COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PHENOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF PROMISING CUCUMBER HYBRIDS UNDER DIFFERENT SUBSTRATE CONDITIONS

Abstract

• This study presents a comparative evaluation of the effects of various organic and mineral substrate compositions on the phenological and biometric indicators of the promising cucumber hybrids Saturn F1 and Zena F1 under the conditions of Karakalpakstan over the period 2024–2026. The research results showed that the composition of the nutrient medium significantly affects seed germination and the duration of vegetation phases. Compared to the control (pure soil) and decomposed manure variants, the highest results were recorded when peat and biohumus substrates were used. Specifically, in these variants seed germination capacity reached its highest level (94.9%–95.8%), and the seeds germinated 2–3 days earlier (in 4 days) than in the control. Furthermore, in the peat and biohumus medium, the plants formed female flowers early (at 33 days), shortening the period to the first harvest by up to 40 days and extending the overall fruiting period to its highest indicator (32–34 days). In conclusion, it was observed that the use of biohumus and peat substrates in ensuring the long-term productivity of cucumber hybrids has high scientific and practical effectiveness.