CUCUMBER PRODUCTION
A complete Guide
PROMOTING FARMING EXCELLENCE
By Dahlia Shumba 0717816552
Cucumber Production
Classification Crop Cucumber
Family Curcubitaceae
Genus Cucumis
Species sativa
Soil requirements Soils Organically rich loam soils with good drainage
pH 5.3-6.0
Climatic Temperature 21-28⁰C
requirements
Time of planting All year round in frost free areas
Seed requirement Seeds/gram 30
Seeds/ha 1.5-2kg
Spacing Interrow 100cm
Inrow 40-60cm
Plant population Minimum 15000
Maximum 30000
Recommended 25000
Varieties OPV- Ashley, Poinset
Hybrids- Stonewall, Monalisa, Olympian
Fertilisation
Application Fertiliser Rate per plant
Manure Well rotten manure 1kg
Basal Compound C 30g
Top dressing Ammonium Nitrate 5g
Potassium nitrate 10g
Well rotten manure and Compound C
Make a basin of 30cm diameter and 20cm deep
Apply 2/3 shovel of manure (approx. 2kg) and add 60g of compound C, then mix thoroughly with the soil
and irrigate to field capacity before planting
Place 3 seeds per station, a day after irrigation and continue maintaining moisture level until germination.
Thin to two plants per station
Ammonium nitrate
Apply 5g (Cup 5) at week 2 after emergence
Potassium nitrate
Split apply equally (Cup 5) at week 4 and 6
Supplementary fertilisers
Winstart- spray at week 2 at 1% solution (10g/l of water)
Wingrow- spray at week 3 and 4 at 1% solution (10g/l of water)
Winbloom- spray from week 5 onwards at 1% solution (10g/l of water) every 2 weeks
Wuxal calcibor- spray from week 6 onwards at 0.5ml/l of water every 2 weeks
NB: More supplementary fertilisers are available on the market
*Total fertiliser application = Rate/plant * Plant population (Divide by 1000 to convert to kgs)
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Herbicides
Pre-emergence Metolachlor
Post-emergence Propaquizafop, Fluazifop-p-Butyl
Nutrient deficiencies
Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium
Function Function
Primary nutrient Function
Primary nutrient Primary nutrient
Amino acids synthesis Stimulate root growth
Chlorophyll formation Promote root growth
Promote flower and fruit development Increase disease resistance and frost tolerance
Enzyme formation Formation of energy molecules eg ATP
Mostly vital during vegetative Improve fruit quality
Increase water use efficiency Essential for transport of sugars
Speeds up maturity Regulates opening and closing of stomata
Common deficiency Promotes seed production
Stunted growth Increase water use efficiency
Mostly vital during early growth Mostly vital during flowering and fruiting
Small fruit size
Lower yield Common deficiency Common deficiency
Chlorosis on older leaves Stunted growth with darker green leaves Slow growth
Purpling on leaves and stems Tips and marginal leaf burning
Delayed maturity Burning of older leaves
Poor seed set and fruit quality Week stems causing lodging
Readily available at pH 6.5-7.5 Low fruit sugar content
At lower pH, its fixed with aluminium and Shrivelled seeds
iron
At high pH, its fixed with calcium
Calcium Magnesium Sulphur
Function Function Function
Secondary nutrient Secondary nutrient Secondary nutrient
Formation of new cells, cell walls and Activator of plant enzymes Improve nitrogen use
membranes Central atom in chlorophyll Component of Amino acids synthesis
Stimulates root and leaf development Formation of oils, amino acids and sugars Aids in seed production
Activates enzymes Aids in phosphate and nitrogen Enzyme and vitamins formation
Reduces soil acidity metabolism
Improve absorption of many nutrients Promote early growth Common deficiency
Improves fruit quality Facilitate uniform crop maturity Yellowish young leaves
Mostly vital during fruiting Small and spindly plants
Common deficiency Slow growth rate
Common deficiency Yellow/white stripes between veins of Delayed maturity
