Cucumber Yield Research Articles

Research on creating the indoor thermal environment of the solar greenhouse based on the solar thermal storage and release characteristics of its north wall

Improving the solar thermal storage capacity of the north wall of the solar greenhouse can effectively enhance the indoor thermal environment during the night-time in winter. However, the indoor thermal environment is also influenced by the interaction between the spatial parameters of the solar greenhouse and outdoor meteorological conditions. Additionally, the heat storage and release performance of the north wall are dynamically affected by changes in the indoor thermal environment. This complicates the quantitative assessment of the impact of solar active–passive heat storage methods applied to north walls on the indoor thermal environment. Therefore, in this study, we develop a mathematical model that considers simplified calculations of the solar greenhouse’s spatial parameters and the design method of an active–passive ventilation wall with latent heat storage, which was proposed in the early stage, for evaluating the impact of the solar thermal storage and release characteristics of the north wall on the indoor thermal environment of the solar greenhouse. This model is validated against measured data from the experimental solar greenhouse with high accuracy. Using this model, we analyze the quantitative reinforcement effects of a phase change composite wallboard and a solar collector system on the solar energy utilization of the north walls and its effects on the indoor thermal environment. Compared to ordinary solar greenhouses in Wuzhong, the application of a GH-20 composite phase change thermal storage wallboard to improve the passive solar energy utilization of the north wall can increase the solar energy contribution rate by 90.9%. Furthermore, integrating a multi-surface solar air collector with double-receiver tubes on the phase change composite wall can increase the solar energy contribution rate by 95.4%. Also, the experimental results reveal that the solar active–passive heat storage methods applied to the north wall can enhance the indoor thermal environment during night-time and increase cucumber yield by more than 10% in winter. This study provides a method reference for optimizing the active–passive solar thermal utilization of the solar greenhouse.

Enhancing salinity tolerance in cucumber through Selenium biofortification and grafting

BackgroundSalinity stress is a major limiting factor for plant growth, particularly in arid and semi-arid environments. To mitigate the detrimental effects of salinity stress on vegetable production, selenium (Se) biofortification and grafting onto tolerant rootstocks have emerged as effective and sustainable cultivation practices. This study aimed to investigate the combined effects of Se biofortification and grafting onto tolerant rootstock on the yield of cucumber grown under salinity stress greenhouse conditions. The experiment followed a completely randomized factorial design with three factors: salinity level (0, 50, and 100 mM of NaCl), foliar Se application (0, 5, and 10 mg L-1 of sodium selenate) and grafting (grafted and non-grafted plants) using pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) as the rootstock. Each treatment was triplicated.ResultsThe results of this study showed that Se biofortification and grafting significantly enhanced salinity tolerance in grafted cucumbers, leading to increased yield and growth. Moreover, under salinity stress conditions, Se-Biofortified plants exhibited increased leaf relative water content (RWC), proline, total soluble sugars, protein, phenol, flavonoids, and antioxidant enzymes. These findings indicate that Se contributes to the stabilization of cucumber cell membrane and the reduction of ion leakage by promoting the synthesis of protective compounds and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activity. Moreover, grafting onto pumpkin resulted in increased salinity tolerance of cucumber through reduced Na uptake and translocation to the scion.ConclusionIn conclusion, the results highlight the effectiveness of Se biofortification and grafting onto pumpkin in improving cucumber salinity tolerance. A sodium selenate concentration of 10 mg L-1 is suggested to enhance the salinity tolerance of grafted cucumbers. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of sustainable cultivation practices to mitigate the adverse impact of salinity stress on cucumber production in challenging environments.

Effect of Training Method to Separate Sink and Source Organs on the Fresh Yield and Dry Matter Production of Cucumber (<i>Cucumis sativus</i> L.) under Greenhouse Conditions

Effect of Training Method to Separate Sink and Source Organs on the Fresh Yield and Dry Matter Production of Cucumber (<i>Cucumis sativus</i> L.) under Greenhouse Conditions

The efficiency of adjusting nutrient solution renewal frequency on physicochemical properties and microbial community of cucumber exudates under closed cultivation tank.

