A method for regulating the growth of cucumber by needle pricking

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of agricultural production, and aims to provide a method for regulating cucumber growth by acupuncture, comprising the following steps: sowing, planting when seedlings grow to 2 leaves and 1 heart, and hanging tendril when growing to 8 true leaves; performing acupuncture intervention on the plant within 20-25 days after sowing, selecting a position 1 cm above the position where the root of the plant is flush with the soil, and performing intervention by inserting the acupuncture needle at an angle of 45° upward; leaving the needle for 15 days and then pulling out the needle, and continuing to cultivate.The present application promotes the growth and fruiting of fruit cucumber by acupuncture on the root of cucumber, which is reflected in significantly improving the growth rate of tendril thickness and root thickness, and the plant shows thick root and strong seedling.Meanwhile, the acupuncture on the root also significantly improves the single fruit weight and longitudinal diameter of the fruit, and as a kind of green and effective measure, it shows a broad application prospect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of agricultural production, specifically to a method for regulating cucumber growth through acupuncture. Background Technology

[0002] With societal progress, people are increasingly concerned about food safety and environmental safety. These issues are directly related to people's health and safety. Currently, to promote crop growth and increase yields, producers use large amounts of fertilizers, hormones, and pesticides. Excessive fertilizer, hormone, and pesticide residues in agricultural products, soil, and water sources are a significant factor contributing to food safety and environmental safety problems. Therefore, in agricultural production, how to balance the reduction of fertilizer, hormone, and pesticide use with the promotion of crop growth is a scientific issue of great concern. Consequently, how to increase plant yields, promote plant growth, and leverage their natural regulatory capabilities under scientifically effective and harmless conditions has become a focus of attention in this field in recent years.

[0003] As early as the 1980s, numerous studies have shown that "plants possess a meridian control system similar to that of humans and animals." The plant organism can promote growth and development and adapt to the environment through complex regulatory mechanisms, including the action of plant hormones, the regulation of environmental factors such as temperature, light, and gravity, the characteristics of the plant's own growth patterns, and physiological mechanisms of adversity adaptation. Based on this, the inventors, combining traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture, intend to regulate plant growth through acupuncture. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is a common fruit in daily life. As a dicotyledonous plant with a distinct taproot, acupuncture has a greater impact on herbaceous plants than on woody plants, making it a better research subject for plant growth regulation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for regulating cucumber growth through acupuncture. By intervening through acupuncture, the growth of cucumber can be regulated, which can, to a certain extent, replace or reduce the plant's dependence on pesticides and fertilizers, and has the characteristics of being green and harmless.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the technical solution adopted by this invention is: a method for regulating cucumber growth through acupuncture, comprising the following steps:

[0006] D. Sow seeds and transplant them when the seedlings have grown to 2 leaves and 1 heart. When the seedlings have grown to 8 true leaves, trellise them.

[0007] E. Acupuncture intervention on the plants within 20-25 days after sowing. When performing acupuncture intervention, select a point where the roots of the plant are level with the soil and insert the acupuncture needle at a 45° angle upwards.

[0008] F. After 15 days of needle culture, remove the needle and continue the culture.

[0009] Preferably, in step B, the insertion depth of the acupuncture needle is 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the root diameter.

[0010] Preferably, in step B, two acupuncture needles are used for acupuncture intervention, with the horizontal angle between the two needles being 60-90° when viewed from above.

[0011] Preferably, in step C, after removing the needle, the irritating area is wrapped with a transparent film at least two times, and then removed after 10 days.

[0012] The beneficial effects of this invention are mainly reflected in the significant impact of acupuncture on the growth of cucumber plants and fruits. Furthermore, the results differ depending on the acupuncture site. Acupuncture at the root promotes the growth and fruiting of cucumbers, manifested in a significant increase in vine diameter growth rate and root diameter, resulting in robust plants with thicker roots. Simultaneously, root acupuncture also significantly increases the weight and longitudinal diameter of individual fruits. This indicates that, inspired by traditional meridian medicine theory, acupuncture intervention can be innovatively applied to plant growth regulation, demonstrating broad application prospects as a green and effective measure. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the acupuncture intervention at different parts of the plant according to the present invention:

[0014] Figure 2 This is a theoretical diagram illustrating the influence of the meridian "root knot" theory on plant growth structure in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0015] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the embodiments, so as to provide an intuitive demonstration of the effects of the present invention.

