Cucumber is one of the main vegetables in Ukraine. Nowadays the recommended rate of its consumption is not fully satisfied, it depends upon the increasing demand of food processing industry for primary products. Besides, many agricultural enterprises grow cucumbers using outdated technology (the horizontal method), according to this technology they greatly use hand labor and get low yields (15-18 t/ha).

According to modern market conditions the technology of growing cucumber on a vertical trellis might be very effective. This technology becomes more popular and is implemented in large areas of our country, especially in areas of canning industry. One of the most important tasks of this technology is the selection of effective plant growth biostimulators.

The problem of the use of biostimulators in the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe zone of Ukraine is not studied enough, so it’s very important to conduct the research of plant growing using the vertical trellis with drip irrigation. Vertical placement allows to use photosynthetic capacity of plants more efficient, to provide better lighting, heating, promotes higher-quality irrigation, protection against pests and diseases, harvesting.

The research was conducted at the experimental plot of Uman National University of Horticulture from 2010 to 2012. The soil of the experimental plot is podzolized and loam clayed black soil. The humus content – 35%, pH = 6.0, the degree of soil saturation of basic elements - 91%.

The research was conducted with the help of a hybrid of foreign breeding Angelina F1 and with a direct sowing method of cultivation. The seeds were sown in the first ten-day period of May lengthwise the rows with a distance of 15 cm between plants. The variant without the use of biostimulators was taken as a control option. Processing methods were carried out according to the crop and area of cultivation.

For the research we used such agents as Azotofit, Fitotsyd, Vympel and Biolan. Before sowing the seeds were soaked in solutions of biostimulators (Azotofit and Fitotsyd - 3 hours, Vympel and Biolan - 12 hours).

According to phenological observations biostimulators didn’t effect on their development. The main seedling stage, the formation of the third true leaf and the beginning the formation of the main stem in all variants observed almost simultaneously - on 8-9, 25-26 and 30-31 days after sowing. Pistillate flower bloom occurred on 40-41 days from sowing. The first cucumbers were formed after 6 days of pistillate flower blooming.

The used agents increased the height of the main stem on 10,5-18,7 cm, the thickness of the main stem on 0,5-1,3 mm and the number of leaves per plant. The area of leaf in influenced samples was at 390-880 сm² greater than in the control option.

All applied plant growth biostimulators increased the yield. The highest yield was obtained from seeds treated with Biolan - 52.3 t / ha and Vympel - 50.8 t / ha, which is more than the yield of the control option by 8.9 t / ha and 7.4 t / ha. The yield obtained from seeds treated with Fitotsyd and Azotofit was also higher than the yield of the control option (46,7−49,1 т/га). Biostimulants increased the amount of cucumbers per plant (22,3-25,0 pcs.), the result of such plants was higher than the result of those plants which were not treated with biostimulators (20.8 pcs.).

The marketability of cucumbers in the researched hybrid was quite high (97,1-99,0%), but the highest value was obtained in those plants which seeds were soaked in solutions of Azotofit and Biolan (98,5-99,0%).

Key words: cucumber, hybrids, biological preparations, biometrical parameters, productivity, marketability of fruit.