PLASTIC AND AGROTEXTILE COVERS IN PICKLING CUCUMBER PRODUCTION.

Effect of plant covering with perforated polyethylene film (PE) and/or nonwoven polypropylene (PP) on yield of pickling cucumbers (cv.Sremski F₁) was investigated in field experiments in years 1990–1992. PE film 0.04 mm thick, perforated with 75 holes · m^-2 (diam.10 mm) and nonwoven PP weighing 17 g · m^-2 were used as direct plant covers.
Cucumbers were sown in the beginning of May and immediately covered.
The covers were removed depending on treatment between the 2–3 leaves stage and beginning of flower buds formation of the cucumber plants.
The effect of covering was related mainly to air temperatures.
Covering reduced period from seeds sowing to seedlings emergence in a coal year and prevented cucumber seedlings from frost damage at late spring frost of -3.2°C. In all 3 years of experiment direct plant covering increased highly early yield, whereas total marketable yield increased only in the less favourable years of 1990 and 1991. In a year with normal spring temperatures PP covering kept on plants to flower buds formation was equally effective as PE cover kept to 2–3 or 5–7 leaves of the cucumber plants.
In a cool year of 1991 the PE cover was superior to PP. Double covering of PE (top) +PP bottom or PP+PP with top layer removed at 2–3 leaves stage and bottom one at flower buds formation were best for increasing early yield.

VII International Symposium on Timing Field Production of Vegetables

J. Rumpel

nonvowen polypropylene, polyethylene, flat covering, cucumber

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1994.371.32