Journal of Soil and Plant Interactions

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Hydroponic growth systems are expanding due to their advantages such as maximum yield, healthy crop production and reduced labour requirement. Vegetable in each stage of the plant growth needs adequate nutrients in different growing media. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of some growth media on N, K and Mg uptake by greenhouse cucumber. This study was carried out in the research greenhouse of Islamic Azad University-Khorasgan branch, using a completely randomized design with 5 treatments, 4 replications and 10 plants in each replication. The Five different growth media consited of pure cocopeat, perlite-cocopeat (50-50 v/v), perlite-cocopeat-peatmoss (50-20-30 v/v and 50-30-20) and perlite-peatmoss. Physical and chemical properties and some nutrients concentrations such as N, K and Mg as well as fruit yield were examined. Although no significant difference was found among the studied growth media in the fruit yield of cucumber, the highest yield was obtained for cocopeat. Significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed in the plant biomass among the growth media. The highest biomass was obtained for the cocopeat and perlite-cocopeat media. No significant difference was found among the growth media in concentrations of N, K and Mg although the highest concentrations of N and K in the second and third stages of sampling were obtained in cocopeat. Shoot concentration of Mg at the first and second stages of sampling was more than the critical deficiency level. The best concentration of Mg was obtained in cocopeat. In general, the best nutrient concentration and yield were found in cocopeat substrate which can be used as an appropriate growing cucumber media for in soilless culture.

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To investigate the effects of different methods of seed bed preparation on yield of greenhouse cucumber, a two-year long experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with four replications in Jiroft from 2004. Different methods of seed bed preparation were as follows: 1) ridge with 20 cm height and 50 cm width and 2 plant rows with 40 cm distance, 2) furrow with 20 cm depth and 50 cm width and 2 plant rows inside, with 40 cm distance, and 3) planting on flat area with 40 cm distance. The results showed that the effect of planting bed on yield of greenhouse cucumber was significant. Furrow and flat area increased yield significantly, compared to the ridge treatment. Analysis of yield components such as plant height, number of pickling fruits, number of leaves, photosynthetic area and number of flowers showed that they are all correlated with fruit yield. The number of pickling fruits was significantly more in furrow and flat area than in ridge treatment. The height of cucumber plants on flat bed was significantly higher than that of the other treatments. The number of leaves and photosynthetic area of plants on flat bed were significantly greater than those in the other treatments. The least dead plants due to fungi disease were observed in ridge treatment. In view of yield and its components under the condition of this experiment, it can be concluded that flat area and furrow treatments are better than ridge treatment.

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Abstract In order to study the effects of different levels of nitrogen (N) and molybdenum (Mo) in nutrient solution on quantitative and qualitative traits and nitrate concentration of cucumber (Sultan cv.), a factorial hydroponic-experiment with completely randomized design and three replications was conducted in the greenhouse of Soil Science Department, Zanjan University, in 2009. The concentrations of N in nutrient solution were 238 and 310 mg/L, and Mo was used at the rates of 0.01, 0.1 and 1 mg/L. The results showed that the effects of N and Mo levels were significant (P≤0.01) on plant yield and growth indices such as average weight, length and diameter of fruit and chlorophyll content of leaf. The chlorophyll content of leaf increased but fruit yield and average weight, length and diameter of fruits decreased as the N concentration of the nutrient solution increased. Increasing the Mo level in the nutrient solution decreased the growth indices and yield of cucumber. The highest fruit yield was obtained when the concentration of Mo in the nutrient solution was 0.01 mg/L. But it didn’t have significant difference with 0.1 mg/L treatment. However, the yield decreased significantly as the Mo concentration increased to 1 mg/L. The effects of N and Mo levels of nutrient solution were significant (P ≤ 0.01) on nitrate concentration of the fruits. As the N level of nutrient solution increased, the nitrate concentration of cucumber fruit increased from 1356 to 2122 mg/kg (on dry weight basis), and exceeded the toxicity limit of 1500 mg/L. Increasing the concentration of Mo of the nutrient solution from 0.01 to 0.1 mg/L decreased nitrate concentration of fruits from 1961 to 1703 mg/kg, without decreasing the fruit yield. With an increase in N concentration of the nutrient solution, the fruit concentrations of N, potassium and calcium increased, but those of phosphorus, magnesium and Mo decreased significantly. Also, as the concentration of Mo in the nutrient solution increased, the concentrations of iron, manganese and in fruit increased and that of copper decreased.

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Abstract The objective of this study was economic assessment of greenhouse-cucumber production units in Birjand Township and investigation of factors influencing it. Statistical population of this research consisted of all the greenhouse owners in Birjand (50 units). For economic assessment, the profitability index (TR/TC) and discriminative analysis were used. Based on the TR/TC index and cluster analysis with –K mean method, the considered society was divided into two groups of successful and less-successful units. The median of this index was more than 1.49 in the successful group and less than1.49 in the other group. After dividing the groups by discriminative analysis, the variables distinguishing the groups were determined. Results showed that the most important variables which influence the TR/TC index and distinguish these two groups are amount of applied micronutrients, greenhouse area, number of irrigations, amount of the applied manure, educational-extension films, and visiting other greenhouse-owners’ activities.

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Abstract Serpentine leaf miner is one of the serious pests of vegetable crops in greenhouse and open fields, especially on cucumber and tomato. Reduction of synthetic insecticides’ use in order to minimize pesticide residues on these crops is an important basis of food safety. Application of bio-insecticides, especially neem products’ oil, is a very important alternative. Investigation on the efficacy of the commercial neem extract formulation with different concentrations was experimented on cucumber under greenhouse conditions. In the first year, experiments were performed in a completely randomized blocks design with six treatments and three replications. Five treatments included various concentrations of NeemAzal-T/S including 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1 and 1.5 ml/m2 and the sixth one was control without any chemicals. The results showed that on the third and seventh day of the treatment with concentrations of 0.75, 1 and 1.5 ml/m2, more than 80% mortality was observed, which shows a significant difference with 0.25 and 0.5 ml/m2 treatments. In the second year, the efficiency of two concentrations (1 and 1.5 ml/m2) of NeemAzal-T/S was evaluated in comparison with chlorpyrifos, abamectin and permethrin. Results revealed that efficiency of the two neem concentrations had no significant difference compared with chlorpirophos and abamectin. Therefore, it could be concluded that NeemAzal-T/S could be successfully recommended to replace the chemical insecticides.

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Water supply in arid and semiarid regions of the world is a serious problem in crop production. Grafting may enhance water stress resistance and plants growth. In order to evaluate the effect of different cucurbit rootstocks (Flexifort, Shintoza and ungrafted cucumber) and water stress (40, 60, 90% of field capacity) on morphologic traits and yield of greenhouse cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. var. Nagen 792), an experiment was conducted as split plots design based on randomized complete blocks with three replications in 2016. Results showed that plant dry weight, leaf and stem fresh weight, number of nodes and root moisture content in Flexifort rootstock as compared to ungrafted plants was increased by 91, 53, 58, 28 and 7%, respectively. Root volume in the Shintoza and Flexifort rootstocks was almost twice as much as the ungrafted plants and its volume decreased with increasing water stress. Plant dry weight, leaf and stem fresh weight, number of nodes, root volume and leaf and root moisture content were decreased significantly with increasing water stress. Maximum leaf area and marketable yield were obtained in Flexifort rootstock irrigated with 90% of field capacity and minimum leaf area and marketable yield were obtained in ungrafted plants irrigated with 40% of field capacity. These results suggest that grafted plants on Flexifort and Shintoza have better growth and yield than ungrafted plants under water stress conditions