Author:
Faiath Saieed E.,Ibrahim Ahmed Mahmood,Aljanabi Ali Razzaq,Aldabbagh Ehab Jabbar
Abstract
Abstract
This study was conducted in the greenhouses of Fallujah University - Biotechnology and Environmental Center. During planting season (2021-2022), to determine the effect of three zinc concentrations (0, 8, 16) mg L-1 and three soaking periods (6, 12, 18) hours, on the growth and yield characteristics of the cucumber (queen variety). It was implemented as a factorial experiment with randomized complete block design (RCBD) and with three replicates, the results are summed up as follows: The concentrations of 8 and 16 mg L-1 of zinc were achieved by giving the highest average plant height (127.26 cm) and (130.56 cm), leaf area (3934 cm2) and (4582 cm2) plant-1, as well as the fruit length accorded 15.46 and 15.62 cm, respectively, and the plant yield reached 1.16 and 1.74 kg plant-1, respectively. Also, the concentration of 16 mg L-1 of zinc in yield per area (m2) reached 13.91 kg m2 was superior to the concentration of 8 mg L-1 zinc (9.26) kg m2, which was superior to the control (7.85) kg m2. As for the soaking periods, the 18-hour soaking period grants the highest average of plant height, leaf area, plant yield, and yield per area (m2), reaching 131.41 cm, 4385 cm2 plant-1, 1.45 kg plant-1, and 11.55 kg m2, respectively. While the 12-hour soaking treatment gave the highest average fruit length of 15.724 cm over the 18-hour soaking treatment, and it excelled the 6-hour soaking treatment in all studied characteristics except for the fruit diameter, which was not significant for all treatments used. The binary interaction between soaking at a concentration of 16 mg L-1 of zinc with a soaking period of 18 hours gave the highest average plant height, fruit length, plant yield and yield per area (m2) accorded 143.63 cm, 15.89 cm, 1.98 kg plant-1 and 15.82 kg m2, respectively. The effect of interference was non-significant for the mean of leaf area of the plant as well as the diameter of the fruit.