CUCUMBER PRODUCTION

In partial fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

Major in Crop Science

Lourd Randall Abella

2017

CUCUMBER PRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

Cucumber is scientifically known as “Cucumis sativus”. It is part of the Cucurbitae family and is thought to have
originated in Nepal. Cucumbers are frost sensitive and are cultivated in the open or in greenhouses, depending on the type.

Greenhouse cucumbers are parthenocarpic (produce fruit without fertilization of ovules) and the fruit are usually seedless.

The fruit has a mild flavor, with a thin, dark green skin that does not require peeling. The general fruit shape is roughly

cylindrical, elongated with tapered ends and range from 12-38cm when ready for harvest. Cucumbers are usually eaten as in

salads or as accompaniments to various foods.

Cucumbers are often eaten as a vegetable but they are scientifically considered

a fruit as they contain enclose seeds and develop from a flower. Cucumbers, like cantaloupes, squash, pumpkins and

watermelons, are members of the cucurbit family of produce. They are vine crops and can be grown on the ground or on

poles or trellises to suspend the fruit.

With this impact to the environment, recently, the government passed a law which is the Republic Act 10068 or

other known as the “Organic Agriculture Act” which aims to regenerate the unproductive soil due to high level of acidity.

Vermicompost is a kind of fertilizer that use various species of worms usually red wrigglers, white worms and

other earthworms suitable for decomposition to create a heterogenous mixture of decomposing vegetable or food waste,

bedding materials and vermicast. Vermicompost contains nutrients in forms readily taken by the plants such as nitrates,

exchangeable phosphorus, and soluble potassium, calcium and magnesium. Decomposition of various organic substances

(kitchen waste, agro-residues, institutional and industrial wastes including textile industry sludge and fibers) into valuable

vermicompost has been extensively studied using an exotic earthworm species.

CULTURAL MANAGEMENT PRACTICE

Land preparation

Plow and Harrow the field 2-3 times at one week interval. Prepared the soil thoroughly as early as

possible to give enough time for the weeds and stubble of the previous crop to decompost.

Mulching

Egg tray was used as mulching materials. Mulching was done to suppress the weeds growth and to

conserve moisture. This would also aid in reducing the destructive effect of excessive rain during wet

season.

Securing the seeds

The seeds of cucumber seeds were bought in the Alcantara Commercial, an accredited farm supply
enterprise which is located at C-4, Claveria, Cagayan.

Pre - germination of seeds

The seeds were pre - germinated using the rag doll method. After 2 days, the seeds were planted in

the field. During dry season, plant 1-2 seeds per hill at a distance of 50 cm between hill and furrows.

Fertilizer application

Chicken dung and vermicompost was applied basally before planting. Apply fertilizer was based on the

recommendation of the Bureau of Soils but in the absence of the soil analysis, apply the following

fertilizer at a specified amount at the same time.

Trellising

Trellises were provided one week after planting. This was constructed by using rhono, strings to

support the vines as they grow. Provide the plants with trellis to produce good quality of fruits.

Trellising is essential during wet season to minimize fruit rotting and malformation of fruits.

Thinning and Replanting

Remove weak seedling and diseased seedling to 3-4 week after emergence. Retain only one

healthy plants per hill.

Vine Training

Train the vines to clime the trellis by trying the stem lightly in the vertical pole like trellis until it

reaches the overhead trellis. Training should be done weekly.

Irrigation

Irrigate the field right after sowing. Five(5) to seven(7) days after germination, rouge excess

seedlings maintain only to plants per hill. During the dry season, the plants were regularly irrigated

every 10 - 14 days depending on the soil type and weather condition. Avoid too much water.

Weeding

Weeding was done by remove the weeds which grew at the base of the plants. This was regularly
done in order to prevent the weeds in competing with the food nutrients needed by the plants.

Pest and Disease management

Pest and Disease management should be base on the population and degree of damaged of insect

pest and diseases attacked the plants. Cucumber is very resistant to most insect pests and cucurbits

except fruit flies most common disease is downy mildew. For prevention and management of pest and

diseases, refer to the pest and disease management

Harvesting

Fruit harvesting was done in 48 days after planting. Priming was done when the fruits were ready

for harvesting at an interval of 4 days. Harvest fruits early in the morning and late in the afternoon.

Packing

Pack the harvested fruits in ten kilogram capacity in polyethylene bags to maintain the freshness to

avoid the damaging effect of sunlight/