Soilless Cucumber Cultivation under Protective Structures in Relation to Irrigation Coupled ...

18 Pages·2017·0.33 MB·English

Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(3): 2451-2468
International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences
ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 7 Number 03 (2018)

Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com

Review Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2018.703.286

Soilless Cucumber Cultivation under Protective Structures in Relation to
Irrigation Coupled Fertigation Management, Economic Viability and
Potential Benefits-A Review

Mahesh Chand Singh1*, Dilip Singh Kachwaya2 and Kapil Kalsi2

1Department of Soil and Water Engineering, Punjab Agricultural University,
Ludhiana (PB)-141004, India
2Dr. Y S Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP)-173230, India

*Corresponding author

A B S T R A C T

The protected c ultivation of cucumber in soilless systems (substrate culture, hydroponic,
Key words aeroponic etc.) under optimal operating microclimatic conditions has become an

alternative for sustainable vegetable production as a result of shifting climatic scenarios
Cucum ber, and soil related problems. The soilless cultivation in both open and closed systems with
Fertiga tion, Potential efficient utilization of water and nutrients has significantly increased the greenhouse
benefi ts, Protected
cucumber productivity compared to conventional cultivation under both protective
cEuclotinvoa mtioicn ,v Siaobiilllietsys , structures and open field conditions. A closed hydroponic system has helped in saving

A rtic le Info water and nutr ients thereby increasing water and nutrient use efficiency of cucumber
cultivation with no environmental pollution. Further, the year round cultivation of

Accep ted: cucumber has become possible under protective structures making it as an economically
20 Fe bruary 2018 viable technolo gy for the growers. Here, an effort has been made to highlight the progress
Avail able Online: made in soilless or hydroponic cucumber cultivation in past in relation to irrigation

10 M arch 2018 coupled fertigation management, economic viability and the potential benefits. The study
also describes the methods for computing the components of water and nutrient use
balance in both open and closed systems.
Introduction 22.0°C and below 27.0°C (Singh et al.,
2017a). It grows productively under
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is one of the conditions of high humidity, high light,
most popular vegetable crops cultivated fertilizers and moisture in plastic greenhouses
broadly throughout the world (Soleimani et (El-Aidy et al., 2007). It can be planted by
al., 2009) under plastic greenhouses for higher direct seeding or transplanting. The row to
economic value in off-season cultivation row spacing is often kept from 120.0 to 150.0
(Chandra et al., 2000). It is thermophilic in cm and plant to plant spacing varies from 30.0
nature and frost susceptible crop (Bacci et al., to 45.0 cm. The suitable plant spacing and
2006), growing best at a temperature above pruning results in higher fruit yield of
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cucumber (More et al., 1990). Cucumber is Effect of growing media on crop production
cultivated for its tender fruits, which are
consumed either raw as salad, cooked as The major limitations of protective cultivation
vegetable or pickled in its immature stage are soil borne diseases (Baysal-Gurel et al.,
(Sumathi et al., 2008). For fresh consumption, 2012). The soilless cultivation is therefore, a
cucumber fruits are picked at their full growth possible alternative for sustainable vegetable
stage before attainment of physiological production, which reduces the soil related
maturity (Kanellis et al., 1986) However, the problems experienced in the conventional crop
quality and production of cucumber is now in cultivation (Olympious, 1995; Hussain et al.,
threat under changing climatic scenarios, 2014). Moreover, soilless growing media are
growing media (occurrence of soil-borne easier to handle and may provide a better
diseases on global basis) and the microclimate growing environment compared to soil
within plant community. (Mastouri et al., 2005). Soilless cultivation
also offers other benefits such as capability to
Effect of climate change on crop production control water availability, pH and nutrient
concentration in the root zone (Epstein and
The climate change which is one of the main Bloom, 2005). Cocopeat is one of the soilless
determinants of agricultural production has media which is suitable for cucumber
started affecting the pattern of crop growth production. The major limitations of
from last few couple of decades in various protective cultivation are soil borne diseases
agro-climatic zones globally (Wang et al., (Baysal-Gurel et al., 2012). The soilless
2014). The production and quality is affected cultivation is therefore, a possible alternative
directly or indirectly due to increased for sustainable vegetable production, which
temperature and exposure to elevated levels of reduces the soil related problems experienced
carbon dioxide. According to Minaxi et al., in the conventional crop cultivation
(2011), the expected rise in average surface (Olympious, 1995; Hussain et al., 2014).
temperature may be in the range of 1.1°C- Moreover, soilless growing media are easier to
6.4°C by the last decade of 21st century on handle and may provide a better growing
global basis. Any change in climatic factors environment compared to soil (Mastouri et al.,
such as temperature is bound to have a 2005). Soilless cultivation also offers other
significant impact on crop growth and benefits such as capability to control water
production (Singh, 2016). In India, climate availability, pH and nutrient concentration in
change has increased the intensity of natural the root zone (Epstein and Bloom, 2005).
calamities such as floods, droughts, heat Cocopeat is one of the soilless media which is
waves and cyclones (Goswami et al., 2006). suitable for cucumber production. The present
The problems would further aggravate in the study was thus undertaken to study the
years to come due to heavy dependence on nutrient and water use efficiencies of
agriculture and limited arable land if no greenhouse seedless cucumber production in
corrective measures are taken today. Apart soilless media under partially controlled
from this, the application of agrochemicals greenhouse conditions.
such as fungicide has also limited the
production of high value fruits and vegetable The soil borne diseases both in protective
crops such as cucumber (Bagi et al., 2014). structures and open field conditions have
Numerous factors which affect the cucumber limited the cucumber cultivation (Baysal-
growth and productivity to a significant degree Gurel et al., 2012). Under such circumstances,
are described in Singh et al., (2017a). the soilless cultivation can be practiced for
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sustainable vegetable production, with a radiation of short wavelengths to create an
significant reduction in soil related problems encouraging microclimate for plant growth
experienced in the conventional cultivation and higher productivity (Tiwari 2006). In the
(Olympious, 1995; Hussain et al., 2014). present scenario of continual demand of
Furthermore, soilless growing systems vegetables and dwindling land holdings
(substrate culture, hydroponic, aeroponic or drastically, protected cultivation of vegetable
aquaponic etc.) may provide a better growing crops is also becoming popular in the hilly
environment and are easier to handle regions of the country, which offers a great
compared to soil (Mastouri et al., 2005). It scope for use of low cost naturally-ventilated
also offers other benefits such as capability to polyhouses or greenhouses because of mild
control pH and nutrient concentration in the climate (Mishra et al., 2010). Thus, protected
root zone and water availability (Epstein and cultivation is now very much needed under
Bloom, 2005). Indian conditions to improve the productivity
and quality of the vegetable crops (Kohli et
Microclimate within plant community al., 2007).