[0016] like Figure 2 As shown, this invention is based on the "root and knot" theory from the classic acupuncture theory *Ling Shu: Root and Knot*. It considers the roots of plants as the origin of meridians, hence the term "root," and the first branch and tip of the plant stem as the knot, the point where meridians converge, hence the term "knot." Using analogy, this invention attempts to analyze the vertical relationship between the limbs and the head and torso of the human body by referencing the structural characteristics of plants. The root, located at the ends of the limbs, is analogous to the root system of a plant; the knot, located near the head and torso, is analogous to the branches and fruits of a plant. Whether acupuncture at these important points in the meridian structure can also play a role in the growth and fruiting of plants is the subject of this invention.

[0017] 1. Material selection:

[0018] The cucumber variety used in the experiment was "Meidi," provided by Fuzhou Nongjia Seed Technology Co., Ltd. The acupuncture instruments used were Huatuo brand sterile acupuncture needles, 0.3×25mm in size, manufactured by Suzhou Medical Supplies Factory Co., Ltd. Ordinary plastic wrap was used as the transparent film, cut into 1cm widths and 5cm lengths for later use.

[0019] 2. Plant cultivation method and nutrient solution:

[0020] Soilless cultivation using coconut coir substrate troughs was employed, with a plant spacing of 25 cm and 6 plants per trough. The nutrient solution formula was a modified Hoagland nutrient solution, and the mass concentrations of each component are shown in Table 1. The EC value of the nutrient solution was controlled at 2.0–2.7 mS·cm⁻¹, and the pH value was controlled at around 6.5. All groups were managed uniformly during the cultivation period.

[0021] Table 1 Nutrient solution formula

[0022]

[0023] 3. Test methods:

[0024] The selected cucumber variety was sown on July 12th. Seedlings were transplanted when they had two leaves and one bud, and trained to grow eight true leaves. Intervention began on August 2nd (22 days after sowing), with the following specific measures: The acupuncture group received acupuncture needles inserted obliquely upwards at 45° to different parts of the plant, to a depth of approximately 1 / 3-1 / 2 of the needle diameter, and retained the needles for 15 days. The control group received no acupuncture treatment, but the treatment method was as follows: Figure 1 As shown in the figure. The experiment was divided into 5 groups, with 6 replicates per treatment, arranged in a randomized block design, including:

[0025] Control group (CK);

[0026] Needle the "knot" group (needle the first fork of the vine);

[0027] Needle the "non-nodular" group (needle 1 cm above the first fork of the vine);

[0028] Acupuncture at the "root" level (needle puncture at the point where the plant root is level with the soil);

[0029] Acupuncture at the "non-root" group (1 cm above the aforementioned "root" part of the plant);

[0030] 4. Indicator Measurement:

[0031] (1) Calculation formulas for growth indicators and related parameters

[0032] Plant growth indicators were measured on day 1 and day 15. Vine length was measured with a tape measure, and vine and root diameters were measured with digital vernier calipers. During the peak fruiting period of cucumbers, 10 marketable cucumbers with uniform growth were randomly selected from each plant. The longitudinal and transverse diameters of the fruits were measured with digital vernier calipers, and the fresh weight of a single fruit was measured with an electronic balance. These were kept for fruit quality assessment.

[0033] Vine length growth rate = (Vine length at the end of the experiment - Initial vine length) / Initial vine length

[0034] Vine diameter growth rate = (End vine diameter at the end of the experiment - Initial vine diameter) / Initial vine diameter

[0035] (2) Quality Indicators

[0036] The soluble sugar content was determined using the copper-reducing iodometric method for soluble sugars in vegetables and their products as specified in NY / T 1278-2007; the vitamin C content was determined using the ascorbic acid determination method as specified in GB 5009.86-2016 National Food Safety Standard.

[0037] 5. Data processing and analysis:

[0038] The experimental data were used for descriptive statistical analysis using Excel 2019, and SPSS 25.0 was used for statistical analysis of differences between groups.

[0039] 6. Results and Analysis:

[0040] 6.1 The effects of needle pricking on the growth of fruit cucumber plants are shown in Table 2.

[0041] Table 2 Effects of needle pricking on the growth of cucumber plants

[0042]

[0043] Note: Different lowercase letters on the right side of the data in the same column indicate significant differences (P<0.05).

[0044] The data in Table 2 show that needle pricking had a significant impact on the growth of fruit cucumber plants. Furthermore, the results varied depending on the location of the needle pricking.

[0045] Compared with control plants under the same growth conditions, needle pricking treatment significantly increased the vine diameter growth rate during the experiment (P<0.05). During the experiment, the vine diameter growth rate of the control group was 11.02%, while the vine diameter growth rate of the needle pricking treatment groups ranged from 14.34% to 21.98%. The vine diameter growth rate of the needle pricking treatment groups was 30.14% to 99.49% higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). The highest vine diameter growth rate was observed in the root pricking treatment, with a vine diameter growth rate of 21.98%, which was 99.49% higher than that of the control group (P<0.05).

