Abstract

PARRA TERRAZA, S. et al. Fruit quality, composition and partitioning of mineral elements in cucumber in response to silicion and the osmotic potential of nutrient solution. Terra Latinoam [online]. 2009, vol.27, n.2, pp.123-131. ISSN 2395-8030.

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effect of silicon and osmotic potential (ψ_s) in the nutrient solution (NS), and their interaction, on fruit quality and distribution and composition of mineral elements of cucumber growing in nutrient solution supplied by continuous pumped air. A total of nine treatments resulted from the combination of two factors: SiO₃^2–concentration (0, 0.835 y 1.670 mol m^–3) and ψ_s in the NS (–0.080, –0.115 y –0.150 MPa) in a 3² complete factorial design and complete randomized distribution of treatments. The interaction of silicon and osmotic potential in the NS significantly affected the silicon concentration in the upper and lower leaves and in fruit but did not affect fruit quality. The increase in silicon concentration was due to silicon concentration in each set of three nutrient solutions with different osmotic potential (0.080, 0.115 and –0.150 MPa). With an osmotic potential of –0.150 MPa, dry matter and fruit firmness increased significantly, 17.7 and 51.5% with respect to –0.080 MPa of the NS. The combination of a high nutrient solution concentration of SiO₃^2–(1.670 mol m^–3) and a low osmotic potential (–0.150 MPa) decreased phosphorus, potassium and calcium in the upper leaves by 74.75, 69.75 and a 42.80%, respectively, compared with 0.835 mol SiO₃^2–m^–3 (ψ_s = 0.115 MPa).

Keywords : greenhouse; soilless culture; nutrient analysis; Cucumis sativus L..