The productivity of cucumber grown inside According to Spehia (2015), the productivity
protective structure is extremely dependent on of cucumber inside a polyhouse is more than
light, humidity, temperature, CO , irrigation four times of that obtained under open field
2
water, fertigation, method of cultivation and cultivation. Kumar et al., (2011) reported a 2.5
cultivars. The crop productivity also chiefly times increase in vegetable production from
depends on the response of plants to 1991-92 to 2010-11 in India. FAO (2011) has
environmental conditions. According to reported a cucumber production of 1.60 lakh
Marcelis et al., (2005), the yield of vegetable tonnes with an average productivity of 6412.0
crops reduces by 0.8-1.0 percent for 1.0 kg ha-1 from an area of 25104.0 ha in India.
percent reduction of solar radiation reaching The worldwide area under protected
the plant canopy. From biomass production cultivation has increased significantly during
and energy saving point of view, an air past couple of decades (Singh et al., 2016).
temperature of 19.0°C for daytime and 15.0°C India, from where the cucumber originated is
for night time and a canopy leaf area index not among the leading global
(LAI) of 2.0-3.0 provides the most energy producers. However, the cucumber
efficient conditions for greenhouse cucumber productivity and fruit quality in soil under
cultivation under the winter climate conditions protective structures has been significantly
(Luo et al., 2005). It is thus important to reduced due to soil-borne dieases (Hussain et
cultivate cucumbers under protective al., 2014). Thus, soilless cultivation can be
structures under optimal operating adopted for sustainable vegetable production.
microclimatic conditions for improved yield
and quality of fruit. Soilless cultivation

