Effect of different type of mulches on growth, flowering and yield of cucumber var. Pusa Sanyog

An experiment was conducted at Polytechnic in Horticulture, ACH, NAU, Paria (Gujarat) during late kharif, 2021-24. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) in nine treatments and three replications. The treatment consisted of T 1: Black polyethylene mulch (25 micron), T 2· Black polyethylene mulch (50 micron), T₃: Silver polyethylene mulch (25 micron), T₄:Silver polyethylene mulch (50 micron), T₅:Red polyethylene mulch (25 micron), T₆:Red polyethylene mulch (50 micron), T₇: White polyethylene mulch (25 micron), T₈: White polyethylene mulch (50 micron) and T₉: Control (No mulch). Crop earliness was recorded in treatment Silver polyethylene mulch (25 micron) in respect to days to first male & female flower appearance, and days to first fruit harvest as compared to other treatments. Treatment Silver polyethylene mulch (50 micron) was recorded maximum no. of female flowers per vine, maximum fruit diameter, fruit weight, no. of fruits per vine, yield and highest net realization as compared to other treatments. The farmers of South Gujarat, growing cucumber during late kharif are recommended to mulch with 50μm thickness silver polyethylene (covered with 70% area) before seed sowing along with recommended dose of fertilizers (100:60:60 kg NPK/ha) for getting higher yield and net realization.