Nutrient absorption curves by parthenocarpic cucumber in greenhouse

Abstract

The production of cucumber for pickles has a high socioeconomic importance for Santa Catarina State, which is the largest producer in Brazil. The application of fertilizers in an appropriate way, suppling the demand of the crop, reflects on the productivity and the health of the crops. However, there are few studies that determine the nutrient demands for cucumber cultivation, especially those parthenocarpic cultivated in the soil in Santa Catarina State. Thus, the objective of the work was to determine the growth, production and nutrient extraction curves of the parthenocarpic cucumber, qualifying the nutrition of these plants. The cultivation was conducted during the years 2015 and 2016 in a shelter with soil with high levels of fertility, using different doses of organic compost (0; 0.92; 1.23; 1.85; and 2.46kg m^-1). The experimental design adopted was a randomized blocks with four replications and treatments in a sub-plot, with two years as a plot and five doses of organic fertilizer as a sub-plot. Cucumber production and nutrient absorption by plants and fruits were evaluated. The most extracted macronutrient was N, followed by K, Ca, P and Mg and the micronutrients were Mn, followed by Zn and B. It was possible to obtain consistent absorption curves that reflect the reality of the crops in Santa Catarina State, which will enable a better use of fertilizers in the cultivation of parthenocarpic cucumbers.