How many jin per mu does grafted cucumber generally yield, and the best rootstock and step-by-step seedling method

Cucumber is also known as Huzhua, Cigua, Wanggua, Qigua, Qinggua, Tanggua and Diaogua. It is commonly cultivated throughout China, and in many areas it is grown in greenhouses or plastic tunnels. So how many jin per mu does grafted cucumber yield? What is best for grafting? How do you graft? What are the cucumber seedling methods? We learned from cucumber grower Mr. He that cucumbers grown in greenhouses in the south can generally be grown for two seasons, though many grafted cucumbers are grown for only one season a year. For two seasons, seedlings are raised in early February for spring, and transplanted at the end of February or early March, with cucumbers coming to market in early to mid-April and vines pulled at the end of June; the autumn crop is planted in mid-July and vines are pulled in mid-November. Spring yield is generally around 15,000 jin per mu, and autumn yield is generally around 12,000 jin per mu.

What is best for grafting cucumbers?

1. The main rootstock varieties used for cucumber grafting include black-seeded pumpkin, wasteland melon, and the pumpkin varieties Xintuzuo and Baijuzuo.

2. Cucumber grafting technology is a major technical measure in cucumber production and cultivation for overcoming continuous cropping obstacles, improving plant stress resistance, controlling diseases such as cucumber fusarium wilt and phytophthora blight, and achieving high yields. Grafted cucumbers have enhanced stress resistance, with characteristics such as tolerance to low temperatures, high temperatures, waterlogging and drought. Grafted seedlings have well-developed root systems, strong growth vigor, normal lateral branch development, stable fruiting, and can be grown in successive crops. Using grafting technology in field cucumber production can achieve many advantages such as increasing yield, preventing disease and improving the cucumber's own stress resistance.

How do you graft cucumbers?

Cucumber grafting methods include the insertion method, the approach method, the cleft method, the splice method and so on. Among them, the approach method and the insertion method are the most commonly used because they are simple to perform and have a high survival rate.

I. Insertion method:

1. Oblique insertion method: Hold the rootstock hypocotyl between thumb and index finger, use a blade or the edge of a bamboo skewer to remove the growing point and the two axillary buds, then use the bamboo skewer on the top surface of the seedling stem, close to the inner side of one cotyledon base, at an angle of 30-45 degrees to the stem, inserting obliquely toward below the other cotyledon, with an insertion depth of about 5mm, so that the bamboo skewer just pierces the rootstock epidermis but preferably does not break through. Do not pull out the bamboo skewer yet.

Cut the cucumber seedling about 1cm below the cotyledons at an approximately 30° oblique angle (on the side where the cotyledons are attached). The first cut should be slightly flat and not cut through; turn the seedling stem over and make another oblique cut from the back, with a cut length of 0.5-0.7mm, shaping the scion into a wedge. Then pull out the bamboo skewer from the rootstock and insert the scion into the oblique insertion hole in the pumpkin. Make the two cuts of rootstock and scion fit together, with the cucumber cotyledons and pumpkin cotyledons forming a cross shape, and secure with a grafting clip or wrap with plastic tape.

2. Vertical insertion method: Use a blade or the edge of a bamboo skewer to remove the rootstock's growing point and the two axillary buds. At the center of the growing point, use a bamboo skewer slightly thicker than the cucumber stem (homemade, the same thickness as the scion hypocotyl) to insert vertically about 0.5cm, and do not pull it out yet. Cut the cucumber seedling 1-1.5cm below the growing point at a 30° angle, making an oval cut surface 0.4-0.5cm long. Pull out the bamboo skewer from the rootstock and insert it into the insertion hole in the pumpkin stem, with the rootstock and scion cotyledons oriented in a "cross" shape. After spraying with clean water, place in a moisture-retaining low tunnel. Keep humidity at 95% for 3 days after grafting, with daytime temperature 25-28℃ and nighttime 18-20℃. After 4 days, ventilate slightly; after 8 days, the film can be removed for hardening. At around 25 days, when the three-leaf-one-heart stage is reached, it can be transplanted.

II. Approach method:

1. Rootstock: Use a blade or the edge of a bamboo skewer to remove the growing point and the two axillary buds. On the hypocotyl 0.5-1cm from the cotyledon node, cut downward with the blade at a 30-40 degree angle to the stem, to 1/2 of the stem, not more than 2/3 at most, with a cut length of 0.5-0.7cm (not more than 1cm). The cut depth must be strictly controlled; too deep and it breaks easily, too shallow and the survival rate decreases.

2. Scion: At 1-2cm below the node under the cotyledons, cut upward from bottom to top at a 30 degree angle to 1/2 the depth of the stem, with a cut length of 0.6-0.8cm (do not cut off the seedling and keep the roots), and the cut length should equal that of the rootstock cut (not more than 1cm).

After the rootstock and scion are prepared, hold the rootstock in one hand and the scion in the other, insert the tongue-shaped wedge of the scion into the cut in the rootstock, then clamp the joint with a grafting clip or wrap it with plastic strip, and cover the scion roots with soil. Cut off the scion base after about 20 days.

III. Advantages and disadvantages of the methods

In production, these two grafting methods each have advantages and disadvantages, and their pros and cons are mainly analyzed as follows:

1. Insertion method: The insertion method removes the roots of the cucumber scion and then inserts it obliquely into the growing point at the top of the pumpkin rootstock. With the insertion method, the scion is positioned relatively high and far from the ground, so it is not easy for it to root downward and produce adventitious roots, which would cause it to lose the purpose of grafting for disease and cold prevention; moreover, the scion and rootstock combine firmly, the scion does not easily fall off, and the rootstock does not easily break at the joint. However, because the scion has no roots when grafted by the insertion method, it is prone to water loss and wilting, reducing the survival rate. Therefore, the insertion method has high requirements for grafting technique and management. It is not suitable for promotion among grafting beginners.

2. Approach method: The approach method involves taking a rooted cucumber scion seedling and a pumpkin rootstock seedling, making oblique cuts in the middle-upper part of the seedlings, and fitting them together. The approach method is grafting with roots, so it is not prone to water loss and wilting and has a relatively high survival rate; therefore, management requirements after grafting are not too strict, and it is easy to promote. However, because the scion and rootstock are joined at a relatively low position, they are susceptible to soil contamination and prone to producing adventitious roots, losing the purpose of grafting for disease prevention, cold prevention and yield increase; moreover, the scion and rootstock easily break at the joint, which can easily cause seedling injury and death; and after the scion survives, the roots must still be cut, which is relatively labor-intensive.

Appendix: Cucumber seedling methods

Variety selection: Choose early-maturing, disease-resistant, high-quality varieties such as Changchun Mici, Jinza No. 2, Jinchun No. 2, etc.

1. Seedling period: Raise seedlings in a greenhouse in early February.

2. Preparation of nutrient soil: The ratio is decomposed organic fertilizer : garden soil : fine coal ash = 5:4:1. Add 0.5 kg urea and 1-2 kg diammonium phosphate per cubic meter of nutrient soil and mix evenly.

3. Seed soaking and germination: Soak seeds for 4-6 hours, place at 25-30℃ for germination, and sprouts can appear in 1-2 days.

4. Sowing: Can be sown directly in nutrient pots or sown in seedbeds. After sowing, maintain 25-30℃ during the day and 18-20℃ at night; after emergence, maintain 25-30℃ during the day and 12-16℃ at night. Seedling age is about 40 days.

5. Standards for strong seedlings: Plant height 15-18 cm, 5-6 true leaves, dark green leaf color, spreading growing tip, stem thickness 1 cm, short internodes, terminal flowers with buds.