Influence of variety, organic and mineral fertilization on the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of cucumbers crop (Cucumis sativus L.)

Abstract

The experiment was carried out at the Agricultural Research Station of the College of Agriculture and the Marshlands / University of Thi-Qar, located in Al- Mustufawia for the agricultural season (2019-2020). The study was the effect of cultivar and organic and mineral fertilization on the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of cucumber crops grown in greenhouses, and applied according to the factorial experiments inside the split plots, using the complete randomized sectors with three replications. The factors of research were: two cultivars  (Datis and Sakata) occupied the main plots, three levels of organic fertilization occupied the secondary plots which included control treatment O₁, cow manure O₂(2.457 tons of greenhouse^-1) and poultry manure O₃(3.713 tons of greenhouse^-1) and the third factor was four levels of mineral fertilization (NPK) including control treatment M₁, M₂ (2.250 kg. dunam^-1), M₃ (3.350 kg. dunam^-1), and M₄ (4.450 kg. dunam^-1) which occupied the sub-plots. The results showed that Datis cultivar significantly outperformed Sakata cultivar in yield per plant, total yield, leaf content of nitrogen and phosphorus, and fruit content of carbohydrates, reaching (1.402 kg. plant^-1, 24.24 tons .greenhoues^-1, 2.2517%, 0.4069%, 1.2876%) respectively. On the other hand, the treatment of organic fertilizer O₃ recorded a significant effect in the following crop traits such as leaf area, total yield, leaf content of nitrogen and phosphorus, and fruit content of carbohydrate, reaching (178.0 cm², 24.36 tons. greenhouse^-1, 2.5017%, 0.4608%, 1.3561%). Respectively compared to other treatments, total yield, leaf content of nitrogen and phosphorus, reaching (180.1 cm², 25.88 t. greenhoues^-1, and 2.3478%, and 0.4561%) to other treatments. The treatment M₂ significantly outperformed in yield per plant (1.682) kg. plant^-1 and treatment M₃ significantly exceeded the fruit's carbohydrate content, reaching (1.2930%). All the combinations among this study's treatments were compared to meet their significant effecting on all traits.