Yield and fruit quality of cucumber depend on such factors as plant cultivar, plant nutrition and the cultivation method. The presented paper contains results confirming the usefulness of rockwool and coconut fibre as well as the application of the fertigation system in cucumber growing. Studies on the growing of cucumber Onyks F1 cultivar were carried out in the years 2003–2005 in an unheated greenhouse. A two-factorial experiment was established. One experimental factor consisted in the fertigation control methods including Soltimer device and the starting tray. The other factor included substrate types: rockwool Agroban and coconut fibre Ceres. Plant distribution was 2 plants per one square metre. On the basis of the presented studies, it was found that greenhouse cucumber yielding was influenced by the frequency of nutrient supply, by climatic conditions in the given year and by the applied substrate type. The applied media of rockwool Agroban and coconut fibre Ceres did not exert any influence on plant yielding. On the other hand, a significant effect on the total and the marketable fruit yield was exerted by the cooperation between the fertigation control method and the substrate type.
The objective was the evaluation of nutrient losses to soil during horticultural plant cultivation in greenhouses where open fertigation systems are used. Losses were estimated by comparing the chemical composition of nutrient solution effluent from the drippers to the growing media with nutrient leakage from the media to the soil (called drainage or drainage waters) during soilless culture of tomato, cucumber, roses and gerbera. Largest losses were of potassium (up to 413 kg K/month/ha), nitrates (up to 231 kg NO₃-N/month/ha), calcium (up to 220 kg Ca /month/ha) and sulphur (up to 101 kg SO₄-S/month/ha). Smallest losses were of microelements (from 0.01 kg of Mn and Cu to 3.46 kg of Fe per month/ha). In Poland, the greatest horticultural pollution source for the environment is caused by the fertigation of tomato, whose cultivation area covers 2,500 ha, and whose production cycle lasts about 10 months. The least pollution arises from gerbera, which covers only about 90 ha. Sources of agricultural point pollution are generally attributed to animal farms. On the basis of the presented study the source of point pollution is not only assigned to typical agricultural production, but also to greenhouse production systems using soilless culture and open fertigation.
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