cucumber

Cucumber holds a distinct place among pumpkin crops. Cucumber is the most popular product for salads with meals. As a result, cucumbers are grown all throughout the country. Cucumber is in high demand throughout the summer. It is often consumed raw in the form of a salad with meals. It cools the body from the heat and replenishes the body's water supply. As a result, ingesting it in the heat is thought to be quite healthy. Given the market need for cucumbers in the summer, planting it during the Zaid season might result in significant earnings.

Nutrients found in cucumber crops

Cucumber's botanical name is Cucumis Steeves. It is a plant that resembles a vine. The cucumber plant is huge, with vine-like, triangular leaves and yellow blossoms. Cucumber contains 96% water, which is useful throughout the hot season. Cucumber is high in molybdenum (MB) and vitamins. Cucumber is used to cure heart, skin, and renal ailments, as well as to alkalize the body.

Various improved kinds of cucumber

Some of the advanced Indian cucumber types include Punjab Selection, Pusa Sanyog, Pusa Barkha, Cucumber 90, Kalyanpur Green Cucumber, Kalyanpur Medium, Swarna Ageti, Swarna Purnima, Pusa Uday, Poona Cucumber, and Cucumber 75, among others.

The latest varieties of cucumber are PCUH-1, Pusa Uday, Swarna Purna and Swarna Shital etc.

Hybrid varieties of cucumber – Pant Hybrid Cucumber-1, Priya, Hybrid-1 and Hybrid-2 etc. are important.

Major foreign varieties of cucumber are Japanese Clove Green, Chayan, Straight-8 and Poinsett etc.

Climate and soil for enhanced cucumber cultivation.

Cucumber is grown mostly on sandy loam and thick soil. However, sandy and loamy soils with good drainage are ideal for agriculture. For cucumber growing, the soil pH should be between 6-7. Because it cannot withstand freezing. It grows well in hot temperatures. As a result, cultivating it throughout the Zaid season is beneficial.

India is an agricultural country. Various types of crops are grown here. Today we will give you information about cucumber crops, so first of all let us tell you that cucumber belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family its botanical name is Cucumis melo and India is its place of origin. It is light green, whose peel is soft and the pulp is white. It is mainly consumed in the form of salad with salt and pepper. Its fruit has a cooling effect. Therefore it is mainly eaten in the summer season.

Soil and land for cucumber cultivation

Cucumbers can be grown easily in different types of soils ranging from sandy loam to heavy soils with good drainage. For its cultivation, the pH of the soil should be 5.8-7.5. Along with this, it is also very important to prepare the land. Well-prepared land plays a very important role in cucumber cultivation. To make the soil loose, it is very important to plow it 2-3 times with a harrow.

What is the time and method of sowing?

The months of February and March are considered most suitable for sowing seeds. The distance between seeds and pods should be 200-250 cm. And 60-90 cm between ridges. Keeping it will prove beneficial. Sow two seeds in one place for excellent growth of the crop. Talking about seed depth, sow the seeds at a depth of 2.5-4 cm. Method of sowing: Seeds are sown directly on beds or ridges. Talking about the quantity of seeds, you should use 1 kg of seeds per acre.

Seed treatment and fertilizer

To protect against soil-borne diseases, treat seeds with Banlet or Bavistin at 2.5 grams per kg. At the same time, if we talk about manure, it should be kept 15 cm from the nursery bed. Apply the full quantity of phosphorus and potash at a distance and 1/3rd part of nitrogen at the time of sowing. Apply the remaining nitrogen one month after sowing. 

Also read: Treat seeds at home, earn good profits with cheap technology

Weed control and irrigation

To control weeds, do a light weeding of the upper layer of the vines before they spread. Talking about irrigation, it is very important to irrigate immediately after sowing. In summer, 4-5 irrigations are required and in rainy season, irrigation is done as per requirement.

Harmful pests of cucumber plant and their prevention

Aphids and Thrips: These insects suck the sap from the leaves, causing the leaves to turn yellow and fall. Thrips cause the leaves to curl, causing the leaves to become cup-shaped and curl upward.

Treatment: If its attack is visible in the crop, spray the crop with Thiamethoxam 5 grams per 15 liters of water.

Ladybug: Flowers, leaves, and stems get destroyed due to ladybug insects. 

Treatment: If attacks are seen, give Malathion 2 ml. Or spray Carbaryl by mixing 4 grams per liter of water, it helps prevent ladybugs.

