Soil and Agronomic Management for Cucumber Production in Nigeria

Abstract

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus. L) is an important crop; widely cultivated in different agroecologies of Nigeria. Its production continues to gain attention in Nigerian communities because of their nutritional and economic values. Average yield per/ha is below world average. Factors responsible for the low yield include inappropriate farming systems, climate change, pests and diseases infestation, poor access to credit facilities, inappropriate method of cultivation, distance to market and low availability of land. Important but often neglected is the quality/fertility status of cucumber producing soils of Nigeria. Fertiliser use is inadequate and application is often based on blanket recommendation. Low soil quality and poor agronomic management have contributed to >40% decrease in yield. With good agricultural practices and soil management, optimum yield can be attained.

Development and application of gelatin based edible coating containing cellulose nanocrystal in the storage of fresh cucumber

“…Cucumber is a source of phytonutrients such as flavonoids and a host of antioxidants which are of pharmacological importance (Guan et al, 2023). Owing to the larger population of Nigerian, a case study of Kano state, did reveal that the production of fresh cucumber is highly significant as food source as well as economic buffer for the farmers and traders (Okafor & Yaduma, 2021). Therefore, the need to minimize postharvest losses of fresh cucumber through the use of biodegradable packing material cannot be over emphasized.…”

Comparative efficacy of cypermethrin and plant extract in the control of cucumber pests in ado Ekiti, Southwestern Nigeria

“…It is grown mostly in Jos, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa and more recently in the southern part of the country particularly in Ekiti, Ondo and Osun (Falade, 2021) [5] . Cucumber performs better on well drained fertile soils with pH of about 6-7 and ample richness of organic matter (Okafor and Japhet, 2021) [11] .…”

Application of Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to Cucumber Yield under Different Tillage Methods

“…Because of the increase in demand for cucumber, there is need to produce sufficient quantity with good quality in Nigeria. Some factors limiting the productivity of Nigerian soils for cucumber production include low fertility, slope, poor effective depth, stoniness and low nutrient/moisture retention [2]. According to Williams et al [3], cucumber grows well on well drained, slightly acidic fertile sandy loam soils with good moisture retention ability and rich in organic manure.…”