What causes flower topping in cucumbers?
What causes flower topping in cucumbers? Please explain: cucumber "flower topping", also called "flowers hugging the head", is a common physiological disorder in greenhouse cucumbers. It usually shows as shortened internodes near the growing point, with no heart leaf forming, but instead a cluster of mixed male and female flowers appearing in a "flowers hugging the head" shape...
What causes flower topping in cucumbers? Please explain
Cucumber "flower topping", also called "flowers hugging the head", is a common physiological disorder in greenhouse cucumbers. It usually shows as shortened internodes near the growing point, with no heart leaf forming, but instead a cluster of mixed male and female flowers appearing in a "flowers hugging the head" shape. Flower topping mostly occurs in the early fruiting stage and has a great impact on cucumber yield and quality.
Based on many years of experimental observation, cucumber flower topping can be divided into three types:
1. Developmental imbalance type. In the early stage, the temperature is low, and the difference between day and night temperatures is large. Because vegetative growth is inhibited, reproductive growth proceeds too quickly, and flower topping easily occurs.
2. Root damage type. When the greenhouse is hot and dry, especially when the soil is dry, too much fertilizer and insufficient water cause root burn; or when the soil is too wet but the air temperature and soil temperature are low, root drowning occurs. Both easily lead to flower topping.
3. Physiological fertilizer deficiency type. When soil conditions are unsuitable, root activity is weak, and nutrient uptake is difficult, physiological fertilizer deficiency can also lead to flower topping.
Prevention methods: (1) Reasonably regulate temperature to prevent it from being too low or too high; loosen the soil in time to raise soil temperature, and when necessary, first apply an appropriate amount of fertilizer and water, then loosen the soil to raise the temperature, so as to promote root development. (2) Reasonably apply fertilizer and water. When fertilizing greenhouse cucumbers, master the principles of small amounts, multiple applications, and even application. Organic fertilizer must be fully decomposed to prevent root damage caused by improper fertilization. Water at the right time and in the right amount, and avoid flood irrigation that affects soil temperature and causes root drowning. (3) Remedial measures. For plants that have already developed flower topping, remove an appropriate amount of female flowers and spray the leaves with monopotassium phosphate at 300 times dilution; when root burn type flower topping occurs, water in time so that soil water-holding capacity reaches 22%, and when relative air humidity reaches 65%, water and cultivate the soil, and it will soon return to normal.
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