Determination of the Effect of Different Irrigation Regimes on Some Quality Properties of Cucumber

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effects of varying levels of deficit irrigation applied through partial root drying (PRD) and conventional deficit irrigation on some parameters of cucumber plant such as fresh and dried biomass, plant stem diameter, number of leaf, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight, water soluble dry matter (WSDM). Seven irrigation treatments (DI75, APRD75, FPRD75, DI50, APRD50, FPRD50) were examined together with the control treatment (FULL). The irrigation water of the treatments DI75, APRD75 and FPRD75 are 25% less than the FULL treatment. The irrigation water of the DI50, APRD50 and FPRD50 treatments is 50% less than the FULL treatment. DI75 and DI50 are traditional deficit irrigation applications in which both sides of the plant root zone are wetted. In APRD75 and APRD50 treatments, one half of the plant root zone is wetted and the other half is left dry and the wet/dry parts are switched in each irrigation application. In FPRD75 and FPRD50 treatments, one half of the plant root zone is wetted and the other half is left dry for a fixed period during the entire season. It has been revealed that 25% and 50% water deficit levels affect the amount of biomass as a result of the application of conventional deficit irrigation and partial root drying (PRD) techniques when compared to the FULL treatment. However, it has been found that the parameters such as plant stem diameter, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight and WSDM are not affected. When the results obtained in the research are evaluated; it has been observed that water application techniques (DI, APRD, FPRD) have a significant effect on both plant development and yield when the same amount of water is given. As irrigation water constraint increases, the yield has been found to decrease. However, the decrease in the amount of irrigation water and the decrease in yield have not been the same. Research aiming to save irrigation water is increasingly important, especially in arid and semi-arid regions where water is scarce and expensive. In this regard, the fact that the decrease in yield remains smaller than the rate of decrease in irrigation water can be seen as an advantage of PRD treatments.