Death of growing points lower leaves
Premature shedding of blossoms Chlorosis from leaf tips, then protruding
Blossom end rot inwards
Weakened stems Leaf and premature fruit drop
Tip burn on young leaves
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Zinc Molybdenum Manganese
Function Function Function
Micronutrient Micronutrient Micronutrient
Important in enzyme systems Important in nitrate transport Activator of enzymes
Chlorophyll formation Improves disease resistance Helps in phosphorus and magnesium uptake
Carbohydrates production Aids in nitrogen use
Important in photosynthesis Common deficiency Chlorophyll formation for photosynthesis
Stunted growth with pale yellow foliage
Common deficiency Leaf cup[ping and marginal chlorosis Common deficiency
Decreased stem length Mottled older leaves with veins green Chlorosis on older leaves first, young leaves then
Reduced fruit bud formation Leaves curl inwards with tip necrosis follow cupping upward
Mottled young leaves Symptoms on older leaves mistaken with Dark spotting between the veins
Striping and banding of leaves water stress Stunted growth
Iron Copper Boron
Function Function Function
Micronutrient Micronutrient Micronutrient
Chlorophyll formation Catalyses several plant reactions Forms the plant structure
Activates respiration and Essential in chlorophyll formation and Maintain balance between sugars and starch
photosynthesis seed production Important in early growth
Required in energy transfer Enzyme activator Aids in pollen tube formation
Promote flowering and fruit set Promote respiration Important in cell division and differentiation
Helps in formation of plant hormones
Common deficiency Common deficiency Mostly vital during vegetative
Interveinal chlorosis on young leaves Reduces plant growth
without becoming necrotic Leaf roll Common deficiency
Shortened plant nodes
Leaves thickened, brittle and curled
Reduced flower and fruit set and seed set
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Insects
Aphids Leafhopper Whitefly
Thiamethoxam, Methomyl, Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, Dichlorvos, Dimethoate, Malathion, Chess, Diazinon,
Acephate, Cartap
Thrips Squash bug Redspider
Amitraz, Dicofol, Abamectin,
Thiamethoxam, Methomyl, Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, Dichlorvos, Diazinon, Profenofos, Chlorfenapyr,
Dimethoate, Malathion Emamectin benzoate
Fruit fly Cucumber beetle Cutworms
Thiamethoxam, Methomyl, Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, Dichlorvos, Chlorpyrifos, Lambda cyhalothrin,
Malathion, Abamectin, Flubendiamide, Chlorantraniliprole, Chlorfenapyr, Carbaryl, Deltamethrin
Acephate, Fenthion, Emamectin benzoate
Insect orders
Hemiptera (Sap sucking) – Aphids, Whitefly, Leafhopper. Squash bug
Diptera (Boring) – Fruit fly
Thysanoptera (Rasping and sucking) – Thrips
Coleoptera (Biting and chewing) – Cucumber beetle
Lepidopera (Biting and chewing/ Boring) - Cutworm
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Insecticide groups
NB: knowing chemical groups will help in managing insect resistance
It is of paramount importance that chemicals from different chemical groups are selected on both
preventative and curative spray schemes
Pyrethoids- Lambda cyhalothrin, Deltamethrin
Nionicotinoids- Thiamethoxam, Acetamiprid, Imidacloprid
Avermectins- Emamectin benzoate, Abamectin
Carbamates- Carbaryl, Cartap, Methomyl
Organophospates- Dimethoate, Malathion, Dichlorvos, Diazinon, Profenofos, Chlorpyrifos
Amidine- Amitraz
Others- Chess, Flubendiamide, Chlorantraniliprole, Chorfenapyr
Fungal Diseases
Alternaria leaf blight (Alternaria Anthracnose (Colletotrichum Cercospora leaf spot (Cercospora
cucumerina) orbiculate) citrullina)
