Interaction of Nitrogen and Ethephon on Female Flower Formation and Cs-ACS2 Gene Expression in Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research paper

Authors

1 Department of Horticultural Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Crop Sciences, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran.

2 Agricultural Genetics and Biotechnology Institute of Tabarestan, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran.

3 Department of Horticultural Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Crop Sciences, Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Sari, Iran

10.22059/ijhst.2025.377264.856

Abstract

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) has long been focused on as a model plant for sex expression and floral development studies. In the present study, the effect of exogenous ethephon (0.5 mM) and urea (2 and 4 g/L) on female flower production in cucumber plants was investigatedThethis study investigated the impact of exogenous ethephon (0.5 mM) and urea (2 and 4 g/ L) on female flower production in cucumber plants. Results revealed that the highest number of female flowers number was recorded in plants treated with 4 g/ L of urea. Ethephon treatment decreased the total flower number of flowers and reduced the male-to-female flower ratio, favouring favoring female flower production. The highest catalase activity was recorded in plants treated exclusivelysolely treated with ethephon, whereas while maximum peroxidase activity was detected found in the control plants. In ethephon-treated plants, the expression rate of Cs-ACS2 gene expression rate in the female flower organ was increased between 4.5 to 6 times, while this the increase in leaf tissue was between 1.5 to 3 times in leaf tissue. As ethephon treatment contributed to the highest expression rate of the Cs-ACS2 gene, it can be interpreted inferred that ethephon induced induces female flower formation through the via Cs-ACS2 upregulation of Cs-ACS2 gene. Simultaneously, At the same time, nitrogen impact can be independent of the Cs-ACS2 expression pathway. These findings would be implemented valuable for future research on the physiology of flower induction physiology in cucumber plants.

Keywords

International Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 01 May 2026

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History

  • Receive Date: 29 May 2024
  • Revise Date: 26 February 2025
  • Accept Date: 10 March 2025

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