Journal of Life Sciences 6 (2012) 766-770
Substrate Type Affects Growth, Yield and Mineral Composition of Cucumber and Zucchini Squash
Mariateresa Cardarelli1, Yousf Rouphael2, Salem Darwich2, Elvira Rea3, Antonio Fiorillo1 and Giuppe Colla1
1. Department of Agriculture, Forestry, Nature and Energy, University of Tuscia, via S. C. De Lellis snc, Viterbo 01100, Italy
2. Faculty of Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences, Lebane University, Dekwaneh-El Maten, Beirut, Lebanon
3. CRA-Rearch Centre for Soil/Plant System, via della Navicella 2-4, Roma 00184, Italy
Received: November 24, 2011 / Accepted: January 31, 2012 / Published: July 30, 2012.
Abstract: The expansion of hydroponics in many countries of the world in the last few decades may be ascribed to the ability of soilless growing systems to avoid various problems arising from the u of the soil. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) plants were grown in clod-soill
ess culture under unheated-greenhou conditions at the experimental farm of University of Tuscia, Central Italy to evaluate the effects of four substrates (rockwool, pumice, perlite, and cocofiber) on growth, yield and plant mineral composition. For both cultures, plants grown in cocofiber, perlite and pumice yielded more than tho grown in rockwool. The better temperature regime in cocofiber, perlite and pumice was due to the greater thermal inertia compared to rockwool slabs. The concentration of N in zucchini and cucumber leaves was significantly higher in cocofiber, perlite and pumice in comparison to the rockwool treatment. The concentration of K was significantly affected by the substrate only for the zucchini squash with the highest value recorded on the organic substrate (cocofiber), whereas the Ca concentration was significantly influenced by the growing media only for cucumber with the highest value obrved on pumice. Finally, the lowest Mg concentration in leaf tissue was obrved on plants grown with the rockwool substrate for both zucchini squash and cucumber. We can conclude that cocofiber, perlite and pumice are suitable for zucchini and cucumber production in clod soilless system, whereas the u of rockwool is more suitable for crops grown under heated greenhou conditions.
Key words: Substrate type, yield, mineral composition, cucumber, zucchini squash.
1. Introduction
The revolutionary expansion of hydroponics in many countries of the world in the last three decades may be ascribed to the ability of soilless growing systems to be independent of the soil and hence of all problems related to it. Hydroponics has proved to be an excellent alternative to soil sterilization, especially in view of the fact that the u of chemical soil sterilants, such as methyl bromide [1-3]. Moreover, the cultivation of greenhou crops and the achievement of high yields and good quality are possible with hydroponics even in saline or sodic soils, or non-arable soils with poor structure, which
Corresponding author: Giuppe Colla, Ph.D., rearcher, rearchfield:horticulture.E-mail:******************.reprent a major proportion of cultivable land throughout the world [4]. A further advantage of hydroponics is the preci control of nutrition. This is particularly true in crops grown either on inert substrates or in pure nutrient solution [5]. However, even in soilless crops grown in chemically active growing media, the nutrition of the plants can be better controlled than in crops cultivated in the soil, due to the limited volume of substrate per plant and its standard, homogeneous constitution, which is well known to the grower [2, 3].
The porous materials ud as substrates in soilless culture are distinguished as organic or inorganic growing media. The organic materials ud in soilless culture originate from plant residuals and are t
herefore
subjected to biological degradation. The decompod All Rights Rerved.
Substrate Type Affects Growth, Yield and Mineral Composition of Cucumber and Zucchini Squash 767
电脑显卡有什么用organic materials are more or less chemically active, due to the prence of ion exchange sites, which may adsorb or relea nutrients. In contrast, most inorganic materials are chemically inactive (inert). Therefore, many authors u the terms “organic” and “inorganic” growing media as synonyms to “chemically active” and “inert” substrates, respectively [1]. Zucchini squash and cucumber are important crops that have gained popularity for both open field and protected cultivation in the Mediterranean region [6-8]. However in the last 20 years, growing zucchini squash and cucumber in soilless culture have become increasingly popular among commercial growers.
The aim of this study was to determine, yield, growth, and nutrient accumulation of two Cucurbitaceae species (zucchini and cucumber) in relation to the type of substrate (organic vs. inorganic) in unheated greenhou conditions.
2. Materials and Methods
Two experiments were conducted in two concutive growing asons (spring and fall) in a polyethylene 400 m2 greenhou situated at the experimental farm of Tuscia University, central Italy. Inside the greenhou, the high temperature and relative humidity were controlled through ventilation.
