A Twin-head “V” High-wire Greenhouse Cucumber Production System for Reducing Crop Start-up Costs

Abstract

A high-wire system, in which the plant is trained into a single stem, is gaining popularity in year-round greenhouse cucumber (Cucumis sativus) production, especially with supplemental lighting, as it allows for uniform foliar and light distribution and higher yield and quality. However, this system requires much higher plant densities than the conventional umbrella system, resulting in increased crop start-up costs. A technique for raising twin-head transplants and a twin-head “V” high-wire cucumber system were developed to address this issue. The twin-head transplants were raised by topping the seedlings after the appearance of the fourth true leaf and then two strong lateral shoots were allowed to develop and be trained into a “V” system after planting. The twin-head system achieved similar plant growth and fruit yield as the conventional single-head system on two long English seedless cucumber cultivars (Bodega and Myrthos) and two breeding lines (2005A and 24–119) tested over 2 years. The twin-head system also improved the fruit grades in ‘Bodega’ by increasing the percentage of fruit in medium size while reducing the percentage of fruit in small size. Because the twin-head system achieved the same fruit yield as the conventional single-head system while using only half the number of transplants, we can conclude that the twin-head “V” high-wire system is a more cost-effective high-wire system for year-round greenhouse cucumber production.