Introduction

The cucumber (cucumis sativus) is one of the most important market vegetables in the tropics and it is also the basis of an extensive pickling industry. It is assumed to be a native of the Northern India. In Sri Lanka, cucumber is best eaten sliced as a salad or as an appetizer with other vegetables because of its distinct flavor and texture. This crop can be grown throughout the year in the wet-zone and during Maha season in the dry-zone to an elevation of about 1000 m. The identified districts for cucumber production are Kurunegala, Matale and Hambantota and the potential districts are Puttalam, Colombo, Matara, Badulla, Moneragala, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura.

Nutritive value
The fruit is used as a vegetable or salad. The immature fruit is cooked and given to children for dysentery. The seeds are considered cooling and used as a diuretic.