Effect of Seaweed Aqueous Extracts and Compost on Vegetative Growth, Yield, and Nutraceutical Quality of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Fruit

Radames Trejo Valencia,Rocío Antonio Cruz,Manuel Fortis Hernández,Cirilo Vázquez Vázquez,Miguel Gallegos Robles,Pablo Preciado Rangel,Ludy Sánchez Acosta

doi:10.3390/agronomy8110264

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the production and phytochemical quality of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) fruits, in response to the foliar application of different seaweed extracts. This study was carried out under shadow mesh conditions in the autumn–winter agricultural cycle at the Instituto Tecnológico de Torreón, Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico. The experimental design was completely random, using six treatments with six repetitions each. The treatments evaluated were: Macrocystis pyrifera, Bryothamnion triquetrum, Ascophyllum nodosum, Grammatophora spp., Macrocystis integrifolia, and a control treatment with inorganic fertilization. The substrate used was a mixture of sand and vermicompost. The yield, commercial size, and phytochemical compounds of the fruit were evaluated. Results showed that the yield using Steiner solution (6.75 kg m−2) was higher than that obtained with Bryothamnion triquetrum algae (6.07 kg m−2). Regarding the phenolic content, the extracts surpassed the control treatment, with Macrocystis pyrifera and Macrocystis integrifolia being statistically equal, with values of 47.37 and 43.73 mg equiv. of Ac. Gallic 100 g fresh weight, respectively. The antioxidant capacity by ABTS+ and DPPH+ methods was higher using the treatment with Macrocystis pyrifera algae with 149.4 and 454.1 μM equiv Trolox/100 g fresh base, respectively. This treatment also presented the highest value of vitamin C with 5.07 mg/100 g fresh base, being 27% greater than the control treatment. Algae extracts increased the quality of the fruits by obtaining the highest antioxidant capacity, making their use a viable option to minimize the application of conventional fertilizers, thereby attenuating the effects on the environment and improving the health of the population.

Highlights

The production of protected vegetables is one of the main export activities in Mexico because it occupies fourth place worldwide and first place in the North American continent [1]
Higher yields and commercial quality were obtained in cucumber fruits using chemical fertilization, mainly due to the higher concentration of N and the ionic balance of the nutritive solution
Of the treatments with algae extracts, Bryothamnion triquetrum was superior in total soluble solids, fruit firmness, fruit size, and yield

Summary

Introduction

The production of protected vegetables is one of the main export activities in Mexico because it occupies fourth place worldwide and first place in the North American continent [1]. Agronomy 2018, 8, 264 crops produced are tomatoes (70%), pepper (16%), and cucumber (10%), and the production of these vegetables is mainly located in the northwest (72%) and center of the country (19%) [2]. Its importation grew from 394,107 tons in 2002 to 459,242 in 2012 [3]. Comes from Mexico, which is the main exporting country to the USA [4]. The production of cucumber is two to nine times greater than in the open field, which depends on technological levels, nutrition management, and the control of climatological conditions which are key factors for achieving high yields in this type of system [5]

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Results

Conclusion