*4.1.2 Soil temperature, soil water and soil compaction*

Soil water is critical to crop production just as fertiliser and other factors of production. Soil fertility depends on soil water, temperature and soil density because fertiliser sources need to decompose or dissolve depending on their source (organic or inorganic) in order to make nutrients available to plant. Similarly, microbial activities which are necessities in soil fertility economy are hampered by soil temperature and density. Strategies used to manage soil temperature, water and bulk density include.

a.**Mulching**: Mulch is any materials used to cover soil surface in order to reduce evaporation, weed infestation and action of rain and wind. Mulch materials may be natural or synthetic. Soil physical properties such as temperature, water and bulk density can be managed by using biological mulch (plant residue and fresh plant parts). Biological much tend to improve better than synthetic mulch. Other management strategies include conservation tillage, use of cover crops, application of manure, compost and organic mineral fertiliser in order to increase soil organic matter base.

#### *4.1.3 Soil erosion*

Soil erosion, which may be in form of water or wind erosion, constitutes a serious agent of soil degradation and limits the availability of nutrients and soil water. Exposure of soils to the vagaries of weather and climate, increasing population density, increase in proportion of land under cultivation, cultivating lands not suitable for cultivation has caused erosion problems. Erosion causes a reduction in soil volume, lowers crop yield, increases run off and decrease in the density of vegetation. Strategies used in combating erosion include avoidance of cultivation on sloppy lands or in cases of cultivation on sloppy lands; within land ridges should be avoided. Other strategies that can be used include terracing, contour ploughing and use of Vetiver technology [39]. Vetiver grasses can be planted in cucumber farms to help stabilise soils and reduce erosion. Other methods include proper spacing, crop rotation and use of natural mulch materials to reduce the effect of torrential rain drops on soils in Nigeria.

### **5. Conclusion**

Cucumber production in Nigeria is an ever expanding enterprise because of their nutritional and economic uses. Poor soil management leads to decrease in production. Therefore, adoption of certain soil management strategies such as use of cover crops, conservation tillage, use of mulch and vetiver grass technology could be effective soil stabilisers. These management strategies should be adequately adopted and appropriately applied for sustainable cucumber production in Nigeria.

**95**

**Author details**

Bernard Ndubuisi Okafor\* and Japhet J. Yaduma

provided the original work is properly cited.

National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Ibadan, Nigeria

© 2021 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,

\*Address all correspondence to: kpakpando2001@yahoo.com

*Soil and Agronomic Management for Cucumber Production in Nigeria*

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96087*

*Soil and Agronomic Management for Cucumber Production in Nigeria DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96087*

*Cucumber Economic Values and Its Cultivation and Breeding*

*4.1.2 Soil temperature, soil water and soil compaction*

to increase soil organic matter base.

bulk density include.

*4.1.3 Soil erosion*

drops on soils in Nigeria.

**5. Conclusion**

Soil water is critical to crop production just as fertiliser and other factors of production. Soil fertility depends on soil water, temperature and soil density because fertiliser sources need to decompose or dissolve depending on their source (organic or inorganic) in order to make nutrients available to plant. Similarly, microbial activities which are necessities in soil fertility economy are hampered by soil temperature and density. Strategies used to manage soil temperature, water and

a.**Mulching**: Mulch is any materials used to cover soil surface in order to reduce evaporation, weed infestation and action of rain and wind. Mulch materials may be natural or synthetic. Soil physical properties such as temperature, water and bulk density can be managed by using biological mulch (plant residue and fresh plant parts). Biological much tend to improve better than synthetic mulch. Other management strategies include conservation tillage, use of cover crops, application of manure, compost and organic mineral fertiliser in order

Soil erosion, which may be in form of water or wind erosion, constitutes a serious agent of soil degradation and limits the availability of nutrients and soil water. Exposure of soils to the vagaries of weather and climate, increasing population density, increase in proportion of land under cultivation, cultivating lands not suitable for cultivation has caused erosion problems. Erosion causes a reduction in soil volume, lowers crop yield, increases run off and decrease in the density of vegetation. Strategies used in combating erosion include avoidance of cultivation on sloppy lands or in cases of cultivation on sloppy lands; within land ridges should be avoided. Other strategies that can be used include terracing, contour ploughing and use of Vetiver technology [39]. Vetiver grasses can be planted in cucumber farms to help stabilise soils and reduce erosion. Other methods include proper spacing, crop rotation and use of natural mulch materials to reduce the effect of torrential rain

Cucumber production in Nigeria is an ever expanding enterprise because of their nutritional and economic uses. Poor soil management leads to decrease in production. Therefore, adoption of certain soil management strategies such as use of cover crops, conservation tillage, use of mulch and vetiver grass technology could be effective soil stabilisers. These management strategies should be adequately adopted

and appropriately applied for sustainable cucumber production in Nigeria.

**94**
