2018 ASHS Annual Conference

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is one of the most popular vegetable species in high tunnels. English and Beit Alpha cucumber are well suited to the enclosed high tunnel environment because they are often parthenocarpic and gynocious, have better taste, and are very productive. However, most English and Beit Alpha cucumber cultivars have not been tested in high tunnels. These cultivars are also intolerant to bacterial wilt disease transmitted by cucumber beetles. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the yield potential of English and Beit Alpha cucumber cultivars in high tunnels with insect screens. Eight organic cucumber cultivars Corinto, Diva, Kalunga, Katrina, Picolino, Socrates, Tasty Jade and Tyria were tested in an organic high tunnel (30’W x 96’L) in Greensboro NC (hardiness zone 7) from April to September in 2017. The experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design with four replications. There were six vines per replication. Insect netting (mesh size of 0.0138” x 0.0138”) was installed on both side-walls of the high tunnel. Cucumbers were trained to one leader per vine and trellised with the Tomato Roller Hooks^® system. All cultivars grew vigorously. The length of a vine was 15 to 26 feet long at the end of season, with ‘Socrates’ and ‘Corintoa’ had more than 100 nodes on a vine. The insect netting totally blocked cucumber beetles and other insect pests. There were significant different among cultivars in terms of yield and number of fruit per vine. The marketable yield and number of fruit ranged from 8.9 lb and 21.3 fruit per vine for ‘Diva’ to 20 lb and 53.3 fruit per vine for ‘Socrates’. ‘Socrates’ had the consistently highest yield throughout the season, followed by ‘Corinto’, ‘Picolino’ and ‘Tasty Jade’. Most cultivars had their first fruit at node three. On average there was one fruit per two to four nodes on a vine depending on cultivars. The °Brix ranged from 3.1 for ‘Katrina’ to 4.7 for ‘Diva’. In conclusion, insect screen totally controlled cucumber beetles. English or Beit Alpha cucumbers are good options for high tunnel production. Cultivars Socrates and Tasty Jade were the most productive, Kalunga and Tyria were medium productive but with the longest fruit, and ‘Diva’ was not an ideal cultivar for high tunnel production.