Protected cultivation The soilless cultivation is a technique of
growing crops without soil as rooting media
A protective structure when supported with (Savvas et al., 2013). It has been
favorable climatic conditions offers off-season acknowledged internationally due to its ability
cultivation of vegetable crops which is more to maintain efficient and intensive plant
profitable in the Northern Plains of India (Nair production (Barrett et al., 2016). It has
and Barche 2014). A greenhouse traps solar become progressively more important
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worldwide during last fifty years capacity, EC and pH value can be determined
(Schmilewski 2009). In recent past, numerous individually by different methods suggested in
researchers cultivated cucumbers in soilless literature one of which is reported in
media under different greenhouse conditions Verdonck and Gabriels (1992). EC and pH
(Huber et al., 2005; Gul et al., 2006; Gul et values are the most sensitive parameters which
al., 2007; Janapriya et al., 2010; Zhang et al., directly affect the water and nutrient uptake of
2012; Mazahreh et al., 2015). Subjected to the plants which in turn can limit the plant
optimal operating microclimatic conditions for growth and development.
greenhouse cucumber cultivation in soilless
media (Singh et al., 2017b), desired yield Among several growing media, coco-peat is
potential of cucumber can be achieved. considered as a wonderful growing media with
suitable EC, pH and other chemical properties.
Optimal microclimate for cucumber Coco-peat has high water holding capacity and
cultivation its high air filled porosity results in very high
seed germination rate and produces more
The assemblage of climatological parameters stronger and fibrous seedlings (Fornes et al.,
forming around a living plant inside a 2003). According to Ghehsareh et al., (2011),
protective strucutre is termed as greenhouse the water holding capacity (WHC) of coco-
microclimate (Singh et al., 2016). Thus, it peat is 90.5 percent, while other substrates
becomes important to maintain the such as perlite and date-palm peat are having
microclimatic parameters to a desired range WHC of 96.7 percent and 78.3 percent
for better crop growth and productivity respectively.
through commonly used techniques viz.
natural ventilation, shading and evaporative Nutrients requirement of cucumber
cooling under summer climatic conditions
(Singh et al., 2018) and heating in winter The cucumber plants grown in soilless media
climatic conditions. Most recently, Singh et require a continuous supply of nutrient
al., (2017b) reported the desirable range for solution containing both macro and
air temperature in plant community, leaf micronutrients in appropriate proportion based
temperature and root-zone temperature as on crop growth stage. The elements viz.
22.0-27.0°C, 20.5-25.1°C, 16.9-22.9°C carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) are
respectively. According to Singh et al., also essentially required by the plants and
(2017b), relative humidity, solar radiation and obtained from water and air. The nutrients
vapour pressure deficit should lie in the range (macro) are categorized as primary and
of 60.0-85.0 percent, 100.0-169 Wm-2 and secondary macronutrients. The primary
0.53-1.10 kPa respectively for optimal plant macronutrients included nitrogen (N),
growth and development. phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) and the
secondary macronutrients included calcium
Properties of soilless growing media (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and sulphur (S). The
micronutrients included boron (B), iron (Fe),
The knowledge of physiochemical properties manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and
of growing media is essential for limiting molybdenum (Mo). The micronutrients are
them to desired range in order to offer better required by plants in small quantities. The
plant growing conditions. These properties water soluble fertilizers are now easily
viz. particle density, bullk density, air filled available in market and can be used as the
porosity, total porosity, moisture content, field sources of macro and micronutrients.
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Preparation of nutrient solution the yield penalty (Sonneveld and Voogt 2009).
The EC and pH values of nutrient solution and
The nutrient solution can be prepared on daily growing media can be monitored on daily
basis if possible or stock solution (hogland) basis using water proof testers.
can be prepared according to literature
(Hoagland and Arnon 1950; Sonneveld and Method of irrigation coupled fertigation
Straver 1994). The prepared nutrient solution
should be monitored on regular basis for EC, Drip irrigation is the most suitable method for
pH value and deficiency of micronutrients as irrigating vegetable or fruit crops in both soil
suggested by Shah et al., (2009). and soilless media. It is considered as a tool
for increasing water and nutrient use
Disposal of leachate efficiency (NUE) of the crop grown when
managed carefully. It maximizes yield with a
Suitable arrangement should be made to safely significant reduction in input water and
dispose off the leachate coming out of the environmental pollution by improving the
growing media in open system. In closed photosynthetic capacity of the plants. It
system, the leachate is recirculated and reused minimizes the leaching of nutrients or
causing no environmental pollution. chemicals from root-zone system of the plants
(Gardenas et al., 2005). Numerous studies
pH and EC of nutrient solution reported the positive effect of drip irrigation in
improving yield of the crop grown (Ertek et
The parameter pH is directly related to al., 2006; Vazquez et al., 2006; Castellanos et
nutrient uptake by plants and should be al., 2013).
adjusted to desired range for optimal plant
growth. Several chemicals can be used to Crop water requirement
adjust the pH of nutrient solutions.
The crop water requirement (CWR) can be
The most popular are phosphoric acid to lower estimated from crop transpiration under a
pH and potassium hydroxide to raise pH. closed soilless or hydroponic system. The crop
Other chemicals viz. mono potassium transpiration can be computed using the
phosphate, nitric acid and sulfuric acid can formula derived from the Penman-Monteith
also be used to lower pH. However, nitric acid equation (Medrano et al., 2005) with certain
and sulfuric acid are much more dangerous modifications in model coefficients (equation
than phosphoric acid. The pH value of the 1). Transpiration helps to improve irrigation
nutrient solution should be kept in the range of control in soilless cultivation of crops under
6.0-6.40. greenhouse conditions as it is directly related
to plant production (Watts and Goltz 1985).
On the other hand, the increased EC value of Numerous studies related to transpiration from
nutrient solution may consequently increase cucumber crop (evapotranspiration) have been
the acidity (Adams and Ho 1989) thereby reported in literature (Medrano et al., 2001;
affecting the crop growth and development. Weihong et al., 2004; Medrano et al., 2005;
Cucumber is moderately salt-sensitive among Zhang et al., 2010).
the vegetable crops having threshold EC value
of 3.0 dS m-1 (Singh et al., 2017a). The A simplified model derived from Penman-
preferable EC of nutrient solution is 2.7 dS m- Montheith equation with a few modifications
1 and should never exceed 3.0 dS m-1 to avoid in model coefficients for specific cop and
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climatic conditions can accurately predict the filters for each supply before its delivery to the
hourly transpiration rate for soilless cucumber plant root system to prevent the clogging of
crop (Medrano et al., 2001, 2005). Weihong et emitters. The nutrient solution is supplied
al., (2004) also computed the canopy directly to the plants root system through
transpiration of cucumber crop using Penman- emitters operating at a desired discharge rate.
Monteith model. Medrano et al., (2005)
evaluated the transpiration time course of Computation of water and nutrient balance
cucumber plants cultivated in soilless culture
during two cycles at low (up to 9.0 M J m-2 d- In soilless cultivation, the quantity of nutrient
1) and high (up to 20.0 M J m-2 d-1) radiation solution applied to the crop on daily basis can
levels. Zhang et al., (2010) studied the be measured by means of measuring cylinders
relationship between crop evapotranspiration installed at various locations.
(ET ) of cucumber and climatic factors inside
c
a solar greenhouse. Volume of water application

