The effect of the cell size and seedling transplanting age on the production of cucumber 'Hokuho' under protected cultivation was studied, from March to July 2000 in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. The treatments resulted from the combination of two tray cell sizes (34.6 and 121.2 cm³) and four seedling transplanting ages (19; 24; 29 and 34 days after sowing), evaluated in a randomized block design, with five replications and five plants per plot. During the transplanting period we evaluated the number of leaves, leaf area, seedling height, fresh and dry mass, and after transplanting, the early production (percentage of the production in the first 20 days of harvesting) and total yield of fruits (number and mass of fruits and commercial fruits). Higher early production was obtained with cucumber seedlings produced in large sized trays. No significant statistical differences were observed for total fruit yield when seedlings were produced in small sized trays and less than two leaves at transplanting age. The commercial production was improved when seedlings were produced in larger sized trays. Transplanting age had no influence over the commercial yield of fruits when seedlings were obtained in large sized trays. However, a reduction of commercial fruit production was observed in plants whose seedlings were transplanted later and produced in trays with smaller cells.
Cucumis sativus; seeding production; growth
