COMPARISON OF OF TWO NUTRIENT SOLUTION RECIPES FOR GROWING CUCUMBERS IN A NON- CIRCULATING HYDROPONIC SYSTEM

Plants of the cucumber variety ‘Market-more’ were grown in 13-litre plastic trash bins using ½ and full strength Cooper’s and Imai’s nutrient solutions on a randomized complete block design xperimentin the greenhouse facility of [insert full words here followed by acronym in parentheses] Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (IBGE) NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar ,Pakistan ,during 2006 spring season. Though days to flowering were not affected significantly by the nutrient solutions and their strengths, the fruits matured 8-15 days earlier in the full- and ½-strength Cooper s solutions, respectively, as compared to those grown in corresponding strengths of Imai’s solution. Likewise, the number of male(♂) flowers plant-1 (471 and 451.4 plant-1), number of female (♀) flowers plant-1 (37 and 32 plant-1), male( ♂) to female(♀) flowers ratio plant-1 (12.83:1 and 13.44:1), average number of fruits plant-1 (26.58 and 23.39 plant-1), average fruit weight ( 195.7 g and 171.9 g), stem length (3.57 m and 3.46 m), and average fruit yield plant-1/ container-1 (5.75 kg and 5.71 kg plant-1) were significantly higher for plants grown in ½ and full strength Cooper’s solutions as compared to the plants grown in corresponding strengths of Imai’s solution.. The amounts of nutrient solution consumed (113.3 l and 104.3 litres plant-1) by the plants grown in Cooper’s (1/2 and full strengths) were significantly higher than those grown in corresponding strengths of Imai’s solution. The cost-benefit- ratio (CBR) based on solution chemical costs was higher (Rs 1.04:1.00 and Rs1.02: 1.00) for half-strength grown plants of both recipes,while the CBR based on average total cost container-1 was lower) in full strength Cooper s and Imai s solutions (Rs 0.45: 1.00 and Rs 0.56: 1.00, respectively). . However, the CBR values for ½ strength solution-grown plants were within the acceptable range: Rs 0.88:1.00 for Cooper’s solution-grown plants and Rs 0.70: 1.00 for Imai’s solution-grown plants.