Azoxystrobin, Trifloxystrobin, Azoxystrobin, Trifloxystrobin, Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride,
Difenoconazole, Mancozeb, Copper Difenoconazole, Mancozeb, Chemlaxyl, Cymoxanil, Chlorothalonil
oxychloride, Tebuconazole, Copper oxychloride,
Chlorothalonil Tebuconazole, Chlorothalonil
Charcoal rot (Macrophomina Damping off (Pythium, Downey mildew (Pseudoperonospora
phoseolina) Rhizoctonia, Fusarium) cubensis)
Chlorothalonil, Mancozeb, Copper Captan, Copper oxychloride, Metalaxyl, Mancozeb, Chlorothalonil,
oxychloride Mancozeb, Thiram, Metalaxyl Copper oxychloride, Mandipropamid
Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum) Gummy stem rot (Didymella Phytophtora crown/root rot
bryonice) (Phytophtora capsici)
Copper oxychloride, Benomyl Chlorothalonil, Mancozeb, Metalaxyl, Mancozeb, Chlorothalonil,
Copper oxychloride Copper oxychloride, Mandipropamid
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Powdery mildew (Erisiphe Scab (Cladosperum cucumerium) Sclerotinia stem rot (Sclerotinia
cichoracearum) sclerotiorum)
Azoxystrobin, Trifloxystrobin, Chlorothalonil, Mancozeb, Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride,
Difenoconazole, Mancozeb, Copper Chemlaxyl, Chlorothalonil
Copper oxychloride
oxychloride, Tebuconazole,
Chlorothalonil
Target leaf spot (Corynespora cassicola) Verticillium wilt (Verticilium dahlia)
Azoxystrobin, Trifloxystrobin, Difenoconazole,
Mancozeb, Copper oxychloride, Tebuconazole, Copper oxychloride, Benomyl
Chlorothalonil
Bacterial diseases
Angular leaf spot (Pseudomonas Bacterial fruit rot (Xanthomonas Bacterial wilt (Erwinia tracheiphile)
syringae) cucurbitae)
To manage bacterial disease
Plant disease free certified seed
Avoid over use of nitrogen
Spray copper based products such as Copper oxychloride/hydroxide/sulfate
Apply salicylic acid
Apply Acibenzolar-S-methyl
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Viral Diseases
Cucumber mosaic Cucumber vein yellowing
To manage viral deases
Keep crop free from sap sucking pests (Aphids, Thrips etc)
Always grow certified seed from reputable shops
Physiological disorders
Bitterness Bitterness is a result of formation of natural compounds when exposed to stress.
These compounds form when:
o Plants are heat stressed or exposed to ethylene in storage.
o Plants do not get sufficient moisture
o Plants are over-fertilised with nitrogen
It is important to plant heat resistant varieties during warmer season
Fruit curl Blossom end rot Sun scald
Caused by poor pollination Caused by calcium deficiency Caused by exposure of the fruits to the
sun
**Always read the labels on chemicals for rates and post-harvest intervals
**Chemicals listed in active ingredients, trade names may differ
**Chemical colour codes do not illustrate the effectiveness in pest control, but the toxicity to the operator
Cucumber Program
Planting date Variety
Plant pop Area Spacing
Week after Age Date Herbicides/ 16l Fertilisers/plant Pesticides/ 16l Fungicides/ 16l Foliar
emergence knapsack knapsack sprays/ 16l
knapsack
Planting Metolachlor Compound C 30g
120ml Rotten manure 0.5kg
0 0 Lambda 16ml Venus 80g
1 7 Dichlorvos 16ml Bravo 32ml
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2 14 AN(NH₄NO₃) 5g Abamectin 16ml Antracol 32g Winstart 160g
3 21 Malathion 24ml Bion 5g Wingrow
160g
4 28 Fluazifop 120ml PN(KNO₃) 5g Aceta + Ema 16ml Orius 16ml Wingrow
160g
5 35 Belt 4ml Acomil 50g Winbloom
160g
6 42 PN(KNO₃) 5g Dichlorvos 16ml Copper 80g Calcibor 80ml
7 49 Abamectin 16ml Bravo 32ml Winbloom
160g
8 56 Malathion 24ml Antracol 32g Calcibor 80ml
9 63 Belt 4ml Mancozeb 50g Winbloom
160g
10 70 Dichlorvos 16ml Copper 80g Calcibor 80ml
11 77 Abamectin 16ml Bravo 32ml Winbloom
160g
12 84 Malathion 24ml Antracol 32g CN 160g
13 91 Dichlorvos 16ml Mancozeb 50g
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