Cucumber is an interesting creeping vine that grows and wraps themselves around supporting frames through their spiraling, slender tendrils. They feature big leaves that create a canopy over cucumber fruits. Do you know cucumber can also grow in a soilless medium and you can easily grow cucumber at home?
Fruits of cucumber are made up of 95% water. That’s why they are great for keeping our bodies hydrated during hot summers. And we all love the crunchy cucumber salads, right?
Origin of Cucumber
As per botanist Alphonse de Candolle (who lived between 1806 and 1893), cucumber is native to India where it originated some 3000 years ago.
They were first found to be cultivated in the Himalayas and through the entire Bay of Bengal in the north.
Yet, there are some conflicting beliefs, as some believe that cucumbers originated in areas that are today called Iraq and Kuwait. While a few others claim that cucumbers are native to Egypt and were found in Egyptian tombs as old as 2200-2400 BC.
Cucumber cultivation in India
Cucumber is available in India all-around year and is cheap as compared to other vegetables. Cucumber loves the warm climate, which our country abundantly provides. A report in Agricultural Economics Research Review suggests that Karnataka cultivates 60% of total cucumbers in India, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu which account for 20%.
India exports a large number of cucumbers due to their high demand.
Popular Varieties of Cucumber
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Straight Eight – An American variety introduced in India by the Regional Station of IARI in Kullu Valley.
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Japanese Long Green – Released by Regional Station of IARI, Kullu Valley.
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Poinsette – An American variety introduced by National Seeds Corporation of India. It is resistant to anthracnose, powdery mildew, downy mildew, and angular leaf spot.
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Pusa Sanyog – An F1 hybrid between Green Long Naples and Japanese gynoecious line, released by IARI, Kullu Valley. Unfortunately, this cucumber could not reach the market due to the absence of seed production.
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Pant Khira 1 or PCUC 28 – This contains indigenous germplasm from Pantnagar.
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Pant Sankar Khira 1 – This is a hybrid created at Pantnagar by a cross of PCUC 8 X PCUC 28.
Predominant cucumber hybrids include Malini and Harshini which produce green fruits and Gypsy which produce white fruits. Cucumber is also cultivated as a Zaid season crop in many parts of India.
