Fallow Cover Crop Species and Nitrogen Rate of Fertigated Solution on Cucumber Yield and Soil Sustainability in Greenhouse Condition

Abstract

Nutrient accumulation in surface soil has become a serious problem for cucumber production in greenhouse.However, still in many cases, soil management practices are only focused on maintaining crop yield,regardless of sustainability related with soil chemical properties. This study was conducted to propose asustainable soil management practice by investigating the impact of cover crop species and nitrogen rate offertigated solution on cucumber yield and soil chemical properties in greenhouse condition. Rye and hairyvetch were tested as a fallow cover crop, and each amount of urea (1/2, 3/4, 1 times of N fertilizerrecommendations), determined by soil testing result, was supplied in fertigation plots as an additional nitrogensource. The result showed that the yield of cucumber was higher in rye treatment than control and hairy vetchtreatment. In addition, rye effectively reduced EC and accumulated nutrients from the soil. Meanwhile, Nconcentration of fertigated solution showed no significant effect on the growth and yield of cucumber.Consequently, these results suggest that it is desirable to choose rye as a fallow catch crop for sustainablecucumber production in greenhouse.