A(1ekLAI)I BLAIVPD V V
T  rad The total volume ( nsapp or wapp) of nutrient
 (1) solution applied per plant per day in a given
time (t) can be calculated for a known
Where, T = Crop transpiration (kg m-2 s- discharge rate of an emitter using the
I following relationship.
1), rad= Solar radiation (W m-2), VPD

=Vapour pressure deficit (kPa), k =
V nqt
Extinction coefficient,LAI = Leaf area index wapp (2)

(m2 m-2),  = Heat of vaporization of water (J
n
Where, = Total number of emitters
kg-1), A= Equation parameter (dimensionless) operating, q= Emitter discharge (litre hr-1)
andB= Equation parameter (W m-2 kPa-1) t
and = Time to irrigate or fertigate (hr)

The parametersAand Bare different for
V V
different seasons. If wuppand wdppbe the volume of water
uptake and water drained per plant, the water
Fertigation system balance can be expressed as
V V V V
ws wapp wdpp wupp (3)
A drip fertigation system generally includes

main pipeline, laterals and emitter pipe for
V
supplying nutrient solution to the plants. The Where, wapp= Volume of water applied per
system also includes tanks for preparation of V
plant (litre plant-1) and ws= Water stored in
nutrient solution, electric motors or solar
growing media on volumetric basis.
system, pressure gauges, timers, filters and

