Performance of Cucumber Seedlings in Alternative Substrates

Abstract

Cucumbers are of great economic importance due to their widespread consumption in human food. Cultivating seedlings is a crucial technical activity in the vegetable production chain, and the choice of substrate significantly influences plant growth and development. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of cucumber seedlings grown in alternative substrates. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, using five substrates: T1 – Commercial substrate; T2 – Organic compost; T3 – Commercial substrate + compost + chicken manure (1:1:1); T4 – Commercial substrate + compost (1:1); T5 – Compost + chicken manure (1:1), with four replications each, totaling 20 experimental units. After 15 days of sowing, stem diameter, plant height, total number of leaves, dry root mass, dry shoot mass, and Dickson's quality index were evaluated. The results indicate that using organic compost as a substrate for cucumber seedling production results in a superior Dickson's quality index, which is a good indicator of seedling quality and vigor. The use of alternative substrates, such as organic compost, may be an option for producing high-quality seedlings.