A randomized complete block design with four replicates (ten plants per experimental unit) was ud to compare four substrates: perlite (Perlite Italiana), pumice (Europumice), cocofiber (Cocco Ter), and rockwool (Grodan).
忙碌的反义词In both experiments, soilless plants were placed in single plastic channel benches (ction 26 ⨯ 12 cm; length 5 m with 1.5% slope) which contained in the bottom a plastic drainage layer (1.5 cm height) covered with geo-textile. Perlite, pumice and cocofiber were added to fill the channels while rockwool was ud as slab (100 cm length ⨯ 15 cm width ⨯ 7.5 cm depth). In all plot, the surface of 这都是命
春节的特色美食substrate was covered with white plastic film.
Seeds of zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) “Afrodite” hybrid (Syngenta, Switzerland) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) “Edona” hybrid (Royal Sluis) was germinated in vermiculite on Mar.
10 and Aug. 15, 2001, respectively. Plants remained in the ed pots until the two true leaf stages. The edlings were transplanted on Mar. 23 and Sept. 1 for zucchini and cucumber, respectively, into cocofiber, pumice, perlite, and rockwool at a plant density of 2.1 plants·m-2.
In both experiments, plants were fertilized with the following nutrient solution (mg·L-1): N-NO3 (160), S (26), P (13), Cl (57), K (150), Ca (122), Mg (59), Na (50), Fe (3), Mn (0.8), Cu (0.07), Zn (0.1), B (0.3), Mo (0.05). The electrical conductivity (EC) values were kept within the range of 1.8 to 2.0 dS·m-1, while the pH of the solution was maintained between 5.8 and 6.3 by adding an acid mixture. Nutrient solution was pumped from independent tanks through a drip irrigation system with one emitter per plant and an emitter flow rate of 2 L·h-1. The excess of the nutritive solution was recycled for the entire growing cycle. Irrigation scheduling was performed using electronic low-tension tensiometers (LT-Irrometer). During the crop cycle, fruits of zucchini squash and cucumber were harvested when they reached marketable size; fruits that were deformed or badly misshapen were c
onsidered unmarketable. Fruits were dried in a forced-air oven at 80 °C for 72 hours, then ground in a Wiley mill to pass a 20-mesh screen and analyzed for the following elements: N, P, K, Ca, and Mg.
At final harvest four plants of zucchini squash and cucumber per plot (experimental unit) were parated into stems and leaves for biomass determination and subquently ground for major and trace elements determination (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Cu, Fe, Mn, and, Zn). The nitrogen concentration in plant tissues (leaves and fruits) was determined after mineralization with sulfuric acid by “Regular Kjeldahl method” [9], P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn were determined by dry ashing method at 400 °C for 24 hours, dissolving the ash in 1:25 HCl, and assaying
All Rights Rerved.
Substrate Type Affects Growth, Yield and Mineral Composition of Cucumber and Zucchini Squash 768
the obtained solution using an inductively coupled plasma emission spectrophotometer [10].
All data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA using the SPSS software package (SPSS 10 for Windows, 2001). Duncan’s Multiple Range test was performed at P = 0.05 on each of the significant variables measured.
3. Results and Discussion
The total and marketable yield of zucchini squash and cucumber were significantly affected by the substrates. For both zucchini and cucumber the highest marketable yield was recorded on cocofiber, perlite and pumice, followed by rockwool, with no significant differences obrved between the first three treatments (Table 1). Moreover the lowest marketable zucchini yield obrved on rockwool was mainly attributed to a reduction in the fruit number and not to a change in the fruit mean weight, whereas in cucumber, the yield reduction on rockwool was related to a reduction in both fruit mean weight and fruit number (Table 1). Our results are in line with previous rearches carried out on cucumbers [11] and on tomatoes [12].
The above findings may be related to a low temperature regime in rockwool slabs during the early part of the growing cycle for zucchini and the late part of the cropping cycle for cucumber where the minimal substrate temperatures in the rockwool substrate was always lower than tho recorded on cocofiber, perlite and pumice (data not shown). In fact, the lowest air temperature recorded on Apr. 14 (–3.3 °C) and Nov.
10 (3 °C) in the zucchini and cucumber experiments, respectively caud damage to the leaves esp
ecially for plants grown on rockwool due to the higher plant vigor and the low volumetric heat capacity of substrate. The better temperature regime in cocofiber, perlite and pumice was due to the higher substrate volume per plant (9,375 vs. 5,625 cm3/plant) which leads to a greater thermal inertia compared to rockwool slab. No significant difference among treatments was obrved for the total above ground dry biomass of zucchini squash, whereas a significant difference was recorded in cucumber, with the lowest values obrved in the rockwool substrate.