emitters. The operating pressure of emitters
However for a closed hydroponic system
can be regulated using pressure gauge to
where only plant roots are in contact with
deliver the nutrient solution safely and at
V
desired rate to the root zone of the plants. The running nutrient solution, wscan be taken as
timers allow the application of nutrient zero and the equation 4 becomes as
solution for a pre-determined time. The V V V 0
nutrient solution should be passed through wapp wdpp wupp (4)
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Nutrient balance dw
nutrient in fruits (ppm), L= Dry weight of

dw
For measurement of leachate coming out of leaves (mg plant-1), S= Dry weight of stems
the growing media specially designed trays (mg plant-1),dwF= Dry weight of fruits (mg
can be installed at different locations in the plant-1).
experimental trial. The collected leachate or
ND
waste nutrient solution can be measured using The nutrient drained can be computed as pp
a measuring cylinder on daily basis and can be NA NU
= pp pp (7)
recycled for further use in a closed system.

Having known the total volume of nutrient
ND
solution applied on daily basis and the Where, pp= Total nutrient drained per
concentration of each nutrient in the applied plant (mg plant-1)
nutrient solution, the quantity of applied
nutrient to the crop can be computed as The total nutrient applied, plant uptake and
NA c V nutrient drained can be computed on per plant
pp ans nsapp (5)
and per hectare basis (kg ha-1). The nutrient

balance in an open soilless growing media can
TNA
Where, pp = Total nutrient applied per be expressed as
c
plant (mg plant-1), ans= Concentration of a
N NA NU ND
nutrient in the applied nutrient solution (mg sgm pp pp pp (8)
V
litre-1) and nsapp= Total volume of nutrient
N
solution applied per plant (litre plant-1) Where, sgm= Nutrient storage in growing
media (mg plant-1)
The nutrient concentration of plant can be
computed analytically using inductively However, the nutrient balance for a closed
coupled plasma atomic emission hydroponic system can be expressed as
spectroscopy (ICP-AES) except for nitrogen
(Grewal et al., 2011). The oven dried samples NA NU ND 0
pp pp pp (9)
of leaves, stems and fruits are used for

determination of nutrient elements. The
Pollination
concentration of nitrogen present in plant in

amonical form can be computed using
In cucumber, the male flowers emerge first
standard ethods such as Kjeldahl digestion
and female flowers shortly later. A female
method. The total plant uptake of the nutrient
flower contains a small immature fruit at the
for each element can be computed as
base while the male flower does not contain
NU c dw c dw c dw
any. Pollen is transferred from male to female
pp L L S S F F
(6) flower by bees or other insects. After proper
pollination the female flower develops into a
NU fruit. However, the parthenocarpic cucumber
Where, pp = Nutrient uptake per plant (mg
hybrids produce fruits without pollination.
plant-1), cL=Concentration of a nutrient in Greenhouse cucumbers are naturally
c parthenocarpic and the fruits produced are
leaves (ppm), S = Concentration of a nutrient
seedless.
c
in stems (ppm), F= Concentration of a

