Diseases and Management of Crops under Protected Cultivation

(Diseases and Management of Crops under Protected Cultivation)
to provide improved oxygen supply to the root zone. High solution temperatures also reduce the
amount of dissolved oxygen in the solution. The growers must avoid high temperatures in the
solution.
Fruit development
A fruit may develop at each node and more than one may begin to develop at some nodes.
It is usually best to thin these multiple-fruit clusters to a single fruit; however, vigorous plants can
sometimes have more than one cucumber at a node and any distorted fruit should be removed
immediately. The greatest growth of the fruit occurs between day 6 and 14 after the bloom opens
(anthesis). Maximum fruit length occurs at day 14 followed by diameter increase. The shape of the
fruit is somewhat tapering at the stem end prior to day 10 after the bloom, however, the fruit
becomes uniformly cylindrical by day 14. During the spring season, commercially acceptable fruit
size is usually reached by the 11 th day after the bloom opens.
Harvesting
With good management each plant may produce about 6-7 kg fruit over a period of 3-4
month period. Cucumber fruit is harvested when it attains a size of 10-14 inches long. After
harvesting fruits are stored at 10 0 C with 70-80 % relative humidity.
This technology eliminates stresses due to biotic and abiotic factors and the use of
pesticides can also be minimized. The technology is highly remunerative for the growers near
periurban areas of the country who can access and target niche markets. The growers can also
take full advantage of the offseason produce cucumber, which is not possible under outdoor
cultivation.
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