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Cucumis sativus

AuthorityL.
FamilyMagnoliopsida:Dilleniidae:Violales:Cucurbitaceae
Synonyms
Common namescetriolo, concombre, cucumber, gherkin, huanggua, khira, kiukaba, kiukamupa, kukama (Tuvalu), Kukamba
Editor
Ecocrop code817



Notes
BRIEF DESCRIPTION A trailing or climbing herb with stiff bristly hairs. Fruits are pendulous, variable in shape and size, nearly globular to oblong and elongated, depending on the cultivar. USES The fruits are used as salad vegetables, pickled, or cooked. The leaves can be eaten in salads or cooked like spinach. The seeds are edible and yields an edible oil. Mentioned as a useful agroforestry species. GROWING PERIOD Annual, growing 40-180 days. First fruits may be harvested about 40 days from sowing, when 15-20 cm in length. Seed may be harvested after 100 days. COMMON NAMES Cucumber, Gherkin, Concombre, Cornichon, Cohombro, Pepino, Gurke, Komkommer, Ketimun, Mentimum, Bonteng, Khira, Kakdi, Tihu, Thakhwa, Pipingha, Pipingkai, Kukamba, Kuikamba, Pipino, Kalabaga, Kasimum, Trasak, Teeng, Taeng-kwa, Taeng-ran, Taeng-om. FURTHER INF In the tropics cucumber can be grown at altitudes up to 1200-1800 m, or probably considerably higher. Water requirements is high, but high humidity encourages diseases, particularly downy mildew. A high light intensity increases the number of male flowers, while lower light levels result in more female flowers being formed. Optimum night temperature range between 18-24°C. The crop may need protection from high winds. The crop is believed to have originated in northern India. Yields of cucumbers vary, the world average is 15 t/ha, and many places in the tropics yields from 5-7.5 kg/ha are considered reasonable. In greenhouses in Europe yields of 350 t/ha are obtained.
Sources
SOURCES (C. sativus L.)
Sims D (pers. comm.)
Roecklein J 1987 pp 485 [USE, FER, DRA, TEXT]
Tindall H 1983 pp 159-161 [TEMP, RAIN, DRA, FER, TEXT, PH, LIG]
Rice R 1990 pp 251-252 [TEMP, RAIN, DRA, FER, TEXT, PH, LIG]
Landon J 1984 pp 282 [TEXT, DRA, PH, FER]
Hartmann T 1981 pp 536-538 [KTMP, TEMP, PHO, DEP, DRA, PH]
Maas E 1990 pp 278
Eswaran H 1986
Duke J 1979 pp 108 [PH, RAIN, TEMP]
Langer R 1991 pp 212
Hockings E 1961b pp 394-398 [TEXT, DRA, DEP, USE]
Purseglove J 1974 pp 114-116 [USE, TEMP, RAIN, LIMIT, DRA, FER, TEXT, PH]
Siemonsma J 1993 pp 157-160 [TEMP, LIG, PHO, RAIN, DRA, LIMIT, FER, PH]