PRODUÇÃO E QUALIDADE DE FRUTOS DE PEPINEIRO EM DIFERENTES CONCENTRAÇÕES DE SOLUÇÃO NUTRITIVA

Abstract

Cucumber is a vegetable crop widely consumed fresh and appreciated by a source of vitamins and minerals. It is a crop suitable for cultivation in protected environment, but little research has been carried out to improve the cultivation of this species under such conditions. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of nutrient solution on yield and fruit production and quality of cucumber grown in coconut fiber substrate. The experiment was conducted in greenhouse utilizing design in randomized block, with four replications and five plants per plot, were evaluated five concentrations of nutrient solution (12.5; 17; 25; 50 and 100% that after dilution resulted in electrical conductivities of 1.0, 1.2, 1.5, 2.3 and 3.8 dS m -1 , respectively). At 84 days after transplanting fruits of cucumber were harvested to evaluate yield and fruit quality. The reduction of nutrient concentration in the standard nutrient solution from 100% to 12.5% did not affect cucumber production. Biometric characteristics mean weight, longitudinal diameter, fruit storage thickness and titratable acidity are reduced as a function of the electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution from 1.0 to 3.8 dS m -1 . The concentration of nutrients in the solution was 67.5% of the standard nutrient solution, corresponding to 111.58 g of N-KNO 3 , 50.00 g of P-MAP, 62.44 g of K-KCl, 241.50 g of Ca-CaNO 3 and 120.00 g of Mg-MgSO 4 , provide satisfactory yield and better physical-chemical quality of cucumber fruits.