Growth and Developmental Parameters, Quality and Productivity of Cucumber as Affected by K: Ca Ratios of Nutrient Solution in Soilless System

علوم باغبانی

Article 2, Volume 32, Issue 3, November 2018, Pages 383-391   

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.22067/jhorts4.v32i3.60489

Authors

Yaser Javan; Mohammad Javad Nazarideljou^*

Islamic Azad University of Mahabad

Abstract

Introduction: Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is an important fruit crops and cultivation in soilless condition may help to improve the quality and productivity. Due to susceptibility of cucumber to climate condition, the cultivation should be done under precise consideration. Nutrient uptake by plant is greatly affected by the concentration, as well as by the elements ration, especially the cations. Calcium and potassium play an important role in crops biology, functions, quality, and productivity. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different K: Ca ratios on quality and productivity of cucumber cv. ‘Negin’ to determine the best K: Ca ratio.
Material and Methods: This experiment was done in a hydroponic greenhouse with polyethylene cover. Day/night temperatures were 26±2 and 19±2, respectively. Relative humidity was adjusted at 55-60%. A pot experiment was conducted based on completely randomized design with three replications (9 plants/rep). Treatments included K: Ca ratios (2, 1.5, 1, 0.7, and 0.5). Cucumber cv. ‘Negin’ was treated with above-mentioned K: Ca ratios in an open soilless system equipped with drippers and plants were fertigated basis on Steiner nutrition formula. The culture medium was coco-fibre: perlite (1:1 v/v). Morpho-physiological, as well as biochemical parameters of cultivated plants including, plant fresh and dry weigh, leaf area, root volume, fruit length and weight, total carbohydrates, total phenol, vitamin C content, and fruit yield were determined.
Results and Discussion: Results indicated that morpho-physiological and biochemical parameters, also, plant fresh and dry weight of cucumber cv. ʽNegin’ were significantly affected by application of different K: Ca ratios in nutrient solution (P

Keywords

Hydroponics; Nutrients ration; Total carbohydrate; vitamin C

References

1- Anac D., Okur B., Kilic C., Aksoy U., Can Z., Hepaksoy S., Anaç S., and Dorsan F. 1997. Potassium fertilization to control salinization effects. In: Regional Workshop on Food Security in the WANA Region, The essential need for balanced fertilization, Izmir, Turkey.

2- Arya S.P., Mahajan M., and Jain P. 2000. Non-spectrophotometric methods for the determination of Vitamin C. Analytica Chimica Acta, 417: 1–14.

3- Barker A.V., and Pilbeam D.J. 2015. Handbook of plant nutrition. CRC press.

4- Bemadac A., Jean-Baptiste I., Bertoni G., and Morard P. 1996. Changes in calcium contents during melon (Cucumis melo L.) fruit development. Scientia Horticulturae, 66: 181–189.

5- Emami A. 1996. Plant analysis methods. Soil and water research institute. No. 928. (In Persian)

6- Fageria N.K. 2008. The use of nutrients in crop plants. CRC press.

7- Fanaie H.R., Kafi M., and Shirani Rad A.H. 2013. Interaction of water deficit stress and potassium application on potassium, calcium, magnesium concentration and oil of two species of canola (Brassica napus) and mustard (Brassica juncea). Journal of Water and Soil Science, 23(3): 261-275. (In Persian with English abstract)

8- Haeder H.E., and Beringer H. 1981. Influence of potassium nutrition and water stress on the content of abscisic acid in grains and flag leaves of wheat during grain development. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 32: 552–556.

9- Huett D.O. 1994. Growth, nutrient uptake and tipburn severity of hydroponic lettuce in response to electrical conductivity and K: Ca ratio in solution. Crop and Pasture Science, 45: 251–267.

10- Irigoyen J.J., Einerich D.W., and Sanchez-Diaz M. 1992. Water stress induced changes in concentrations of proline and total soluble sugars in nodulated alfalfa (Medicago sativa) plants. Physiologia Plantarum, 84: 55–60.

