F. El-Aidy, B. El-Sawy; F. Hindy and S. Omran
Faculty of Agriculture,
33516 Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt

Keywords:  cucumber, greenhouse, and mist

Abstract: The experiments were carried out on cucumber “Amera II” hybrid during the late summer seasons of 1995 & 1996 at the experimental farm of Faculty of Agriculture Kafr El-Sheikh. The main objective of this research was to study the effect of mist by water  (operation started at 10.00 AM to 4.00 PM by rate of 5 min/hour) and without mist on growth and yield of cucumber. Cucumber seeds were sown on May 1^st in both years, in double rows (50+120X45 cm) and 6 m in length. The experiments were conducted inside modified timber greenhouse, covered with treated PE, 0.2 mm thickness on roof and its sides were covered with insect proof nets providing 36% aeration. The results indicated  that the mist treatment decreased air temperature by about 6.3 and 4,2 oC compared with unmist and open field respectively in the 1^st year and by about 4.1 & 2.1 oC in the 2^nd year. Also, soil temperature was decreased by about 5.3 and 6.1 oC at 2.00 PM in the 1^st and 2^nd year respectively. Mist increased air relative humidity by about 14.5 & 17.9 % compared with unmist and open field respectively in the 1^st year, and by about 4.5 and 10.3% in the 2^nd one. Crop growth rate (CGR), relative growth rate (RGR) and net assimilation rate (NAR) were significantly affected by mist in both years. Mist gave the higher CGR. Application of mist significantly increased number of female flower /plant and number of fruit set/plant but decreased number of male flowers/plant, ratio of male to female flowers and number of days from flower opening to fruit harvest. Total fruit yield/m2, marketable fruit yield were significantly increased by mist application, also N, P & K content of the fifth leaf.

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