Effect of a phosphonium salt grafted on polymers on cucumber germination and initial growth

The aims of this study were the synthesis, characterization and the testing of vinyldiphenylphosphonium salt phytotoxicity. Phytotoxicity of the synthesised salt was tested on Cucumis sativus L. seed germination and early seedling growth, at five different concentrations, using a standardized toxicity test. Endpoints included the determination of some seedling parameters: root and shoot length, root and shoot biomass, root and shoot dry weight ratio and final germination percentage. The vinyldiphenylphosphonium salt showed moderate to strong root length and root biomass inhibition, which increases progressively with the increasd of the concentration level.