11- Jakobsen S.T. 2009. Interaction between plant nutrients: III. Antagonism between potassium, magnesium and calcium. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica B-Plant Soil Sciences, 43(1): 1–5.

12- Jones J.B. 2004. Hydroponics: a practical guide for the soilless grower. CRC press.

13- Kokabi S., and Tabatabaie S.J. 2011. Effect of different K/Ca ratio on yield and quality of Melon 'Galia'. Journal of Horticultural Science, 25(2): 178-184. (In Persian)

14- Lin D., Huang D., and Wang S. 2004. Effects of potassium levels on fruit quality of muskmelon in soilless medium culture. Scientia Horticulturae, 102: 53–60.

15- Marschner H. 2011. Marschner’s mineral nutrition of higher plants. Academic press.

16- Neocleous D., and Savvas D. 2015. Effect of different macronutrient cation ratios on macronutrient and water uptake by melon (Cucumis melo) grown in recirculating nutrient solution. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 178, 320–332.

17- Nguyen P.M., Eileen M., and Kwee Emily D. 2010. Niemeyer Potassium rate alters the antioxidant capacity and phenolic concentration of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) leaves. Food Chemistry, 123: 1235–1241.

18- Pedrosa A.W., Martinez H.E.P., Matiello E.M., Fontes P.C.R., and Pereira P.R.G. 2011. Influence of the N/K ratio on the production and quality of cucumber in hydroponic system. Revista Ceres, 58: 619–624.

19- Premuzic Z., Bargiela M., Garcia A., Rendina A., and Iorio A. 1998. Calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin C content of organic and hydroponic tomatoes. HortScience, 33: 255–257.

20- Ritchie S.W., Nguyen H.T., and Scott Holaday A. 1990. Leaf Water Content and Gas-Exchange Parameters of Two Wheat Genotypes Differing in Drought Resistance. Crop Science, 30: 105–111.

21- Sardans J., and Peñuelas J. 2008. Drought changes nutrient sources, content and stoichiometry in the bryophyte Hypnum cupressiforme Hedw. Growing in a Mediterranean forest. Journal of Bryology, 30: 59–65.

22- Sonneveld C., and Voogt W. 2009. Nutrient management in substrate systems. Springer.

23- Sonneveld C., and Welles G.W.H. 2004. Cation concentrations of plant tissues of fruit-vegetable crops as affected by the EC of the external nutrient solution and by humidity, In: International Symposium on Soilless Culture and Hydroponics, 697: 377–386.

24- Taiz L., and Zeiger E. 2002. Plant Physiology Sinauer Associates Inc.

25- Torres-Olivar V., Villegas-Torres O.G., Dominguez-Patiño M.L., Sotelo-Nava H., Rodriguez-Martinez A., Melgoza-Aleman R.M., Valdez-Aguilar L.A., and Alia-Tejacal I. 2014. Role of Nitrogen and Nutrients in Crop Nutrition. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology, B4, 29-37.

26- Tuna A.L., Kaya C., Ashraf M., Altunlu H., Yokas I., and Yagmur B. 2007. The effects of calcium sulphate on growth, membrane stability and nutrient uptake of tomato plants grown under salt stress. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 59: 173–178.

27- Turhan E., and Eris A. 2005. Effects of sodium chloride applications and different growth media on ionic composition in strawberry plant. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 27: 1653–1665.

28- Velioglu Y.S., Mazza G., Gao L., and Oomah B.D. 1998. Antioxidant activity and total phenolics in selected fruits, vegetables, and grain products. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 46: 4113–4117.

29- Zhizhong Z., Shanglong Z., Changjie X., Kunsong C., and Shuantao L. 2001. Roles of sucrose-metabolizing enzymes in accumulation of sugars in Satsuma Mandarin fruit. Acta Horticulturae Sinica, 28: 112–118.