CUCUMBER GRAFTING FOR AVOIDING SOME SOILBORNE DISEASES IN PLASTIC HOUSES

The experiment was carried out at El-Bosaily site, in the north coast of Egypt, in order to study the possibility of overcoming some soilborne diseases which restrict cucumber cultivation in plastic houses under that area. Additionally, avoiding the high cost of steaming and the cost and pollution of using chemicals in soil. Cucumber seedlings, cv. Passandra F1 have been grafted on Cucurbita ficifolia (for nematode resistance). In order to achieve an optimal grafting results in the plastic houses, a good balance between humidity and temperature should be maintained. A small tunnel was used inside the plastic houses to provide a better climate for grafted seedlings. Plastic nets were used to reduce the light intensity and subsequently overheat, and mist irrigation was used for increasing the relative humidity. The results proved the possibility of using such techniques for avoiding soilborne disease under the plastic houses conditions. The economics of this method were discussed.