Cucumber

ihsanullah shareefi
Master Degree in the field of (plant pathology) at University of Agriculture
I am glad to share that I have completed my msc(hons)plant pathology with research focussed on public sector reforms, policy and performance management systems from…

1. Cucumber Cucumis sativus L.

2. Classification English Name Cucumber Botanical Name Cucumis sativus L. Family Cucurbitaceae Chromosome No. 2n=14

3. Origin Cucumber is an indigenous vegetable to India. Pursglove (1969) has suggested that the cultivated cucumis sativus originated in northern India where the related C. hardwicki Royle occurs wild, although this might be a “weedy” form of C. sativus , which has escaped cultivation. In Egypt at the time of the XIIth Dynasty, the Greeks and the Romans knew it. In China, it was known by the 6 century A.D. Cucumber has been cultivated in India for at least three thousand years. From India, rapidly to China and even earlier and more rapidly to the west. It has now spread through out the world.

4. Area and Production in the World Top Ten Producing Countries China, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, USA, Spain, Egypt, Japan, Indonesia.

5. Area and Production in Pakistan It is an important salad crop and cultivated in Pakistan in almost all provinces. According to the official figures, the country produced 15,949 tons of cucumber from 1,251 hectares in 2010-11.

6. Cucumber, with peel, raw Nutritional value per 100 g Energy 65 kJ (16 kcal) Carbohydrates 3.63 g Sugars 1.67 g Dietary fiber 0.5 g Fat 0.11 g Protein 0.65 g Water 95.23 g Thiamine ( vit . B 1 ) 0.027 mg (2%) Riboflavin ( vit . B 2 ) 0.033 mg (3%) Niacin ( vit . B 3 ) 0.098 mg (1%) Pantothenic acid (B 5 ) 0.259 mg (5%) Vitamin B 6 0.040 mg (3%) Folate  ( vit . B 9 ) 7 μ g (2%) Vitamin C 2.8 mg (3%) Calcium 16 mg (2%) Iron 0.28 mg (2%) Magnesium 13 mg (4%) Phosphorus 24 mg (3%) Potassium 147 mg (3%) Zinc 0.20 mg (2%)

7. Plant Description Plant is annual, tendril bearing, creeping or climbing, sparingly branched and scabrous plant. Stem is robust, obtusely quinquangular , densely hispidulous , yellowish green, and 50-250 cm long. Tendrils inserted beside the leaves, robust, patent, peduncled , simple, hispid, yellowish green and 10-30 cm long. Leaves are distichous , long petioled , simple, in outline broadly ovate and angular. Flowers are axillary , shortly stalked, unisexual, monoecious , rather large, densely hispid, 3-4 cm diameter, for the greater part male, the female ones solitary, the male ones in fascicles of 3-7. Fruits are pendulous on robust stalk, very variable as to shape and size, usually oblong or linear cylindrical, small or large, straight or curved at first green or whitish green, when ripe, succulent, many seeded, 10-20 cm long or longer and 3-7 cm diameter. Flesh is pale green. Root system is extensive.

8. Leaves Fruit Seeds Flower Roots

9. Varieties The varieties of cucumber  vary by color, size and appropriate uses . Following are mostly cultivated varieties of cucumber in Pakistan and India. Pusa Sanyog Straight eight Swarna poorna Poinsette Sheetal Peshawer local Baby long Ashly Albeit Swat local Market more

10. Climatic Requirements It is a warm season crop. It can not tolerate high cold and frost. High humidity and short day length promote female flower production. It requires 18°C minimum temperature for seed germination and 20-30°C for growth and development of plant.

11. Soil conditions It requires sandy to sandy loam soil for early and good crop, whereas, heavy soils are good for high yield. It can be grown successfully on slightly acidic soils. The soil pH should be 5.5 to 6.7. For high production, the soil should be rich in organic manure with proper drainage facility.

12. Sowing Time Sowing time varies from place to place. Regions Optimum sowing time Plains February to March Hills April to May Summer Crop March to April Rainy Crop June to July

13. Seed Rate and Sowing Method 3 to 5 kg seed will be sufficient for sowing in one hectare. Sowing can be done on raised beds, in furrows or in pits, according to the system followed. 2 seeds per hill are generally sown on both sides of the bed. In case of pit system, prepare pits of size 45 × 45 cm about 60 cm deep and filled with FYM, cattle manure and soil in equal proportion up to 30 cm above ground level. 3 to 4 seeds are sown per pit. Plant spacing should be kept 150 cm row to row and 60 to 90 cm plant to plant. For taking early crop of cucumber, seed can also be sown in plastic bags in the month of December, in spite of directly sowing to the main field.

14. Fertilizer Requirement Manures and fertilizers in cucumber should be given as per availability of nutrients in the soil after soil testing. Nath et al. (1987) recommended 37,000 to 49,000 kg per hectare FRM which may be mixed with the soil or applied to each pit. The quantity of NPK varies from place to place. Usually a combination of 100:50:50 kg NPK per hectare are used for cucumber production. Half quantity of nitrogen and full quantity of each phosphorus and potash is applied in the pits or furrows at the time of sowing. Remaining quantity of nitrogen may apply 30 days after sowing or just before flowering.