The closed nutrient solution management method allows for the recycling and utilization of nutrient solutions, improving the efficiency of water and fertilizer utilization. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of changing the frequency of nutrient solution renewal and method of nutrient supply on the microbial communities composition, yield, and quality in closed soilless systems by using high-throughput sequencing technology and combining the physicochemical properties of root exudate solution. The results showed that different nutrient solution management modes had a significant impact on the structure and diversity of root exudate solution microbial communities. The abundance and diversity of microorganisms in inorganic perlites were correlative with EC. The abundance and diversity of bacterial communities in the root exudate solution of open liquid supply (CK) were higher than that of closed liquid supply, while the abundance and diversity of fungal communities in the root exudate solution of closed liquid supply (T1, T2, T3) were higher than that of open liquid supply. As the frequency of nutrient solution interval decreased, the accumulation of salt in root exudate solution and the richness and diversity of the fungal community also decreased, especially increasing the K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ contents, which were positively correlated with potential beneficial Candidatus_Xiphinematobacter, Arachidicoccus, Cellvibrio, Mucilaginibacter, Taibaiella communities and decreasing the content of soluble protein, Vitamin C content, but not significantly increased cucumber yield.

Growth and Yield of Cucumber in a High-Wire Growing System with Different Training Methods

Growth and Yield of Cucumber in a High-Wire Growing System with Different Training Methods

Effects of Organic tea concentration and application methods on growth and yield of Greenhouse Cucumber (Cucumis sativum L.) in Owo, South-western Nigeria

Organic tea (mixture of Organic Manure Extract and Spent Bleaching Extract) is used as nutrient complements in agriculture and horticulture to increase plant growth and yield. In this study a 2 X 4 factorial experiment used CRD (Completely Randomized Design) to examined the effect of compost tea herein referred to as OT [organic tea (extract made from SBE and composted manure extract (OM)] as bio-stimulants at four different concentrations (0, 20, 30, and 40 %) on the growth and fruit yield in cucumber (Cucumis sativum L.) under greenhouse condition using foliar (FO) and drip irrigation (DR) application methods. Vegetative parameters (vine length, number of branches, number of leaf per plant, leaf area, and stem girth) were studied at 50% flowering stage and yield parameters (Date to flower initiation, No of male flower, No of female flower, male/female flower ratio, number of fruit/plant, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight/plant) and yield / hectare, at harvest. From the experiment organic tea application via folia method exhibited enhanced vegetative growth while application via drip irrigation was found to be more effective in influencing the yield parameters significantly. Plants that received 20% OT showed variability, but were not significantly different from control plants (0%). Similarly, plants treated with 40% OT extract showed enhanced vegetative growth and fruit yield with good quality, but high diseases infection. This study therefore provides important information on the utilization of OT and application method for increased cucumber production in the study area.

Sodium nitrophenolate mediates brassinosteroids signaling to enhance cold tolerance of cucumber seedling

Cold stress (CS) significantly limits cucumber yield. However, it remains unclear whether and how sodium nitrophenolate (CSN) regulates plant responses to cold stress. Here, H2O, CSN, 24-epibrassinolide (EBR), and CSN + EBR were sprayed on cucumber seedlings before or after CS, and on control plants. We found that CSN, EBR, or EBR + CSN pre-treatment improved seedling growth under normal conditions (control condition) and cold tolerance under CS conditions. EBR pre-treatment promoted the expression of approximately half of the genes involved in BR synthesis and signaling and CsICE-CsCBF-CsCOR under CS. However, CSN pre-treatment promoted almost all the expression of BR synthesis and signaling genes, and CsICE-CsCBF-CsCOR genes, which showed the highest expression in early CS, remarkably improving the cold tolerance of cucumber. Interestingly, EBR and CSN had a superimposed effect on the expression of BR synthesis and signaling and CsICE-CsCBF-CsCOR genes, which rapidly increased their expression under normal temperature. Spraying EBR after CS accelerated seedling recovery, whereas CSN had the opposite effect. However, spraying CSN combined with EBR accelerated the recovery of CS-injured seedlings and was better than spraying EBR alone. Although CS-injured seedlings were negatively influenced by CSN, pre-treatment with CSN accelerated seedling growth and increased cold tolerance, suggesting that the effect of CSN was related to whether the seedlings were damaged by CS. In conclusion, we firstly found that CSN enhanced cold tolerance by activating BR signaling, contributing to the gene expression of ICE-CBF-COR and that CSN + EBR contributed to cold tolerance and CS-injured seedling recovery in cucumber.