The macro- and microelements concentration in zucchini and cucumber leaves as a function of the substrate are displayed in Tables 2 and 3. The concentration of N in zucchini and cucumber leaves was significantly higher in cocofiber, perlite and pumice in comparison to the rockwool treatment (Table 2). Moreover, no significant differences were obrved for the P concentration in both crops. The concentration of K was significantly affected by the substrate only for the zucchini squash with the highest value recorded on the organic substrate (cocofiber),
Table 1 Effects of substrates on total and marketable yield (kg·plant-1), fruit mean weight (g·fruit-1), fruit number (No.·plant-1), and above-ground dry biomass (g·plant-1) of zucchini and cucumber plants.
Substrate
Yield Marketable
fruit
Total above ground
dry biomass
Total Marketable
Mean
mass
Number
Zucchini
Cocofiber 2.34
a1 2.30 a 113.9 a 20.1 a 375.3 a Perlite 2.10 ab 2.03 a 115.7 a 17.3 a 364.3 a
Pumice 2.18 ab 2.13 a 118.9 a 17.9 a 341.8 a
Rockwool 1.76 b 1.64 b 116.3 a 14.1 b 305.5 a
Cucumber
Cocofiber 3.81 a 3.41 a 183.4 a 18.4 ab 271.1 a
Perlite 3.93 a 3.62 a 177.3 a 20.4 a 287.0 a外套怎么叠
Pumice 3.65 ab 2.94 a 169.0 b 17.2 ab 224.7 a
Rockwool 3.31 b 2.40 b 163.2 b 14.7 b 185.3 b
1Means within columns parated using Duncan’s multiple range test, P = 0.05.
All Rights Rerved.
Substrate Type Affects Growth, Yield and Mineral Composition of Cucumber and Zucchini Squash 769 Table 2 Effects of substrates on major elements concentration of zucchini and cucumber leaves.
水养植物有哪些Substrates
Major elements (g·kg-1 of dry weight)
N P K Ca Mg
Zucchini
Cocofiber 32.6
a1 2.1 a 37.8 a 24.4 a 14.8 a Perlite 38.0 a 2.6 a 26.6 b 23.8 a 13.6 ab Pumice 36.6 a 2.4 a 28.8 b 23.3 a 12.9 b Rockwool 29.9 b 2.2 a 24.0 b 26.4 a 14.6 c Cucumber
Cocofiber 29.7 a 5.7 a 36.7 a 32.4 bc 8.7 a Perlite 31.8 a 4.2 a 36.3 a 36.4 ab 6.9 bc Pumice 30.3 a 5.6 a 36.7 a 36.8 a 7.1 b Rockwool 28.2
b 4.4
a 34.8 a 30.2 c 5.7 c 1Means within columns parated using Duncan’s multiple range test, P = 0.05.
Table 3 Effects of substrates on sodium and trace element concentration of zucchini and cucumber leaves.
Substrates
Trace elements (mg·kg-1 of dry weight)
Na Cu Fe Mn Zn
Zucchini
Cocofiber 257.2
b 8.7
a 57.8 a 116.7
b 58.2
c Perlite 313.7 b 5.7 a 60.7 a 289.1 a 87.0 b Pumice 260.0 b 6.6 a 50.0 a 142.8 b 70.2 bc Rockwool 743.7
a 7.2
a 52.1 a 359.7 a 111.6 a Cucumber
Cocofiber 101.2 b 8.6 a 62.0 a 20.5 d 53.0 b Perlite 96.2 b 9.5 a 61.4 a 49.7 a 70.2 a Pumice 94.7 b 9.4 a 58.6 a 33.0 c 58.5 b Rockwool 196.2
a 10.0
a 61.7 a 41.1
b 67.9 a 1Means within columns parated using Duncan’s multiple range test, P = 0.05.
Table 4 Effects of substrates on major elements concentration of zucchini and cucumber fruits.
Substrates
Major elements (g·kg-1 of dry weight)
N P K Ca Mg
Zucchini
Cocofiber 47.5
a1 5.2 a 46.0 a 4.1 a 5.5 a Perlite 50.2 a 5.3 a 44.2 a 4.5 a 5.7 a Pumice 47.8 a 5.1 b 40.9 a 3.9 a 5.4 a Rockwool 44.2 b 5.1 b 45.7 a 4.3 a 5.7 a Cucumber
Cocofiber 26.3
a 4.9
a 87.9 a 3.8
b 4.1 a Perlite 25.1 a 4.7 a 79.3 b 4.5 a 3.8 ab Pumice 26.3 a 4.8 a 75.1 b 4.8 a 3.9 ab Rockwool 24.1 a 5.0 a 77.7 b 3.9 b 3.6 b 1Means within columns parated using Duncan’s multiple range test, P = 0.05.
whereas the Ca concentration was significantly influenced by the growing media only for cucumber with the highest value obrved on pumice. Finally, the lowest Mg concentration in leaf tissue was obrved on plants grown with the rockwool substrate for both zucchini squash and cucumber (Table 2).
