Studies on Spacing and Fertigation of Parthenocarpic Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Under Naturally Ventilated Polyhouse Condition

An investigation was conducted on two consecutive years during 2016-17 & 2017-18 to study the response of cultivars, different spacing and time of fertigation on parthenocarpic cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under naturally ventilated polyhouse condition at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Raisen (M.P). The whole experiment was arranged with 12 treatments consisting of three cultivars V₁- Kafka, V₂ -Kian and V₃ -Hilton along with two levels of spacing S₁- 50 × 30 cm, S₂ - 50 × 50 cm and 2 levels of fertigation F₁ -once in a week, F₂- once in 10^th days interval (recommended dose of NPK - 8:3.5:9 kg/500m². The experiment was laid out in factorial completely randomized design with three replications. The results showed that all vegetative characters under study were significantly influenced by various cultivars along with levels of spacing and time of fertigation. The effects of cultivars, spacing and time of fertigation were significant for most of vegetative characteristics except fruit weight. The variety Kafka was found to be significantly superior in respect of yield and yield attributing traits having maximum values of 2.78 kg and 14.92 kg yield per vine and per square meter, respectively. The characters like vine length, intermodal distance, leaf area, days to flower bud initiation, fruit set (%), fruit drop (%), no. of fruit per vine, fruit length, fruit width, yield per vine and yield per m² were significantly influenced by interaction effect of variety, spacing and time of fertigation. The treatment of V1S1F1 registered significantly highest vegetative and yield attributing characters. However, treatment combination of V₃S₂F₂ registered lowest yield per vine and per square meter (1.43 & 5.73 kg, respectively).