Production and quality of gherkin seeds under high-density planting

• Published in: Idesia 2023, Vol.41 (2), p.45-52
• Main Authors: Santos, Guilherme Brandão, Costa, Cándido Alves da, Brandao Junior, Delacyr da Silva, Santos, Sarah Silva
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY
• ISSN: 0718-3429; 0718-3429
• DOI: 10.4067/S0718-34292023000200045

Research on gherkin seed production technology is scarce, resulting in the use of production techniques that might not express the full crop potential to produce seeds in terms of quantity and quality. In this scenario, high-density planting could be a good option to increase gherkin yield in seed production. This study aimed to evaluate the production and quality of gherkin seeds under high planting densities. The treatments consisted of two planting sites in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. The high-density planting system favored the increase in production without affecting the quality of gherkin seeds up to a certain limit. Although the maximum seed yield was achieved at the density of 50,000 holes per hectare and 20 plants per hole (population of 1,000,000 plants per ha), seed quality is maintained up to densities of 39,000 holes per ha and 20 plants per hole (780,000 plants per ha) with regard to germination, and at densities of up to 44 thousand holes per ha and 11 plants per hole (484,000 plants per ha) with regard to the germination speed index.