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Disease management The recommended fertilizers for fertigating
cucumbers in soil and soilless systems can be
The main entry gate of the greenhouse under taken from Anon (2018a). The fertigation
experimentation should be provided with an schedule or nutrients (macro and micro
air curtain to create a barrier between outside nutrients) required for preparing nutrient
and inside air and blow away the insects solution to fertigate soilless (hydroponic and
entering the greenhouse during entry of a substrate based) cucumbers can be taken from
personal. The insect net (if any) of the Anon (2018b) or Anon (2018c) or
greenhouse should be washed with a spray of Papadopoulos (2001).
water under adequate pressure in order to
remove insects attached to it before Water and nutrient use efficiency
transplanting. The yellow sticky cards can be
installed in the whole greenhouse at various The water use efficiency decreases with
locations for controlling the whiteflies increase in irrigation water applied from
incidence to the crop and a spray of Polo fruiting to the end of growth stage and
(Diafenthiuron 50.0 % WP) can also be done increases with increase in irrigation water
before date of transplanting. The growing from cucumber fruit setting to start of fruit
media should be disinfected before using it for ripening (Mao et al., 2003). According to
growing cucumbers next growing season. Wang et al., (2009) the IWUE decreased with
Fungicides such as Ridomil Gold of Syngenta decrease in water input which also agrees with
which is a mixture of systemic and contact Ayas and Demirtas (2009). A continous effort
fungicide (Metalaxyl-M4.0%+Mancozeb has been made in the past to study the effect of
64.0% WP) can be used for disinfecting the irrigation (Sanchez-Guerrero et al., 2009;
growing media. Grewal et al., 2011) on cucumber growth,
yield and quality.
Irrigation coupled fertigation
The greenhouse seedless cucumber has a high
Water and nutrients are two vital inputs for nutrient requirement and is very productive
plant growth particularly in soilless media and with adequate supply of nutrients (Sonneveld
their uptake by plants are two independent and Voogt 1978). Drip fertigation allows
processes. Cucumber is considered to be precise and uniform distribution of water and
sensitive to drought stress and should never be nutrients exactly to the root system of plant at
short of water (Loomis and Crandall 1977) right time. According to van Os (1999), a
and nutrients. Fertigation in soilless soilless system has higher water and nutrient
cultivation provides efficient use of water and use efficiencies [IWUE or CWUE = yield (kg
nutrients (Jensen 1997) through precise and plant-1)/irrigation water applied (m3 plant-1)
uniform application of nutrients directly to the and NUE = yield (kg plant-1)/nutrient applied
active root system of the plant (Rouphael et (g plant-1)]. A continous effort has been made
al., 2008). Numerous researchers studied the in the past to study the effect of fertigation
effect of irrigation amount (Mao et al., 2003; (Gul et al., 2007) on cucumber growth, yield
Amer et al., 2009; Salcedo et al., 2017) and and quality.
fertilizer coupled irrigation i.e. fertigation
(Papadopoulos 2001; Lee et al., 2005; Ahmet While comparing the effect of open and closed
et al., 2006; Zhang et al., 2011) on cucumber systems on cucumbers cultivated in vertical
yield and water use efficiency (WUE). and horizontal bags fertigated with applied
and drained nutrient solution, Tuzel et al.,
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(1999) confirmed a 22.0 and 35.0 % reduction opportunities in recycling drainage water to
in water and nutrient consumption under increase water and nutrient-use efficiency and
closed system. According to Papadopoulos reduce the environmental impact of the
(2001), the optimal nutrient application to a drainage water discharge. Salcedo and Reca
crop throughout the entire cropping season in (2017) reported a good correlation between
relation to changing needs of the plants for the crop water uptake (WU) and the leaf area
nutrients is highly successful due to a greatly index (LAI) while evaluating the irrigation
improved understanding of plant nutrition and water consumption of a soilless cucumber
the availability of sophisticated nutrient crop under greenhouse conditions under a
delivery systems. Huber et al., (2005) humid tropical climate in order to improve the
cultivated cucumbers in a specially designed irrigation water and fertigation management.
urethane based recyclable plant growth
substrate (UBS) and rockwool (RW) under a Effect of growing media on nursery raising
recirculating hydroponic system and and fruit quality of cucumber
confirmed that irrigation was extremely
important for crop production with a potential Selection of a suitable growing media is
for UBS to evolve as a competitive plant extremely important as it influences the
growth substrate for greenhouse soilless crop quality of seedlings produced. The growing
production with some design modifications. media influences the performance of the ready
Lee et al., (2005) reported increased plant seedlings before transplanting in the field and
weight, number of leaves and total yield the performance of seedlings in the main field
including marketable yield with increased after transplanting is evaluated based on their
application of nutrient solution from 0.5 to 2.0 performance in the nursery raising in relation