Effects of seaweed fertIlIzer and wood vInegar applIcatIon on nutrIent uptake, plant growth and yIeld of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L) grown in a greenhouse

Effects of seaweed fertIlIzer and wood vInegar applIcatIon on nutrIent uptake, plant growth and yIeld of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L) grown in a greenhouse

Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Yield and Quality of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

The study investigated the effect of plant growth regulators (PGRs) on the yield and quality of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) to explore its production potential conducted during the summer season of 2020 at the College farm, College of Horticulture, Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University, Jagudan. The experiment followed a randomized block design (RBD) with three replications and ten treatments which including different concentrations of gibberellic acid (GA3), Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and ethrel viz., T1: Control (Water spray), T2: NAA at 50 ppm, T3: NAA at 75 ppm, T4: NAA at 100 ppm, T5: GA3 at 20 ppm, T6: GA3 at 40 ppm, T7: GA3 at 60 ppm, T8: Ethrel at 100 ppm, T9: Ethrel at 200 ppm, and T10: Ethrel at 300 ppm were applied at the 2-4 true leaf stages. Treatment T10 (Ethrel @ 300 ppm) exhibited the highest number of fruits per vine (14.13), while T4 (NAA @ 100 ppm) showed the maximum number of pickings (8.59). GA3 @ 40 ppm (T6) recorded the highest fruit yield per vine (1.87 kg), Fruit yield per plot (28.29 kg) and Fruit yield per hectare (251.50 q). Additionally, Treatment T6 produced fruits with the longest length (30.34 cm) and widest diameter (3.91 cm). These findings demonstrate the potential of plant growth regulators particularly Ethrel and GA3to significantly impact on cucumber yield and quality.

Coinoculación de biofertilizantes microbianos en pepino y habichuela y su efecto en el crecimiento y rendimiento

Inoculation between bacteria and fungi can be an efficient and viable alternative for production of horticultural crops. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of co-inoculation between Trichoderma harzianum and the biostimulant ME-50® on the growth promotion and productivity of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and green beans [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walpen]. Two experiments under garden conditions were carried out, in a 2×2 factorial arrangement, in a random blocks with five replicates, to evaluate the effects of inoculation (100 mL L−1) and not inoculation to the soil with the bioestimulant ME-50® in combination with seed inoculation (100 mL L−1) and non-inoculation seeds with T. harzianum strain A-34 to improve the growth (height, leaf area and dry matter of leaves and stems) and productivity (number, length and mass of fruits and yield) of cucumber and green beans. Inoculation with the biostimulant ME-50® promoted greater growth and productivity of cucumber and green bean plants compared to the inoculation with T. harzianum. However, coinoculation between both biostimulants was more efficient in the growth and development of both plant species; increasing the productivity of cucumber (133 %) and green beans (138 %). The results of this study suggest that coinoculation between the biostimulant ME-50® and T. harzianum has a synergistic, efficient and viable effect on the growth and productivity of cucumber and green beans plants, being considered useful in organic, ecological and sustainable of the crops.

Residual effects of repeated animal manure application on coarse-textured Ultisol, nutrient uptake and cucumber yield

Residual effects of repeated animal manure application on coarse-textured Ultisol, nutrient uptake and cucumber yield

Response of Microbial Recovery Rate to Straw Return after Calcium Cyanamide Soil Disinfection

At present, returning vegetable straw in situ is an effective measure to solve environmental pollution and improve soil properties. However, the direct return of straw to the field can reduce the release rate of soil organic matter and cause serious soilborne diseases. The combined application of calcium cyanamide (CaCN2) and straw can solve this problem. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of CaCN2 combined with pepper straw return on cucumber yield, soil physicochemical properties, and soil microbial communities during 2020 to 2021 in Shandong Province, China. The treatments were designed as follows: (1) calcium cyanamide soil disinfection, CC; (2) fresh pepper straw return, LJ; (3) fresh pepper straw return combined with calcium cyanamide disinfection, LJ+CC; and (4) natural soil without straw return treatment, CK. Compared with CK, the LJ+CC treatment significantly improved cucumber production by 20%. The cultivable microbial community in the soil was temporarily inhibited during soil fumigation treatment, and the cultivable bacterial and actinomycete communities in the soil return to their initial levels after the film was removed (harvest period). The numbers of culturable bacteria and actinomycetes in the soil in the LJ+CC treatment were 4.68 × 107 CFU/g and 5.17 × 107 CFU/g, respectively, higher than those in the soil in the CC treatment. The contents of TN and OM in the LJ+CC treatment increased by 13.1% and 13.5%, respectively, compared with that in LJ. Therefore, the LJ+CC treatment enhanced soil fertility and cucumber yields. CaCN2 can promote straw decomposition and straw can promote soil microbial recovery, and their combined application is considered a feasible and sustainable technique for utilizing vegetable residues in the greenhouse. The combination of returning pepper straw to the field and calcium cyanamide technology achieves a win-win situation of resource circulation and economic circulation by converting agricultural waste into fertilizer before being put into production. Based on this, it is recommended that the straw returning technology receives strong policy support, stimulates researchers to explore the feasibility of different vegetable straw returning to the field, promotes the implementation of this technology achievement, and leverages the environmental benefits of the application of straw returning technology.

