Plant Gene and Trait 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 123-132 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/pgt 129 et al., 2015; Stein et al., 2020). Pollination is more important than fertilization and weeding. Without it, even if other management is done well, the yield will not increase (Tscharntke et al., 2015). When planted sparsely (2.25 plants per square meter), each plant yields more fruits with better quality, such as high contents of sugar, vitamin C and protein, and the total output does not decrease (Ding et al., 2022). Although planting densely can increase the yield of each plot of land, the fruits become smaller, the weight decreases, and the profit is not necessarily higher (Ngouajio et al., 2006). In terms of the trellis, the modified umbrella type had higher yield and fruit count per plant, while the high rope trellis was more stable in terms of total output (Berghage et al., 2024). In terms of pruning, plants with two main vines left have more flowers and higher yields. However, if they are planted too densely, the growth of the plants will become weaker (Ayala-Tafoya et al., 2019). 8.3 Key takeaways for practical cultivation Overall, appropriately reducing the planting density, such as 2.25 plants per square meter, is conducive to improving the fruit quality and yield per plant, and the total output can also be maintained (Ngouajio et al., 2006; Ding et al., 2022). The high rope frame has good stability, and the modified umbrella shape is more suitable for improving the performance of individual plants (Berghage et al., 2024). Planting some companion plants that attract bees or leaving more flowers can also improve pollination efficiency and yield (Tscharntke et al., 2015; Stein et al., 2020). Although high density has a high yield, the input costs such as seeds are also higher, so the returns are not necessarily the best (Ngouajio et al., 2006). If the appropriate density is combined, leaving double main vines can further increase the yield (Ayala-Tafoya et al., 2019). 9 Innovations and Sustainable Practices 9.1 Smart farming technologies for trellis and plant spacing Nowadays, more and more intelligent agricultural technologies are being applied in the cultivation of cucumbers, especially in the construction of trellis and the arrangement of plant spacing. These technologies can help improve pollination efficiency and yield. By installing sensors, farmers can know the light, temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide concentration in real time, and then use the automatic control system to adjust the planting density and the way of trellis. For example, using different amounts of carbon dioxide generating kits (CGBs) can increase the CO₂ concentration in greenhouses, which can help cucumbers grow faster, have a higher yield, and the cost is not high (Guo et al., 2025). Meanwhile, intelligent data analysis can also tell farmers which density and trellis are more suitable, which is conducive to improving both yield and quality (Ding et al., 2022; Omerkhil et al., 2023; Berghage et al., 2024). 9.2 Low-input systems with high efficiency Studies have pointed out that slightly reducing the planting density (for example, 2.25 plants per square meter) will not decrease the total output. Instead, it enables each plant to produce more fruits, with higher contents of nutrients such as sugar, vitamin C and flavonoids in the fruits, and lower nitrite content (Ding et al., 2022). In terms of fertilization, the combined use of NPK fertilizer with an appropriate density (for example, applying more fertilizer at a plant and row spacing of 75×55 cm) can also significantly improve the growth and yield of cucumbers (Omerkhil et al., 2023). Some studies have also found that using organic liquid fertilizer in combination with simple trellis (such as binding ropes or wooden sticks) can also make cucumbers grow well and have a decent yield (Odewale et al., 2020). These methods have low investment but good efficiency, saving resources and making money (Guo et al., 2025). 9.3 Recommendations for climate-resilient cultivation models To cope with the possible impacts of climate change, the planting patterns should also be more diversified. For example, growing cucumbers together with other crops (intercropping) can make better use of the land. However, attention should also be paid to the seasonal and density arrangements to avoid crops competing with each other for resources and affecting the yield (Dutra et al., 2019). In greenhouses, slightly reducing the density can improve the quality of fruits and ensure stable yields under different climatic conditions (López-Elías et al., 2015; Ding et al., 2022). In addition, the selection of the appropriate trellis can also be flexibly adjusted according to the
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