CONTACT COILING OF CUCUMBER TENDRILS AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW SUPPORTING MATERIALS

The responses of contact coiling of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) tend rils to different types of supporting materials were studied. The coil ing frequency of cucumber tendrils was shown to be higher with bamboo as a support than with polyethylene string. Tendrils coiled more effec tively under higher temperatures (30/25 degrees C day/night) than unde r lower temperature (20/15 degrees C) regimes, regardless of supportin g materials. Moisturized polyethylene string supports increased coilin g by 20% compared with dry polythene string. Elimination of static ele ctricity by grounding accelerated tendril coiling. When supports were treated with 1% (w/v) of the antistatic agents KK-2, Pigeon, Antinol-5 05, and Antistatic I, tendrils coiled for 15-23 days. On a polyethylen e net support made by mixing polyethylene and 0.5% Antistatic II, howe ver, 84% of tendrils coiled, and the effect lasted over 1 year.