Effect of different organic and inorganic fertilizers on the enhancement of growth and yield of cucumber

Effect of different organic and inorganic fertilizers on the enhancement of growth and yield of cucumber

Evaluation of the productivity of open ground cucumbers according to the adaptability parameters in the Middle Amur region conditions

The research was conducted in 2019-2021 in the Khabarovsk district of the Khabarovsk Territory in the open ground at the breading plot of the Vegetable Crops and Potato Department of the Far Eastern Agricultural Research Institute on the meadow-brown heavy loamy soils. The purpose of the research is to evaluate the variety samples of open-ground cucumber by yield and adaptability parameters in the conditions of the Middle Amur region. The material for the study were 15 variety samples of breeding by the Far Eastern Agricultural Research Institute. The meteorological conditions in the years of researches differed from the long-term average values, especially in the amount of precipitation. The hydrothermal conditions in the active growing season of cucumber in the summer months were characterized mainly by redundant humidification, hydrothermal coefficient = 2.1-5.4. The average annual yield of cucumber for three years was 21.4 t/ha. The level of the average yield varied from 17.1 to 27.2 t/ha. The indicator of quantitative variability on the trait of yield varied from insignificant V=0.75-5.80% to average V=11.11-12.43% variation. “Mig” variety sample and the variety samples № 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 (bi=1.22-2.81) are among the varieties of the narrowly adaptive type (bi>1). “Khabar”, “Yerofey”, “Naslednik” variety samples and the variety samples № 2, 3, 7, 8, 11 are among the varieties of neutral or broadly adaptive type (bi

Evaluation of Nitrogen and Water Management Strategies to Optimize Yield in Open Field Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Production

Countries in arid climates, such as Qatar, require efficient water-saving strategies and nitrogen treatment for vegetable production. Vegetable importation constituted approximately USD 352 million of Qatar’s 2019 GDP; hence, enhancing local production is essential. This study investigated the effect of varying nitrogen and water levels on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruit yield. Various water management strategies were also evaluated. A split plot design was employed with two water levels (W1: 50% deficit irrigation, W2: 100% full irrigation) and three nitrogen levels (N1: 50 kg N ha−1, N2: 70 kg N ha−1, N3: 100 kg N ha−1) to examine cucumber yield and physiological response. Our findings revealed that using minimal drip irrigation and reducing nitrogen levels significantly enhanced the growth, SPAD index, fruit characteristics, and yield components of cucumber. Drip irrigation had a greater influence on cucumber production than nitrogen levels. Shoot height increased by 4% from W2N1 (T1) to W1N3 (T6) and 4.93% from W2N2 (T2) to W1N2 (T5). Fruit length and width increased by 10.63% and 13.41% from T2 and T1 to T5, respectively. The highest total yield occurred at T5, followed by T6, T2, W2N3 (T3), W1N1 (T4), and T1 at 34.5, 29.1, 27.6, 25.8, 25.2, and 20.4 t/ha, respectively. The optimal combination comprised 50% deficit irrigation (W1) and 70 kg N ha−1 (N2) nitrogen. These results suggest the importance of optimizing drip irrigation for achieving maximum cucumber fruit yield in arid climates.

Response of mulch materials on growth and yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) hybrid “Multistar” under shade net conditions

A field experiment was conducted during rabi season, at College Farm”, College of Horticulture, Sri Konda Laxman Telangana State Horticulture University, Mojerla, Wanaparthy, Telangana State. The experiment was carried out using cucumber hybrid “Multistar” with eight treatments and three replications. Among different mulch materials, black-black polythene mulch recorded best results in all growth and yield parameters. Black-black polythene mulch has significantly recorded the highest plant height of 55.00, 155.07, 204.53 and 223.67 cm, maximum leaf area of 195.97, 278.53, 320.07 and 322.37 cm2 at 20, 40, 60 and 80 DAS respectively, maximum RGR of 0.0386, 0.0250 and 0.0026 g g d-1 and NAR of 7.60, 16.00 and 2.66 mg cm-2 d-1 were recorded at 20-40, 40-60, 60-80 DAS respectively. Black-black polythene mulch also recorded significantly maximum number of fruits per plant (63.67), average fruit length (16.39 cm) and average fruit diameter (3.67 cm) and fruit yield/plant (8.28 kg), fruit yield/bed (496.60 kg) and fruit yield/hectare (331.07 t ha-1). There is no significant difference observed on TSS and ascorbic acid among the treatments.