[0046] In the comparison of root diameter, the highest was achieved with the needle-punched root treatment, reaching 14.55 mm, which was 15.07% higher than the control group (P<0.05). The second highest was achieved with the needle-punched non-root treatment, which was 8.62% higher than the control group (P<0.05). The needle-punching of nodular and non-nodular areas had no significant effect on root diameter.

[0047] Furthermore, acupuncture at the non-node, node, and root regions increased internode distances by 21.12% (P<0.05), 4.98% (P<0.05), and 2.12% respectively compared to the control group. Acupuncture at the non-root region decreased internode distances by 5.15% compared to the control group (P<0.05).

[0048] Table 2 also shows that, compared with the control plants, the needle pricking treatment tended to inhibit the growth of cucumber vines. The vine growth rate was reduced by 4.03%, 4.65%, 8.85%, and 21.81% respectively at the nodular, root, non-nodular, and non-root sites compared with the control group (P<0.05).

[0049] 6.2 Effects of needle pricking on the morphology of cucumber fruit

[0050] Table 3. Effects of needle pricks on the morphology of cucumber fruits

[0051]

[0052] Note: Different lowercase letters on the right side of the data in the same column indicate significant differences (P<0.05).

[0053] Table 3 shows that root pricking significantly increased the single fruit weight and longitudinal diameter of cucumbers, with significant differences compared to other groups (P<0.05). This indicates that root pricking not only affects plant growth but also alters fruit morphology. Unexpectedly, fruits pricking non-fruiting areas and non-root areas showed significantly lower longitudinal diameter, transverse diameter, and single fruit weight compared to the control group (P<0.05). This demonstrates that the choice of pricking site is crucial in regulating plant growth.

[0054] 6.3 Effects of needle pricking on soluble sugars and vitamin C in cucumber

[0055] Table 4. Effects of needle pricking on the soluble sugar and vitamin C content of cucumber.

[0056]

[0057] Soluble sugar and vitamin C are commonly used indicators for cucumber quality determination. Table 4 shows that needle pricking had no significant effect on the soluble sugar content of cucumbers in each group, but the vitamin C content decreased to varying degrees in all groups treated with needle pricking, especially in the root group where the decrease was most significant. Further improvements can be explored in future studies.

[0058] Through the above methods, the present invention selected the root of the plant as the optimal site for acupuncture intervention. In subsequent experiments, the present invention also conducted multi-needle acupuncture intervention on the root:

[0059] The first method uses a cross-needling technique with two acupuncture needles, which means that the two needles are inserted at a horizontal angle of 60-90° when viewed from above, to achieve root needling.

[0060] The second method: acupuncture intervention using a four-needle circular insertion method;

[0061] Due to the increased needling, both methods require wrapping the irritated area with transparent film at least twice after needle removal, and removing it after 10 days.

[0062] The first method involves needle pricking an area of ​​about 1 / 6 to 1 / 4 of the plant's root circumference and wrapping the puncture sites after needle removal. This improves both plant and fruit performance. Under the same conditions, compared to the aforementioned single-needle pricking and no transparent film wrapping, the vine diameter growth rate increases by about 12%, and the root diameter growth rate increases by about 20%, but there is no significant change in fruit indicators.

[0063] In the second method, with four needle punctures and a transparent membrane covering the fruit, compared to the control group, the fruit indicators, including both soluble sugar and vitamin C, showed a significant decrease, while the growth of vine and root diameter did not increase and even slightly decreased.

[0064] This shows that excessive needle-pricking intervention can also have adverse effects on plant growth. Currently, double-needle cross-needling of the roots is the most effective method proven in experiments.

Claims

1. A method for regulating cucumber growth through acupuncture, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Sow seeds and transplant them when the seedlings have grown to 2 leaves and 1 heart. When the seedlings have grown to 8 true leaves, trellis them. Within 20-25 days after sowing, the plants were treated with acupuncture. When treating the plants, the roots were level with the soil and the acupuncture needles were inserted at a 45° angle upwards. After 15 days of incubation, the needle is removed, and the culture continues. In step B, the insertion depth of the acupuncture needle is 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the diameter of the root. In step B, two acupuncture needles are used for acupuncture intervention, with the two needles inserted at a horizontal angle of 60-90° when viewed from above. This promotes the growth and fruiting of fruit cucumbers, increases the growth rate of vine diameter and root diameter, and also increases the weight of single fruits and the longitudinal diameter of fruits.

2. The method for regulating cucumber growth by acupuncture according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step C, after removing the needle, wrap the irritating area with transparent film at least two times, and remove it after 10 days.

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