15. Intercultural Practices For higher production and increasing the quality of fruit, vines are trained on bamboo with rope or wire. Cucumber can also be trained in bower system. It is helpful in increasing the production and carrying the plants. It does not allow the fruits to touch the ground, hence, increase the fruit quality. Weeding: The field should be free from weeds throughout cropping season. First weeding may be given 15-20 days after sowing. Two more weeding are given at 25-30 days interval. Weeds can also be control by the application of any contact weedicides.

16. Irrigation Over irrigation should be avoided, as cucumber can not withstand under water logging conditions. In dry weather, the crop is irrigated fourth or fifth day but during raining season, the interval may be increased depending on rainfall distribution. Irrigations from start of start of flowering and full bloom are beneficial. Fruit enlargement also requires ample supply of water. Drought during flowering results in deformed, non viable pollen grains, leading to poor yield. During irrigation care is taken to see that water from the basin or furrows do not overflow and inundate the plants, because if they stand in water for any length of time, the foliage become chlorotic or yellow and the growth is retarded.

17. Harvesting The crop become for harvesting in about 60 to 70 days after sowing. The fruit takes about 7 to 10 days from setting to reach marketable stage. The fruit is harvested when it is still green and tender. The over mature fruit will fetch less price in the market. The fruit is picked at an interval of 2 days. Yield: The fruit yield varies from 8000 to 12000 kg per hectare.

18. Storage Generally cucumber is not stored for longer periods because it’s a perishable commodity. Storage of cucumber is generally less than 14 days as visual and sensory quality deteriorate rapidly. Shriveling , yellowing, and decay are likely to increase following storage beyond two weeks, especially after removal to typical retail conditions. Short term storage or transit temperatures below this range such as 7.2°C are commonly used but will result in chilling injury after 2-3 days .

19. Uses Fat busting + Wrinkle Releasing :  The photochemical in cucumbers makes the collagen in your skin tighten . Headaches + Hangovers : Cucumbers are high in B vitamins, sugar, and electrolytes (things that help you avoid headaches and hangovers). Bad Breath Be Gone:  Hold a slice of cucumber on the roof of your mouth with your tongue for 30 seconds. The photochemical kills the bacteria that causes bad breath . Sunburn:  Cucumber, like aloe, soothes skin and especially sunburn . Energy Boost : There are just enough carbohydrates and B vitamins to give you a longer-lasting and healthier boost of energy than soda, coffee, or those health hazard energy drinks . Blood Pressure + Cholesterol:   Adding cucumbers to daily diet regulates blood pressure. There is also ongoing research into the use of cucumbers for lowering cholesterol .

20. Insects Cucumber beetles Squash bug Aphids

21. Cucumber beetles The adults feed on the cotyledons, leaves, vines, blossoms, and the rind of fruits. The beetles are vectors of the bacterium that causes bacterial wilt of muskmelons and cucumbers. The larvae feed on roots and tunnel in underground stems, although this damage is usually not very important. Control : Be aware that large numbers of beetles may invade your fields over a short period of time. Beetles will usually congregate on plants near the field edges first. If the population reaches the economic threshold, treat the whole field with suitable insecticide.

22. Squash bug Both nymphs and adults suck the plant sap from leaves and vines. The leaves become black and crisp, and the plant wilts and eventually dies. In the late season, squash bugs may feed on the fruit, and may make them unmarketable. Squash bugs are also suspected of transmitting the casual agent of a disease, yellow vine. Control : After the crop is harvested, vines should be removed from the field and burned or destroyed by cultivation. Field margins should be as free as possible of rubbish, piles of leaves, boards, and other shelters.

23. Aphids Both nymphs and adults suck the plant sap from underside of the leaves, weakening the plants and reducing the quantity and quality of the fruit. Leaves damaged by aphids have a distorted, cupped appearance. Plants with heavy infestation have a mottled appearance or necrotic spots on leaves and stunting of the plants. The “honeydew” secreted from the aphids may cause the growth of a sooty, black mold. Control : Scout the field for aphids and natural enemies. Use recommended foliar insecticides

24. Diseases Fusarium wilt Powdery mildew Pythium root rot

25. Fusarium wilt If very young plants are attacked the seedlings may rot before or after emergence or the plants may become stunted. When mature plants are attacked, the tips of the runners wilt, and gradually the entire plant wilts and dies. The woody part of the stem is discolored brown. The roots may exhibit cankers . Management : Remove dead and decaying plant debris from the growing field. In severe case proper fungicide spray should use.

26. Powdery Mildew This disease is favored by high humidity and tends to occur on older leaves first. Symptoms first appear as white powdery residue primarily on the upper leaf surface. On the lower surface of the leaves circular patches or spots appear. In severe cases, these spread, coalesce and cover both the surfaces of the leaves and spread also to the petioles, stem, etc. Severely attacked leaves become brown and shriveled and defoliation may occur. Fruits of the affected plants do not develop fully and remain small. Control: Carbendazim (1ml/ litre of water) is sprayed immediately after the appearance of the disease. 2-3 sprays are taken at an interval of 15 days.

27. Pythium root rot Pythium root rot may affect all cultivated cucurbits, but the disease becomes important only in certain seasons on particular crops . The first symptoms are usually stunting, production of small and somewhat yellowish leaves, wilting, failure of fruit to set and mature, and sometimes collapse and death of the plants . The roots of affected plants may appear water-soaked and flaccid, with some sunken, darkened lesions on the larger, fleshy roots. Management: Use of good quality seed and crop rotation are important.