Cucumber Cultivation & Seed Production Technology

Cucumber

Botanical Name: Cucumis sativus
Family: Cucurbitaciceae
Chromosome No. 14
Origin: India

Climate and Soil:-

Cucumber is especially a warm season crop. This is very Sensitive to frost. The optimum temperature for cucumber production is 25"C.  Excess humidity promotes diseases like powdery mildew and downy mildew. well drained loamy soil is preferred for cucumber production.

Varieties:-
Hybrid: 

1) Himangi- Poinsetta×Kalyanpur Agati, Resistance to Bronzing.

2) Phule subhangi- Poinsetta×Kalyanpur Agati, Resistance to Bronzing.

Improved Variety:-

1) Punjab Kheera 1 (2018), 2) Punjab Naveen (2008).

Mosaic resistance varieties:

1) Tokyo Long Green, 2) Chinese long, 3) Winscrimson, 4) Table green.

Sowing Time:- 
February March.

Seed Rate:- 
Use 1.0 kg of seed per acre.

Spacing:-

The seeds are sown on both sides of the beds of width 2.5 meter at a distance of 60 cm between seed. Sow 2 or 3 seeds at one place to ensure good stand.

Low tunnel technology:-

To get early yield of cucumber, The low tunnel practice is helpful in raising crop in early summer. After sowing the seeds, flexible iron rods of 2 meter length shaped into arches hoops are fixed manually at the distance of 2 meter so as to have the height of 45-60 cm. It will cover the paired rows on the beds. Remove these sheets when temperature rises outside in the month of February.

Manure and Fertilizers:-

Cucumbers requires 40 kg N, 20 kg PO, and 20 kg K,O. Apply 1/3 N along with whole PO, and KO at the time of sowing in two parallel bands 15 cm away from the bed mark. Apply rest of the N during the early period of vine growth i.e. one month of sowing.

Irrigation :-

Sowing is done on the pre-irrigated furrows on top of the ridge on both sides of the beds, subsequently irrigation is applied second or third day of sowing. The crop is irrigated at 3-6 days interval. Total number of irrigations would be 10-11.

Harvesting:-

Fruits are picked when tender and young when seeds inside the fruit are still soft. Fruits must be picked before change in colour from green to yellow.

Seed Production:-
For seed production the fruits should be picked when brown in colour.

Extraction of Seeds:-

For extraction of seed, the pulp of the fruit is taken out in fresh water. It is kept for 1 to 2 days to allow the seed to separate from the pulp. The seed is rubbed with hand. Heavy seeds settle down in water and are retained.