Grafting Hybrid and Monoecious Cucumbers onto Cucurbit Rootstocks Enhances Growth and Yield under Net House Conditions

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
Chinnusamy Thangamani 1
Jabu Suresh Kumar 2
Lakshmanan Pugalendhi 1
Raju Saravanan 3
N. A. Tamilselvi 1
Pratapsingh S. Khapte 4
S. Ajith 5
1 Department of Vegetable Science, Horticulture College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Coimbatore 641003, Tamil Nadu, India.
2 ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
3 Division of Crop Production, ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 695017, India.
4 ICAR-National Institute of Abiotic Stress Management, Baramati 413115, Maharashtra, India.
5 Department of Agricultural Statistics, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India.
Abstract

This study evaluated suitable cucurbitaceous rootstocks for improving cucumber yield and quality under net house conditions. Two cucumber cultivars, namely, Green Long (GL an OPV: Open Pollinated Variety) and Namdhari Seeds (NS) 408 (a F1 hybrid), were grafted onto five rootstocks: Cucurbita ficifolia, Cucurbita moschata, Cucurbita maxima, Lagenaria siceraria, and Luffa cylindrica. Results showed that NS 408 outperformed GL in both grafted and non-grafted conditions. Among the rootstocks, NS 408 grafted onto C. maxima (winter squash) had the highest graft survival (79±1.8%), most extended vine length (700±16 cm), and maximum fruit yield (8.3±0.02 kg per plant, 118.4% increase over non-grafted NS 408). Grafting GL onto winter squash improved yield by 42.11% over non-grafted NS 408 and by 86.21% over GL control. Fruit quality parameters such as total soluble solids, palatability, ascorbic acid, and soluble protein were unaffected or improved, confirming that grafting did not negatively influence market quality. Economic analysis revealed the highest benefit-cost ratio (> 2.5) in NS 408/Winter Squash (WS), indicating that grafting is a cost-effective alternative to expensive hybrid seeds. These findings highlight the potential of grafting to optimize cucumber production, reduce reliance on pesticides, and improve profitability in protected cultivation.
Keywords
Early flowering
Fruit quality
Fruit yield and rootstock
Subjects
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Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology
Volume 28, Issue 5
September and October 2026
Pages 1145-1158