACETYLSALICYLIC ACID AND DIFFERENT SOWING DATES

Abstract

Acetylsalicylic acid (C9H8O4), known as aspirin, is an effective alternative to salicylic acid. Both salicylic acid and aspirin influence photosynthesis-related processes, including physiological and biological activities and enzyme actions, and act as plant growth regulators, thereby impacting plant growth. At the Horticulture Research Farm in 2022. The effects of foliar spray of acetylsalicylic acid and varying dates of seeding on cucumber growth were evaluated through an experiment. Acetylsalicylic acid concentrations (162, 216, and 270 mg L-1) and sowing dates (5, 15, and 25 April) Using a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications, were changed in this split-plot experiment. The data analysis showed that dissimilar planting dates and acetylsalicylic acid damaged the growth and production of cucumbers. On the 5th of April, plantings resulted in the most favorable outcomes in terms of the ratio of male to female plants (2.78), the length of fruits (17.01 cm), the width of the fruits (4.27 cm), the length of the vines (167 cm), the yield per plant (1.90 kg), and the overall production (42.2 tons per hectare). The application of 270 mg L-1 of acetylsalicylic acid on a specific date led to the lowest male-to-female flower ratio (2.93), the earliest first harvest (62), the shortest time to first flowering (40days), the highest number of fruits per plant (10.9), fruit length (16.78 cm), the widest fruit (4.32 cm), the most excellent vine length (167 cm), yield per plant (1.80 kg), and the highest yield (40.2 tons per hectare) in this experiment. However, this date also dictated the maximum number of days until the first harvest (54 days) and the first blossoming (34 days). Finally, it can be said that the Peshawar Valley's agro-climatic conditions for the cucumber development and productivity were much enhanced by planting on April 5th and applying acetylsalicylic acid at a concentration of 270 mg L-1.