Effect of Tendril Pruning on the Growth and Yield of Cucumber (Cucumis sativum L.) in Owo, Southwest Nigeria

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is an important accessory fruit which is also perceived and eaten as vegetable. Despite its agricultural importance, the practice of tendril pruning as an agronomic technique in cucumber cultivation has received limited research attention. This study investigated the effects of tendril pruning on the growth and yield of cucumber at the Teaching and Research Farm of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (latitude 7°12?N, longitude 5°35?E, 345 m above sea level), situated in the rainforest zone of southwestern Nigeria. The experiment was arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates, comprising two treatments: unpruned (control) and pruned tendrils. Tendril pruning was initiated at the onset of flowering using a ballot method for treatment allocation. Results indicated that tendril pruning significantly enhanced vegetative growth. The number of female flowers per plant was higher in plants with pruned tendrils (4.67) compared to unpruned plants (4.12), while the number of male flowers was greater in plants with unpruned tendrils (control) (8.48) than in pruned plants (5.39). Additionally, pruned tendril plants exhibited significant improvements in number of fruits, fruit length, fruit diameter, fresh fruit weight, and total fruits weight per plant. These findings suggest that tendril pruning positively influences cucumber productivity. Further investigation is therefore recommended to determine the optimal timing for tendril pruning. Moreover, breeding cucumber varieties without tendrils may offer a promising strategy for enhancing yield while reducing agronomic stress.