Cucumber is considered as a drought-sensitive plant so that a decrease in the soil moisture causes decreased yield and quality of cucumber. This study investigates the effects of seed priming and foliar application with silicic acid on biochemical traits of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under drought stress through a split-split plot experiment with three replications. The main plot was allocated to different levels of drought stress including moderate drought stress (80-85% Field Capacity (FC)), severe drought stress (60-65% FC), and without stress – control (90-95% FC). The sub-plot was allocated to seed priming treatments at three levels: control (hydro-priming), ascorbic acid 150 mgL-1, and pyridoxine 0.04%. The sub-sub plot was assigned to foliar spraying with silicic acid at three levels: 0, 100, and 200 mgL-1. The results obtained from the evaluation of all traits showed that under free-stress condition, the best seed priming treatment belonged to pyridoxine 0.04% alone or along with foliar spraying of silicic acid at 100 mgL-1. In moderate drought stress, the best seed priming treatment belonged to pyridoxine 0.04% and foliar spraying with silicic acid at 200 mgL-1, and under severe drought stress, the best seed priming treatment belonged to pyridoxine 0.04% or ascorbic acid at 150 mgL-1.

chlorophyll, antioxidant enzymes, seed priming, impress cultivar, drought stress

Published by University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, CROATIA
Sponsored by Ministry Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia