Breaking Dormancy in Cucumber (Cucumis sativas L.) Seeds

Abstract

The new harvested cucumber seeds, local varieties often fail to germinate, because of dormancy. It take over 5-6 storage months until dormancy phenomenon disappear. The hot dry air treatment at 60^o, 65^o, 70^o, 75^o or 80^oC for 1 to 7 days or 90^oC for 1 to 24 hours could break that dormancy. Dry heat treatment at 70^oC for 3 days obtained the best result. This treatment could up grade in germination from the initial 20% and proved good growing characteristic in either vegetative or generative organs as near as untreated seeds. Further more, soaking cucumber seeds in warm water at 45^o, 50^o, 50^o and 60^oC for 20-60 minutes has been done for breaking seed dormancy. Soaking seeds at 60^oC for 40 minutes show that results among hot wet treatment, but it still was not better than hot dry air treatment at 70^oC for 3 days.