Effect of fertigation frequencies on growth and yield of greenhouse grown cucumber

Abstract EN

Four drip fertigation frequencies, namely: Once, two times and three times daily, and two times every other day, were evaluated for their corresponding effects on gro",th and production of greenhouse cucumber.

The study was conducted during summer and winter months at Riyadh.

Plant height data for summer trial after 4-5 weeks from planting showed that treatments receiving fertilizer and irrigation (fertigation) daily either one, two or three cycles, were significantly higher than the treatment receiving fetigation every other day.

On the other hand during winter, growth advantages by treatment with three fertigations daily.

However, at eight weeks or fruiting stage growth components were not significantly influenced by fertigation frequencies.

For crop yield (fresh cucumber) during summer, treatments which received one and three fertigations daily, significantly.

out yielded the treatment fertigated every other day by more than four tons per hectare.

But during winter the effect of various treatments on yield was non-significant.

Likewise total production data analyses indicate no marked relationship among treatments with varying frequencies of fertilizer and water application, hence, fertigation every other day could be a feasible alternative.

Results of this study seem to imply that fertigation practices in greenhouse farming could be manipulated and labor attention to farm facilities can be reduced, thereby justifying any change in practice during cropping season.