GROWTH AND YIELD OF CUCUMBER (Cucumis sativus L.) INFLUENCED BY INTRA-ROW SPACING AND TRELLISING IN SUDAN SAVANNA OF KEBBI STATE, NIGERIA

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is one of the oldest cultivated fruit vegetables of the Old World
and is valued for its nutritional quality and economic importance. However, Cucumber
productivity in the Sudan Savanna of Nigeria remains low, largely due to inappropriate plant
spacing and trellising systems. Two field trials were conducted during the 2023/2024 and
2024/2025 dry seasons at the Fadama Teaching and Research Farm of Abdullahi Fodio
University of Science and Technology, Aliero, located in Jega Kebbi State, Nigeria. Treatments
consisted of four intra-row spacing’s (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 m) and two training methods
(trellised and un-trellised), arranged in a factorial combination using a Randomized Complete
Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Data on growth, flowering, yield, and fruit quality
were collected and subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results showed that intra-row
spacing significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected most growth and yield parameters. Moderate spacing
(1.0 m) enhanced plant height, leaf development, early flowering, and fruit quality, while closer
spacing (0.5 m) produced the highest fresh fruit yield per hectare due to increased plant
population. Trellised plants consistently outperformed un-trellised plants in vegetative growth,
yield, and proportion of marketable fruits, due to improved light interception, better canopy
aeration. Cucumber grown at 1.0 m intra-row spacing x trellising provided the best balance
between yield, fruit quality, and plant vigor and is recommended for sustainable dry season
production in the Sudan Savanna.