The highest Na for both zucchini squash and cucumber was recorded on rockwool, whereas no
All Rights Rerved.
Substrate Type Affects Growth, Yield and Mineral Composition of Cucumber and Zucchini Squash 770
significant differences were obrved for the Cu and Fe concentration (Table 3). Moreover, the highest value of Mn, and Zn were recorded on perlite and rockwool, respectively.
For the zucchini experiment, no significant difference among treatments was obrved for the concentration of K, Ca, and Mg in fruit, whereas the lowest value of N, and P was obrved on rockwool substrate (Table 4). Finally, in the cucumber experiment no significant effect of substrate was recorded for the N, and P concentration, while the highest K and Mg concentration was obrved in fruits harvested from plants grown in the cocofiber substrate (Table 4), which is interesting from a nutritional point of view becau fruits and vegetables usually contribute to 35%, and 24% respectively of the total K, and Mg to the dietary intake of humans [13].
4. Conclusions
To summarize, authors can conclude, that cocofiber, perlite and pumice are suitable for zucchini and cucumber production in clod soilless system, whereas the u of rockwool is more suitable for crops grown under heated greenhou conditions.
References
[1] D. Savvas, Hydroponics: A modern technology supporting
the application of integrated crop management in greenhou, Journal of Food Agriculture & Environment 1
(2003) 80-86.
岗岗杨钰莹
[2]Y. Rouphael, G. Colla, Growth, yield, fruit quality and
nutrient uptake of hydroponically cultivated zucchini
squash as affected by irrigation systems and growing
asons, Scientia Horticulturae 105 (2005) 177-195. [3]Y. Rouphael, G. Colla, Radiation and water u
efficiencies of greenhou zucchini squash in relation to
different climate parameters, European Journal of
Agronomy 23 (2005) 183-194.
[4]Y. Rouphael, M. Cardarelli, E. Rea, A. Battistelli, G. Colla,
Comparison of the subirrigation and drip-irrigation system
for greenhou zucchini squash production using saline
and non-saline nutrient solutions, Agricultural Water Management 82 (2006) 99-117.
[5]Y. Rouphael, G. Colla, The influence of drip-irrigation or座右铭小学生
subirrigation on zucchini squash grown in clod-loop substrate culture with high and low nutrient solution concentrations, HortScience 44 (2009) 306-311.
[6]Y. Rouphael, G. Colla, Modelling the transpiration of a
greenhou zucchini crop grown under a Mediterranean
climate using the Penman-Monteith and its simplified version, Australian Journal of Agricultural Rearch 55
(2004) 931-937.
[7]G. Colla, Y. Rouphael, M. Cardarelli, M. Tullio, C.M.
Rivera, E. Rea, Alleviation of salt stress by arbuscular
mycorrhizal in zucchini plants grown at low and high phosphorus concentration, Biology and Fertility of Soils
44 (2008) 501-509.
[8]Y. Rouphael, M. Cardarelli, E. Di Mattia, M. Tullio, E.
Rea, G. Colla, Enhancement of alkalinity tolerance in
two cucumber genotypes inoculated with an arbuscular
mycorrhizal biofertilizer containing Glomus
intraradices, Biology and Fertility of Soils 46 (2010)
499-509.
[9]J.M. Bremner, Total nitrogen, in: C.A. Black, D.D. Evans,
I.L. White, L.E. Ensminger, F.E. Clark (Eds.), Methods of
Soil Analysis, Agronomy Monograph 9, 1965, pp.
1149-1178.
[10]Y.P. Karla, Handbook of Reference Methods for Plant
Analysis, CRC Press Inc., Boca Raton, Fla., 1998, pp.
165-170.
[11]T. Bas, Possibilities of using different organic and
inorganic materials for greenhou cucumber production,
Thesis, Ege University, Izmir, 1991.
[12]R. Choukrallan, N. Oujlouq, Etude comparative d’une
culture de tomate conduite sur perlite et en plein sol sous
rre, dans la region de souss Massa, The de Troisième
Cycle Agronomie, IAV Hassan II, Agadir, 1994.
[13]O.A. Levander, Fruit and vegetable contributions to
dietary mineral intake in human health and dia, Hort
Science 25 (1990) 1486-1488.
All Rights Rerved.
