Nutrition Facts, health benefits and production technology of Cucumber.

Cucumber salad or vegetables? Or fruit? Although there is a lot of controversy about this, there is no doubt that cucumber is a great food. Whether it’s a little heavy food or the thought of losing weight, cucumber bowls are always on the table. Although cucumber is highly valued as a daily salad or food supplement, it is not lagging behind in terms of nutrition. Production of this vegetable is a good option to become economically benefited. 

Nutrition :

Cucumber is a vegetable full of vitamins and minerals. 98 percent of it is water. Cucumber Vitamin-K, Vitamin-C, Vitamin-A, folic acid, potassium andGood source of manganese. In addition to riboflavin,Pantothenic acid, calcium, magnesium,Contains phosphorus, sulfur, silica and vitamin B-6 In large quantities. Cucumber provides dietary fiber. In this Also contains phytonutrients, Cucurbitacins, lignans and flavonoids.

Health benefits of Cucumber : 

1. Cucumber rich in fiber and fluid increases the amount of fiber and water in the body. Cucumber helps in controlling high blood pressure as it contains potassium, magnesium and fiber.
2. Cucumber contains a useful substance called sterol, which helps to control cholesterol. In this case, it is important to remember that cucumber peel also contains sterol. 
3. It is very useful in controlling obesity.
4. Cucumber helps in curing urinary, bladder, liver, kidney, and pancreas problems.
5. This vegetable solves digestive and constipation problems due to the presence of an enzyme called erepsin.
6. The juice of this green Vegetable is also very beneficial for diabetics.
7. It’s juice is also useful in ulcers, gastritis, acidity.

Production technology : 

Soil

Cucumber grows well in flood-free loam and clay loam soils. Cucumbers cannot tolerate waterlogging.

Seeds

Good Seed Selection: – The characteristics of good seeds are as follows- Must be disease free, clean, nutritious and chit-free. All seeds will be of the same size and shape.

Seed rate of Cucumber

Generally 1.5 grams of seeds are required per century. However, in case of high yielding varieties, the instructions written on the seed packet should be followed.

Seed Purification

It is better to purify the seeds using VitaVex 200 / Tilth at the approved dose before making seedlings in the nursery.

Land preparation of Cucumber

Land Cultivation :

First the land has to be leveled well with horizontal tillage and ladder and to facilitate irrigation and drainage of excess water, ditches have to be cut at certain distances and divided into several parts.

Seed bed preparation: 

It is better to make seedlings in nursery or seed bed and plant them in the land. In this case, rotten dung or compost and soil should be mixed together in the ratio of 50:50 and filled in a polythene bag of size 6 x 7 inches. You have to sow 2 seeds in each bag.

Methods of sowing and planting

Time of seed sowing

Cucumber seeds are usually sown from February to March. However, in case of high yielding varieties, the instructions written on the seed packet should be followed.

Planting in line

Usually the distance from plant to plant is 5 feet and the distance from line to line is 4-6 feet.

Planting of Cucumber

At the age of 18-20 days old of seedlings, poly bags should be removed and seedlings should be planted. If there are 2 saplings in each bag, after 6-7 days of planting in the field, the relatively weak sapling should be picked up and 1 sapling should be kept in each hole.

Make holes

Holes should be made 1 foot deep and 1 foot in diameter at a distance of 6-7 feet and the distance from row to row should be 1.5-2 m.

Fertilizer management

Fertilizer name               Total amount (per cent)

Compost                                 60 kg

Urea                                         700 gram

TSP                                         600 gram

MOP                                        700 gram

Gypsum                                 400 gram 

Copper                                    50 grams

Borax                                     40 grams 

Weed control

Time:

The land should always be kept free from weeds.

Method of control:

The roots of this vegetable do not go deep into the soil so weeds should be lightly weeded.

Irrigation system

Irrigation time of cucumber

Irrigation should be given at intervals of 4/5 days in summer. A 12-15 inch drain should be kept between the 2 beds to facilitate irrigation.

The amount of irrigation

The soil should be loosened with a spade and a moderate amount of irrigation should be given.

Extraction

When water stagnates in the cucumber field, the tree turns yellow and when the soil around the hole and the hole dries out, the growth of the tree is obstructed. So under no circumstances should water be allowed to accumulate at the base of the tree

Special care for cucumber

Bauni should be given with the help of wire net or twine or bash twine. Bauni / macha should be given along 1 bed on both sides of the drainage ditch and occasionally the soil should be loosened.

Time

Depending on the variety of cucumber, the tree starts flowering within 30-35 days of sowing. Fruits and vegetables are suitable for harvesting within 15-20 days of flowering. These are grown in both young and mature stages. It needs to be picked every 3/4 days when they start to bear fruit.

Method

Cucumbers are picked by cutting the stalks with a small stalk or breaking the stalks in the place attached to the fruit.

Harvesting

Depending on the variety of cucumber, harvesting can be started within 45-60 days of sowing.

Yield of Cucumber

10-20 tons of cucumber can be collected per hectare.