Effects of Nutrient Solution Irrigation Quantity and Downy Mildew Infection on Growth and Physiological Traits of Greenhouse Cucumber

Abstract

Abiotic and biotic stresses both decrease the quality and quantity of cultivated plants. In this study, in order to see the responses of cucumber plants to drought stress and cucumber downy mildew infection, downy mildew infestation at different two levels, B1 (disease infestation) and B2 (no disease infestation), along with three fertigation requirement levels, full fertigation T1, moderate nutrient solution deficit T2 and severe nutrient solution deficit T3, were applied in a greenhouse. Thus, six treatments, i.e., B1T1, B1T2, B1T3, B2T1, B2T2 and B2T3, were set. The leaf gas-exchange parameters were significantly increased under CK (control experiment, B2T1: no disease infestation and full irrigation) treatment, and leaf photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance were significantly decreased under the B1T1 treatment. Leaf intercellular CO2 concentration was significantly increased under B1T1 treatment. Leaf photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, intercellular CO2 concentration and stomatal conductance were significantly decreased under B1T2, B1T3, B2T2 and B2T3 treatments. Compared with treatment CK (B2T1), the plant height of cucumber under B1T1, B1T2, B1T3, B2T2 and B2T3 treatments decreased by 11.41%, 19.05%, 27.48%, 7.55% and 10.62%, respectively; the stem diameter of cucumber under B1T1, B1T2, B1T3, B2T2 and B2T3 treatments decreased by 5.70%, 13.45%, 23.03%, 9.46% and 15.74%, respectively; and leaf area of cucumber under B1T1, B1T2, B1T3, B2T2 and B2T3 treatments decreased by 22.79%, 38.68%, 58.28%, 13.76% and 29.96%, respectively. The root–shoot ratio of cucumber under B1T1, B1T2, B1T3, B2T1, B2T2 and B2T3 treatments was 3.16%, 2.99%, 4.11%, 3.92%, 3.13% and 3.63%, respectively. The root–shoot ratio of cucumber was the highest under the B1T3 treatment.