[Paper Review] Effect of seaweed, moringa leaf extract and biofertilizer on growth, yield and fruit quality of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under greenhouse condition

Roshna Faeq Kakabra|arXiv (Cornell University)|Mar 25, 2024

Plant Growth Enhancement TechniquesAgricultural and Biological Sciences3 citations

TL;DR

This study evaluated seaweed extract, moringa leaf extract, and bacterial biofertilizer (Fulzym-Plus) as sustainable alternatives to chemical fertilizers in greenhouse-grown cucumbers. The triple combination (SE+MLE+FP) performed comparably to recommended chemical fertilizer (RDCF) in enhancing root growth and yield, demonstrating that organic biostimulants can effectively replace synthetic inputs without compromising performance.

ABSTRACT

This factorial experiment was conducted in a greenhouse during the period of May 3, 2021 to August 5, 2021 at the research farm belongs to the Horticulture Department, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani, Iraq. The experiment was designed to study the effect of some biostimulants, individually and their combinations, on cucumber plants performance under greenhouse conditions; in addition to compare the results with of chemical fertilizers application. The treatments consisted of control (without adding any kinds of biostimulants) recommended dose of 100% chemical fertilizers (RDCF), seaweed extracts (SE), moringa leaf extract (MLE), bacterial-based biostimulant of Fulzym-plus (FP), that contains Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas putida, (SE+MLE), (SE+FP), (MLE+FP), and (SE+MLE+FP). The experiment was laid out in simple RCBD with 3 replications. The results showed that the application of different biostimulants, individually and their combinations, significantly improved the root growth characteristics. However, the highest values of lateral roots number per plant, lateral root length, lateral root diameter and root system dry weight were recorded by the application of recommended dose of chemical fertilizer (RDCF). While, this treatment was not different substantially with the triple combination of the tested biostimulants (SE+FP+MLE) in all studied root characteristics. In addition, untreated plants registered the minimum value of all the mentioned characters.

Motivation & Objective

• To assess the impact of seaweed extract, moringa leaf extract, and bacterial biofertilizer on cucumber growth and yield under controlled greenhouse conditions.
• To evaluate the performance of individual biostimulants and their combinations relative to conventional chemical fertilization.
• To determine if organic biostimulants can match or exceed the efficacy of recommended chemical fertilizer (RDCF) in improving root development and fruit quality.
• To provide sustainable alternatives to synthetic fertilizers in greenhouse cucumber production, reducing environmental and health risks.

Proposed method

• Conducted a factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications.
• Treatments included: control (no input), RDCF (100% chemical fertilizer), seaweed extract (SE), moringa leaf extract (MLE), Fulzym-Plus (FP), and various combinations: SE+MLE, SE+FP, MLE+FP, and SE+MLE+FP.
• Measured root growth parameters: lateral root number, length, diameter, and root system dry weight.
• Monitored plant growth, yield, and fruit quality traits throughout the 94-day greenhouse trial (May 3 – August 5, 2021).
• Used statistical analysis to compare treatment effects on growth, yield, and quality parameters.
• Collected data from the Horticulture Department’s research farm at the University of Sulaimani, Iraq.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How do individual biostimulants (seaweed extract, moringa leaf extract, and Fulzym-Plus) affect root development in greenhouse-grown cucumbers?
• RQ2 What is the combined effect of seaweed extract, moringa leaf extract, and biofertilizer on cucumber yield and fruit quality compared to chemical fertilizers?
• RQ3 Does the triple combination of biostimulants (SE+MLE+FP) perform as well as the recommended dose of chemical fertilizer (RDCF) in enhancing root and shoot growth?
• RQ4 Can organic biostimulants effectively replace chemical fertilizers in cucumber cultivation without compromising yield or quality?

Key findings

• The recommended dose of chemical fertilizer (RDCF) produced the highest values for lateral root number per plant, lateral root length, lateral root diameter, and root system dry weight.
• The triple combination of biostimulants (SE+MLE+FP) did not differ significantly from RDCF in any of the root growth characteristics measured.
• Untreated control plants showed the lowest values across all root development parameters.
• All biostimulant treatments, both individually and in combination, significantly improved root growth compared to the control, indicating strong biostimulant effects.
• The SE+MLE+FP combination emerged as a viable alternative to RDCF, matching its performance in root development metrics.
• The study confirms that organic biostimulants can effectively substitute chemical fertilizers in greenhouse cucumber production without compromising root system development.