The effect of temperature on formation and abortion of flower buds in gynoecious cucumber plants

Plants were grown at 15, 21 or 27°C. Fewer buds were formed at high than at low temperature. At all 3 temperatures, some of the buds aborted. However, the differences in numbers of buds between temperatures did not disappear. Transfer of the plants from 27 to 21°C did not raise the number of buds formed in nodes of which the leaf primordia had already been formed. Therefore, it is plausible that the number of flower buds is determined at a very early stage of node development.