Water Uptake, Growth and Yield Response of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) to Nutrient Solution Concentration in Closed Hydroponic Systems
2008
Roh, M.Y. (Protected Horticulture Experiment Station, NHRI, RDA, Busan, Republic of Korea), E-mail: [email protected] | Kim, W.S. (International Technical Cooperation Center, RDA, Suwon, Republic of Korea) | Choi, Y.H. (Protected Horticulture Experiment Station, NHRI, RDA, Busan, Republic of Korea) | Lee, Y.B. (University of Seoul, Seoul, Republic of Korea)
Cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Joeun Baegdadagi) were grown in closed perlite cultivation systems with the nutrient solutions supplied by electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2, 1.8, 2.4, and 3.0 dSㆍm-¹. The EC values and ion concentrations in the recycled solutions were higher than those in the initial solutions at 2.4 and 3.0 dSㆍm-¹ treatments from 54 days of transplanting (10 days of harvest). From three weeks of harvest, the pH values of the reused solution were significantly different to their initial values in all treatments. A quadratic relationship between nutrient solution EC and water uptake was found. The EC level of nutrient solution significantly affected the growth and yield of cucumber. Plant leaf area and dry weight grown in 1.8-2.4 dSㆍm-¹ were greater than those in 1.2 and 3.0 dSㆍm-¹. The yields of cucumber were reduced by 16.1, 8.0, and 15.7% at the treatments of 1.2, 2.4, and 3.0 dSㆍm-¹, respectively, compared with 1.8 dSㆍm-¹ treatment. This reduction in yield was attributed to the lower number of fruits per plant in 1.2 dSㆍm-¹ and the lower mean weight of fruits in 3.0 dSㆍm-¹. The number of aborted fruits was highest in 1.2 dSㆍm-¹ and lowest in 2.4 dSㆍm-¹. Days to harvest of cucumber fruits were 9.1, 7.9, 7.6, and 7.8 in 1.2, 1.8, 2.4, and 3.0 dSㆍm-¹ treatments, respectively.
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