Grow healthy cucumbers in Israel – and save money

Cucumber downy mildew: It was found that by using Haifa's products, the pesticide expenses were reduced considerably

 

Crop/cultivar Cucumbers / Hassan (protected conditions)
Country / location Israel / Baqaa- el- Garbia / Mouasi farm
Objectives Prevent & combat mildew disease
Haifa product tested MAP & MKP
Application method Foliar nutrition
Tested treatment 8 Weekly sprayings @ 2% MKP or 1.5% MAP only, or alternating with Ophir, in 500 lit./ha by air-blast sprayer.
Control treatment results Unsprayed control is significantly inferior to all treatments checked. Ophir- sprayed control is significantly superior to all treatments checked.
Grower’s revenue from yield: 400 US$/MT
Best treatment results 2% MKP or 1.5% MAP alternating with Ophir were better than 2% MKP or 1.5% MAP only. 
Indicative data for the last part of growth season (figures indicate % leaf area covered by the fungus): Ophir:2.33B; MKP/ Ophir: 5.68B; MAP/ Ophir: 6.40B;  MAP:24.30B; MKP: 31.65B; unsprayed control: 83.75A. 
Grower’s revenue from yield:  400 US$/MT
Characteristics of best treatment

Alternation between MAP or MKP and Ophir were significantly better than unsprayed control, without side-effects. Thus, fungicide applications were reduced by 50%, (reduced environmental pollution). MAP and MKP sprayed alone caused some leaf-burns, which can be associated with high-temperature events in the greenhouse.

Cost of treatment (application + material) 300 US$/ha

Net benefit of best treatment 2,000 US$/ha
Benefit/Cost ratio 8.3
Conclusions

Alternation between MKP (or MAP) and Ophir, can considerably reduce pesticide expenses and be more environment friendly.

Reference N. Genaim (ministry of Agriculture), M. Gundia, and F. Mouasi

 

Need more information about growing cucumbers? You can always return to the cucumber fertilizer & cucumber crop guide table of contents  or the cucumber growth stages

 

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