REDUCTION OF THE GROWTH CYCLE IN EUROPEAN CUCUMBER, BY LATE TRANSPLANT

Abstract

We studied the best transplant age for European cucumber plantlets (Cucumis sativus L.) cv. ‘Kalunga’ in order to reduce the growth cycle from transplant to end of harvest without affecting fruit yield. The experiment was carried out under glasshouse conditions in Texcoco, México. The treatments evaluated were: direct sown, and transplanting ages at 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 d after sowing (das). A complete randomized block design with four replications was used. The plants were pruned to leave just the main stem and then trimmed when reached 1.5 m high. The traits evaluated at 47 das were plant height, plant width and stem diameter; leaf area index at 64 das; and yield and fruit number per area unit and mean fruit weight and days to start and to end of harvest. It was found that by transplanting at 35 das, the entire cucumber crop cycle is completed in 70 d without affecting yield per area unit, with respect to direct sowing. If transplanting is done after 40 das, the growth cycle might be reduced to less than 60 d, but yield is also significantly reduced.