Response of Parthenocarpic Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) to Fertigation and Pruning Systems under Polyhouse Conditions in Kashmir

An investigation was conducted at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir, during the 2019 and 2020 seasons to determine the optimal management practices for parthenocarpic cucumber (cv. Pusa Parthenocarpic Cucumber-6) under protected cultivation. The study evaluated six levels of fertigation (ranging from a control with no fertigation up to 300:225:375 kg ha⁻¹ NPK) and two pruning systems (no pruning vs. a single stem system) in a Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design. The results demonstrated that the integration of fertigation and pruning significantly enhanced crop performance. The treatment combining 250:188:312 kg ha⁻¹ NPK fertigation with a single stem pruning system (P1F4) proved to be the most effective, yielding the highest fruit production (120.25 t ha⁻¹), number of fruits per plant (32.5), and individual fruit weight (136.6 g). This combination also promoted superior vegetative growth, including a vine length of 3.94 m and a leaf area of 859.8 cm². Key quality attributes, such as dry matter content (6.13%) and soluble solids, were also maximized under this treatment. Economically, the P1F4 treatment was the most viable, generating the highest net returns (Rs. 495,584) and benefit-cost ratio (5.69). The study concludes that this specific combination of precise nutrient and canopy management is the optimal strategy for maximizing productivity, fruit quality, and profitability of parthenocarpic cucumber in the temperate polyhouse conditions of Kashmir.