Protected Cultivation Of Cucurbits

For the past few years, early cultivation of cucumber is being practiced using low plastic (polyethylene) tunnel for getting early harvest.The crop is raised under low plastic tunnel (100 gauge thick polyethylene sheet) supported by flexible iron ring 1¿ high in the middle. Plastic low tunnels provide the best way for off-season cultivation of cucurbitaceous vegetables during winter season by modifying the microclimate around the plants. Low tunnels also offer several other advantages like protection of the crop from frost, hails, and crop advancement from 30-40 days over their normal season of cultivation. This technology is gaining a big leap forward in several northern states where low temperature during winter season is a severe constraint for cultivation of entire group of cucurbits. This technology has been developed for off-season cultivation of major cucurbits for taking full advantage of the prevailing high market prices of the offseason produce. The technology is highly suitable for those areas where temperature during winter season is going down (>10 o C) for a period of 30-40 days (December- January months) and it is not possible to grow these vegetables in open fields.