Recommended cucumber hybrids for growing in greenhouses under conditions artificial lighting

Abstract

For plants, light is a determining factor in growth and development. The use of artificial lighting in greenhouses has a huge impact on the yield, cost and timing of the receipt of vegetable products. The development of light culture in the country allows greenhouse complexes to use their greenhouses year-round, significantly increase plant productivity, receive most of the harvest in the winter months of the year and sell it at a higher price. The use of artificial light made it possible to increase the yield of the cucumber crop to 200 kg from 1 m2 or more. From the economic point of view, the cucumber culture is most effective in greenhouses. Russia is a cucumber country, more than half of the protected ground area is occupied by this crop. And photoculture in greenhouses began with the cultivation of a cucumber crop. Today we say with confidence that artificial lighting in greenhouses is more efficient than natural lighting. So to get one kilogram of vegetables using artificial lighting, it is necessary to spend 4.5-5.0 thousand J/cm2, and in the case of using natural light – 5.0-6.5 thousand J/cm2. This can be explained by the fact that in the conditions of using artificial lighting in cultivation facilities, we strive to create the most comfortable growing conditions for plants. An increase in the yield of cucumber crops under artificial lighting occurs mainly due to an increase in the lighting power per unit area of greenhouses to 220 W/m2and more. However, this is not the only way to increase yields. One of the most important criteria for increasing yields and improving the quality of fruits is the choice of the grown hybrid. Cucumber hybrids for cultivation under light culture conditions will be discussed in this work.The methods used in agronomic science were used. The information base of the research was made up of reference materials from specialized publications on the subject under study (catalogs of breeding companies); materials received from participants in the greenhouse vegetable market (breeding companies, greenhouse plants); own research, articles and reviews in specialized journals.Correctly selected cucumber hybrids provide a significant increase in yields in greenhouses, an improvement in fruit quality and a balanced cultivation technology in specific conditions. An assortment of recommended cucumber hybrids for cultivation under photoculture conditions is presented, an analysis of their advantages and disadvantages is made, and the main requirements for hybrids for these conditions are formulated.