Cultivation Techniques of Cucumber
Introduction
Botanical name: Cucumis sativus L.
• Family: Cucurbitaceae
• 2n=14
• Origin: India
• Ancestor : Cucumis hardwickii
Importance
• Wide range of uses: from salads to pickles and digestive aids to beauty products.
• It is a very good source of potassium
• Fruits are also used as an antipyretic.
• Fruits are good for people suffering from constipation, jaundice and indigestion.
• The fruits are also consumed raw.
• Fruit and seed possess cooling properties.
Soil
• Cucumbers prefer light textured soils that are well drained & high in organic matter
• pH range from 6.5-7.5 are ideal for cucumber cultivation.
• Adapted to a wide-range of soils, but will produce early in sandy soils.
• Cucumbers are fairly tolerant to acid soils (pH 5.5).
Climate
• Maximum growth occurs at a day and night temperature of about 28°C,
• Maximum fruit production is achieved with a night temperature of 19-20°C and a day temperature of 20-22°C.
• The minimum temperature should not be lower than 18oC for sustained production.
• Prolonged temperature above 35oC should also be avoided as fruit production and quality are affected at extremely higher temperatures.
Seed & Sowing
Irrigation
Training & Pruning
• Basic principle in developing training system is to uniformly maximize the leaf interception of sunlight throughout the house.
• Staking in cucumber has been found to be very effective in getting maximum yield and better quality of fruits.
• Pruning improve fruit yield and quality
• As the plant grows up the string, remove all the lateral buds up tothe sixth node
• Pruning the lateral buds allows the plant to become large enough to support continued healthy fruit development.
• Pruning improve fruit yield and quality
• As the plant grows up the string, remove all the lateral buds up to the sixth node
• Pruning the lateral buds allows the plant to become large enough
Varieties
•Japanese Long Green •Straight-8
•Pusa Uday •Pusa Barkha
•Pusa Sanyog •Himangi
•Pant Sankar Khira-1 •Pant Parthenocarpic khira-2
•Pant Parthenocarpic khira-3
Harvesting & Yield
• Generally, cucumber is ready for first harvesting in 30 to 40 days of planting depending upon climatic
conditions and crop management practices.
• Harvesting is done when fruits are more or less cylindrical and well filled
• It should be carried out in early morning or late evening.
• The produce should immediately be moved to cool, shaded and ventilated area.
• On an average 8 – 10 harvests can be done
Yield
• 8 - 10 t/ha (80 to 90 days)
Physiological Disorders
1) Bitterness :
• Cool weather at high elevations
• Open pollination and excessive use of nitrogenousfertilizer
2) Crooked fruit :
•Imperfect pollination and fertilization.
•High soil moisture, poor nutrition and adverse temperature
3) Frost or low temperature injury :
• Freezing of cell sap results in rupture of the cell membrane.
4) Pillow disorder:
• Calcium deficiency
5) Fruit splitting or cracking :
•Heavy rainfall or rain after a long period of water stress causes fruits to splits.
•Calcium deficiency aggravates the disorder.
6) Misshapen fruits :
•High plant population or dense plant canopy
•Negligence in using growth hormones and herbicides.