Fruit fly: It is a serious pest of cucumber crop. The male fly lays eggs under the outer layer of the fruit, after which these small insects make the pulp of the fruit their food, after which the fruit starts rotting and falls.

Treatment: Spray 3.0% foliar spray of Neem oil to protect the crop from fruit flies. 

Also read: Important information related to cucumber cultivation

Diseases causing white spots on leaves and their prevention

White mold: White spots appear on the upper surface of the leaves. These spots are also visible on the main stem of the affected plant. Its insects use the plant as their food. When attacked by them, leaves fall and fruits fall before ripening.

Treatment: If a white mold attack is seen in the field, add water-soluble sulfur 20 grams in 10 liters of water and spray it 2-3 times at an interval of 10 days.

 Anthracnose: It attacks the leaves, causing the leaves to appear scorched.

Lower leaf spots :

Spots on the lower side of leaves: This disease is caused by Pseudopernospora cubensis. Due to this, small and purple-colored spots appear on the lower surface of the leaves.

Treatment: If its effect is visible then use Dithane M-45 or Dithane Z-78 to avoid this disease.

Cucumber wiltining : It affects the vascular tissues of the plant, causing the plant to wither immediately. 

Treatment: Spray Captan or Hexocap 0.2-0.3% to prevent Fusarium wilt. 

Cucurbit phyllody: Due to this disease, the pores become small and the growth of the plant stops, due to which the crop does not produce fruits.

Treatment: To prevent this disease, apply Furadan 5 kg per acre at the time of sowing. If the attack is seen then apply Dimecron 0.05% at an interval of 10 days. 

Also read: Method to check nutrient deficiency in crops

When to harvest cucumber crop

Cucumber fruits are ready for harvesting in 60-70 days. Harvesting is mainly done when the fruit is fully developed and soft. Harvesting is done mainly during the flowering season at an interval of 3-4 days.

How to produce cucumber seeds?

Keep cucumber at a distance of 1000 meters from other varieties like snap melon, wild melon, cantaloupe cucumber, etc. Remove affected plants from the field. When the fruits become ripe such that their color changes to light, then keep them in fresh water break them with hands, and separate the seeds from the pulp. The seeds which settle to the lower level are collected for seed purposes.

 For your information, let you know that young farmer Mukesh says that subsidized money is also received from the government to build a net house. Initially, he got a subsidy of 65% for setting up a net house. However, currently the Haryana government has reduced the grant amount to 50%.

 As we all know that even today people have gone absolutely crazy behind government jobs. It is the desire of every parent that his child gets a government job, so that his whole life becomes secure. Now the government job must be of low level. But, today, we will talk about a person who, leaving a good government job, is now coming to the village and doing farming.

Where is farmer Mukesh from?

Actually, the young farmer we are going to talk about is named Mukesh Kumar. Mukesh is a resident of Karnal district of Haryana. Earlier, he used to work in a government job in the Haryana Board. During the job, Mukesh used to get a salary of 45 thousand rupees per month. But, he did not feel like this government work, so he kicked this job. Today he is farming on his ancestral land with the net house method, due to which he is earning very well.

Also read: Farmers' crop savings up to 75% on ShedNet

Farmer Mukesh is providing employment to the people

Farmer Mukesh is also providing employment opportunities for many other farmers. Mukesh, a farmer, says he has set up four net houses on his land. Farmers Mukesh cultivates cucumbers inside them. According to farmer Mukesh, the demand for cucumbers increases a lot in summer. Now in such a situation, farmer Mukesh has been cultivating cucumbers for almost 2 years. Explain that farmer Mukesh is earning very well from this. This is the reason that he has gradually increased the area of cucumber cultivation. Along with this, Mukesh has also provided employment to many people around him.

Cucumbers can be cultivated throughout the year

Mukesh says that it costs two and a half to three lakh rupees to build a net house. But, the income increases considerably by cultivating it inside. The young farmer says that there are many varieties of cucumbers, which can be cultivated throughout the year inside the net house.

Also read: Farmer Subodh has set an example by cultivating cucumbers with the advice of a friend

There is very little wastage of water when irrigation is done by drip method

 Farmer Mukesh says that he has found the biggest feature of cucumber cultivation is that its cultivation consumes very little water. Actually, crops are irrigated through the drip method in the net house. The wastage of water is very less by drip irrigation. Along with this, water reaches the roots of the plants. Farmer Mukesh supplies cucumbers grown in his field to many cities including Delhi and Gurugram. At present, he is selling cucumbers at Rs 15 per kg.