How to check cucumber seeds for germination in water at home
Before sowing seedlings of vegetables, many vegetable growers need to decide how to test cucumber seeds for germination. This is especially true for seed harvested independently.
Experienced seed breeders are engaged in the cultivation and selection of seeds from manufacturing firms.
Seed in industrial conditions:
- calibrate;
- warm up;
- treated with fungicides;
- soaked in growth stimulants.
Therefore, purchased seeds usually do not need pre-sowing preparation and germination testing, but they are quite expensive. If the variety of cucumbers you like is not hybrid (there was no F1 marking on the package), then it is not at all difficult to collect seed at home. But before planting it will have to be tested for germination. Especially if you are not sure about storage conditions.
Rejection of seeds
Germination is the percentage of healthy seed in one batch that produces well-developed seedlings.
Before checking for germination of cucumber seeds, empty seeds can be discarded in water. They are not capable of producing normal shoots.
To do this, the seed is poured in small portions with warm water and allowed to stand for 8-10 minutes. Low-weight seeds with insufficient germination energy will float to the surface. They are not suitable for growing healthy plants and are discarded.
The seeds remaining at the bottom are dried and sorted out. All of them should be approximately the same size and color, the smallest ones should also be removed.
Storage and germination
Important!
It is not recommended to plant cucumber seeds next year, since the post-harvest ripening of the seed of this culture lasts 2-3 years.
During this time, some pathogenic organisms die in the seeds, for example, the cucumber mosaic virus. Plants grown from annual sowing material are less branching and form mainly "male" inflorescences. In a dry, warm place, the seed material of cucumbers remains viable for up to 6-8 years. But after the fourth year of storage, it is mandatory to check seeds for germination, since the germination energy will gradually decrease.
If the seed is stored in a damp and cold place, then there is a risk of growing plants with long lashes and predominantly male flowering.
After being in bad conditions for a long time, cucumber seeds need to be sniffed. The smell should be free of musty and rancid impurities. Since this is a sign of the development of pathogenic bacteria and fungi in the seeds.
Germination test
There are several ways to test for germination:
- germination in filter paper;
- sprouting in sawdust;
- germination in a paper roll.
Germination in paper
Several layers of filter paper are moistened with warm water and the seeds are spread at a short distance from each other. All seed must be counted in order to make calculations later. Cover with another layer of paper on top and put in a warm place with a temperature of 26-27 ℃. Several times a day, the trays of paper are checked and the dried tissues are moistened.
After 3-4 days, the first shoots of cucumbers will appear. These seeds had the highest germination energy. Sprinter sprouts will produce the healthiest and most productive bushes. Therefore, manufacturing companies pay attention to the determination of germination energy and characterize varieties in the description by the indicator of friendship and germination speed. Germination energy is equal to the percentage of germinated cucumbers in the first 3-4 days to the total amount of seed.
All living seeds should sprout in 6-7 days. Count the number of healthy shoots and calculate the percentage of the total inoculum. Planting cucumbers with a germination rate of less than 60% is considered unprofitable.
Even if, after 7 days, there are those that have hatched among the seeds that have not sprouted, they are not counted and are discarded. The longer the seed is not germinated in the soil, the more negative factors they are exposed to.
Sprouting in sawdust
Before checking the germination of seeds, the sawdust is steamed with boiling water. Then a layer of 5-6 cm is poured into the box. The counted cucumbers are laid out at a distance of 1-2 cm. 2-3 cm of steamed sawdust are poured on top and tamped. The drawer can be covered with transparent foil to prevent drying out.
The box is placed in a warm, bright place 25-26 ℃. Cucumbers will sprout in the dark, but it was noticed that in a bright place, seedlings appear earlier and healthier. Further calculations are carried out in the same way as in the method with paper.
Germination in paper roll
Two layers of porous loose paper measuring 10 × 100 cm are moistened with water. They retreat from the upper edge 2-3 cm and lay out the seed in a line at a distance of 1.5-2 cm with the embryos down. Then cover with the same third layer of paper and roll into a loose roll, which is placed vertically in a suitable dish.
Germination of cucumbers should take place in a bright and warm place. The paper is moistened as it dries. After 7 days, the roll is carefully unrolled, healthy shoots are counted and the percentage of germination is calculated.
Warming up and treatment with growth stimulants
Before determining the germination of seeds, they can be prepared. Warming up the seed and treatment with growth stimulants increase the energy of germination, accelerate the growth of vegetative mass, and improve the development of the root system of future plants. Purchased cucumbers are usually pre-prepared in production.
There are two types of seed heating:
- dry heating;
- warming up in water.
The first method is needed primarily for “young” seeds collected last year.
Advice!
Dry heating in a linen bag on a radiator at a temperature of 50-60 ℃ for a month allows you to deceive nature and start the "aging" process.
Warming up in warm water 50-60 ℃ for 30 minutes before sowing allows you to quickly awaken the cucumbers and is useful for increasing the energy of germination and germination.
Such chemicals and vitamins are known for processing seed material before sowing (based on 100 ml of water):
- sodium humate - 10-20 mg;
- succinic acid - 0.4 mg;
- heteroauxin - 50 mg;
- nicotinic acid - 10 mg;
- thiamine - 10 mg.
The volume of the solution should be 2 times the volume of the seeds, the temperature is 17-18 ℃. The seed is soaked for 6-12 hours, then washed well and dried.
