Biometrical and Biochemical Properties of Fruits of Mini Cucumber Plants Grown Under Various Irrigation Regimes in an Unheated Greenhouse

Abstract

The study aimed to determine the most appropriate irrigation scheduling for mini-type cucumber plants grown as a spring-summer cycle crop. The research was conducted in a greenhouse structure in the fields of the Research Institute in Kirklareli. Marathon cucumber plants were used as the plant material in the trials. The split plot design experimental layout in 3 replications was used in the research. Four different plant-pan coefficients (0.75, 1.00, 1.25 and 1.50) and two irrigation intervals (2 and 4 days) were applied as subplots and main plots of the study, respectively. As a result of the 3-year investigation, it was determined that yields, number of cucumber fruits, and fresh cucumber fruit weight, length and diameter increased with the increase in the irrigation water amount. The highest average total soluble solids (Brix) value of 5.0 was recorded under conditions of most severe stress imposed on the plots with lowest water application rates of Kcp 0.75. While the lowest values of 4.0-4.1 were obtained for plants growing under more favorable moisture conditions in plots with application of Kcp 1.25 and 1.50. Statistically significant positive linear relationships were obtained for irrigation water amount on one hand, and fruit number, fruit mean weight, fruit length and diameter on the other, while the relationship between water applied and TSS (Brix) was negative.