COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF WATER AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE OF GLASSHOUSE CUCUMBER GROWN IN NFT AND PERLITE

Glasshouse experiments were carried out during spring in Southern Spain (Cartagena) to determine both the transpiration rate and macro-nutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) uptake of two cucumber crops (Cucumis sativus L. cv Trópico F1), growing in perlite substrate and in NFT (nutrient film technique), respectively.
The results showed that water uptake was similar for the two crops, while nutrient uptake differed markedly for some mineral elements.
The most drastic difference was found for N uptake, which was double in NFT than in perlite.
Lower, but still significant differences were obtained for K, Ca and Mg, while the uptake of P was not significantly affected.
The difference in N absorption resulted in a higher % of N (g_N per g of dry matter) attributed to all organs of the plant in the NFT crop, the higher increases being found for stems and petioles.
The results suggest that considerable differences in mineral uptake may exist when using different techniques of soilless cultivation.
It may be concluded that each fertirrigation technique requires specific management rules, that must be based on a better knowledge and understanding of the processes involved in mineral absorption within a given root environment.

VI International Symposium on Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climate: Product and Process Innovation

M.D. Gómez, A. Baille, M.M. González-Real, J.M. Mercader

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), greenhouse, transpiration, mineral uptake, hydroponics, soilless crop

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2003.614.24