200% yield increase with cucumber grafting technique

Scientists at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research have tested cucumber grafting in the greenhouse and are seeing a 200 percent increase in yield for grafted English cucumbers (3 to 4 pounds more produce for each grafted plant).

In addition to the higher yield, the grafted plants are not being sprayed with any pesticides. English cucumbers are not typically grown in Southern Virginia, primarily because they are a newer variety and are typically grown year-round in greenhouses. However, English cucumbers have significant potential to be a new cash crop for Southern Virginia, selling for approximately $1 to $1.50 more per cucumber.

In the second episode of Solution Finders, IALR scientists demonstrate the grafting technique and provide promising, initial research. Grafting is a technique that combines two separate cultivars into one plant. This technique could be a solution for regional growers who would like to increase their revenue by growing high-value crops and those crops that are unique to the Southern Virginia region.

Steps for English Cucumber Grafting:

Cut off the top of a gourd plant, Lagenaria siceraria, leaving the two cotyledons (first two primary leaves).
Insert a small hole in the top of the remaining gourd stalk.
Then remove the top of an English cucumber plant, using forceps, approximately one inch below the cucumber plant’s cotyledons.
Using forceps, cut the two sides of the scion to fit the hole in the gourd stalk.
The cucumber plant is now ready to insert into the gourd stalk. Use a clip to secure the plant.
Cover the plant to keep its environment moist for five days.