litre plant-1day-1 obtaining highest fruit yields to growing media and microclimatic
at 1.5 and 2.0 litre plant-1 day-1 of fertigation conditions offered. According to Luoto
level. While evaluating the effect of nutrient (1984), the colour of cucumber is affected by
sources, organic manure and inorganic growing media at the end of harvest season.
conventional nutrient solution on cucumber The quality of cucumber fruits can be tested
cultivation in different locally available by determining texture, colour and taste by
substrates, Gul et al., (2007) indicated a yield either chemical analysis or sensory evaluation
reduction of 10.8% and 31.3% under organic (Luoto 1984).
nutrient solution and solid organic manure
compared to inorganic nutrient solution. Cucumber contains about 95.2% water, 1.7%
sugar and 2.8 mg (100g)-1 vitamin C. Melo et
While testing an EC-based irrigation strategy al., (2006) have reported the polyphenol
in two greenhouse soilless cucumber crops concentration of 9.05±0.83 mg (100g)-1 and
grown under Mediterranean conditions, ascorbic acid concentration of 1.49±0.85 mg
Sanchez-Guerrero et al., (2009) concluded (100g)-1 in cucumber. Firmness is one of the
that CO enrichment combined to an EC-based major quality parameters of pickling
2
irrigation scheduling improved the overall cucumbers (Suojala-Ahlfors 2005). However,
water use efficiency of soilless greenhouse the transpiration from the cucumber fruits
cropping systems with a drastic reduction of detached from the plants considerably reduces
the leaching fraction. Grewal et al., (2011) the fruit water content and therefore the fruit
confirmed a 33.0% reduction in potable water firmness. The chlorophyll present in the
used for irrigation in hydroponic cucumber epidermis is responsible for dark green colour
production while investigating the on the surface of cucumber fruit. The
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chlorophyll breakdown results in immediate a significantly higher fresh weight of
degreening of cucumber fruit and the exposure cucumber plant grown in peat compared to
of cucumber plants to heat stress during fruit that in perlite. Alifar et al., (2010) obtained
development stage causes bitterness of fruits. the highest and lowest yield of cucumber fruit
The nutritional and calorific value of from cocopeat and perlite-cocopeat by
cucumber is very low, but it is a primary investigating the effect of five different
source of vitamins, minerals and fibre for growing media viz. cocopeat, perlite: cocopeat
human body. It is also a wonderful source of (50:50), perlite: cocopeat: peatmoss (50:20:30
carbohydrates and phosphorus (Yawalkar and 50:30:20) and perlite: peat moss on
1985). volume basis. Janapriya et al., (2010) reported
highest yields of 113.9 t ha-1 and 96.1 t ha-1 in
Soilless cucumber yield greenhouse and open field cultivation of
cucumber under the treatment peat:
The cucumber cultivation in soilless system vermicompost: sand with a highest benefit-
has significantly increased during last couple cost ratio of 3.4 with 100.0% drip fertigation
of decades (Gul et al., 1999; Lorenzo et al., inside the greenhouse.
1999; Tuzel et al., 1999; Huber et al., 2005;
Al-Mulla et al., 2008; Janapriya et al., 2010; Ghehsareh et al., (2012) reported higher yield,
Zhang et al., 2012; Mazahreh et al., 2015) biomass, plant height, root weight, leaf area
than soil based cultivation due to occurrence index (LAI) and total soluble solids (TSS) of
of soil borne diseases. Hickman and Klonsky cucumber fruit on using date-palm as growing
(1993) reported a yield of 33.0 kg m-2 for media compared to the conventional soil
cucumber cultivated in bag culture inside a system. While evaluating the weathered spent
greenhouse. Gul et al., (1999) reported no mushroom substrate (SMS) as a growing
significant difference in plant growth, yield medium for nursery raising of cucumber,
and fruit quality both in open or closed Zhang et al., (2012) indicated a better
systems while cultivating cucumbers in peroformance of plant height, leaf area, fresh
vertical and horizontal bags containing perlite weight, dry weight and seedling quality under
as growing media in open and closed systems. SMS: vermiculite of 2:1 and SMS: perlite of
4:1 growing media compared to peat and
However, the plant growth and yield were perlite (1:1). While studying the effect for
considerably higher in bags placed different growing media viz. perlite (1:0),
horizontally. Lorenzo et al., (1999) obtained a cocopeat grow bag, perlite: cocopeat (1:1) and
lower yield of cucumber under mulching with perlite: cocopeat (1:2) on volume basis on
white film than conventional soilless culture cucumber yield, Mazahreh et al., (2015)
due to lower temperature of air and growing reported highest (87.6 t ha-1) and lowest (46.0
media in the mulched cucumber during the t ha-1) yield of cucumber under perlite:
vegetative development phase, inducing a cocopeat (1:1) and cocopeat grow bag
lower leaf area and LAI thereby reducing the respectively.
interception of radiation by the cucumbers
under mulching. Economic feasibility of cucumber
cultivation
Al-Mulla et al., (2008) reported higher
number of cucumber fruits per plant cultivated The economic viability of cucumber
in wood straw than date palm straw as cultivation under protective structures mainly
growing media. Peyvast et al., (2008) reported depends on the basic cost of construction of
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