Challenges and Opportunities in Cucumber Seed Production

Abstract

Quality seed is a vital input in agriculture that determines the potential of yield and quality of crop. Cucumber seed production has several issues such as formation of higher number of under developed seeds, sensitivity to micronutrient deficiency, exhibition of dormancy in freshly harvested seed etc. These above said issues directly affects seed quality and yield of cucumber. Optimization of harvesting stage and post-harvest ripening period, standardization of position of seed on plant and within the fruit, plant energy management through fruit load management and exogenous supply of chemicals/micronutrient etc. may be the best possible approaches to address these problems. In present review the different problems associated with cucumber seed production and possible approaches to overcome them are discussed.