Effect of sufficient and deficit irrigation with different salt inputs on the yield of cucumber

Soil salinisation is considered one of the major environmental hazards threatening agricultural productivity and can be accentuated by climate change as well as the use of low-quality water in irrigation. This is the case in our study area which is affected by secondary salinisation due to the use of saline irrigation water for horticultural production. Deficit irrigation technique is implemented especially in arid and semiarid regions due to its potential to optimise water productivity while maintaining or increasing crop yield. The main objective of this study was to compare the effect of irrigation with sufficient (SD) and deficit (DD) doses. This research was carried out in Karcag in 2020. Cucumber was grown on a meadow chernozem soil and was irrigated with SD and DD of two irrigation water qualities. Soil moisture was monitored and crop yields were recorded. Despite the differences in quality and quantity of water, the application of less water by DD maintained the same yield as SD. We found a non-significant difference between the average soil moisture contents under the treatments (15.5 v/v% for SD and 13.5 v/v% for DD). Deficit irrigation can be an efficient technique due to its potential for improving water use efficiency, maintaining sufficient soil moisture content favourable for proper crop development and yield.

A Genome-wide association study identifies candidate genes for heat tolerance in adult cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants

Heat stress causes overgrowth, leaf dryness and fruit malformation, which negatively impacts cucumber quality and yield. Yet, in spite of the devastating consequences of this abiotic stress, few genes for heat tolerance in cucumber have been identified. Here, the heat injury indices of 88 cucumber accessions representing diverse ecotypes were collected in two open-field environments, with naturally occurring high temperatures over two years. Seventeen of the 88 accessions were identified as highly heat-tolerant. Using a genome-wide association study, five loci (gHII3.1, gHII3.2, gHII3.3, gHII4.1 and gHII6.1) on three chromosomes associated with heat tolerance were detected. Pairwise linkage disequilibrium correlation, sequence polymorphisms, and qRT-PCR analyses at these loci, identified five candidate genes predicted to be casual for heat stress response in cucumber. CsaV3_3G04883, CsaV3_4G029050 and CsaV3_6G005370 each had nonsynonymous SNPs, and were significantly up-regulated by heat stress in the heat-tolerant genotypes. CsaV3_3G031890 was also induced by heat stress, but in the heat-sensitive genotypes, and sequence polymorphism was only found in the promoter region. Identifying these candidate genes lays a foundation for understanding cucumber thermotolerance mechanisms. Our study is one of the few to examine heat stress in adult cucumber plants and it therefore fills a critical gap in knowledge. It is also an important first-step towards accelerating the breeding of robust heat-tolerant varieties.

Effects Of Lime And Poultry Manure On Soil Properties And Cucumber (Cucumis Sativum L) Performance In The Humid Tropics Of Southern Nigeria

Purpose: To investigate the effect of lime and organic fertilizer on soil properties and the performance of cucumber in Calabar.
 Method: Factorial combination of three levels of lime (0, 4 and 8 t/ha) and three levels of poultry manure (0, 3 and 6 t/ha), laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Data were collected on crop growth and yield indices, and soil properties (physical, chemical and biological) each year, then combined and analyzed. Fisher’s least significant difference (FLSD) at 5 % probability was used to compare the means.
 Results: There was increase in soil pH, total nitrogen, organic carbon, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium as well as the population of beneficial soil microorganisms. Lime, poultry manure (PM) and their interactions significantly (p <.0. 05) influenced the vegetative growth and fruit yield of cucumber. Cucumber treated with 8 t/ha lime had the highest vegetative growth and fruit yield (22.64 t/ha) values. Cucumber treated with 6 t/ha PM had superior growth and fruit yield (17.89 t/ha) than the control (14.27 t/ha). The interaction of 8 t/ha lime and 6 t/ha PM produced the highest values of vegetative growth and fruit yield of 25.66 t/ha and is therefore recommended for effective soil enhancement and optimum cucumber production in Calabar.
 

Evaluation of Root Zone Behavior and Cucumber Yield under Different Mulch Materials and Irrigation Schedules under Tunnel Farming

Evaluation of Root Zone Behavior and Cucumber Yield under Different Mulch Materials and Irrigation Schedules under Tunnel Farming