Journal of Bio-Environment ControlISSN:1229-4675(Print) 2765-3641(Online)(사)한국생물환경조절학회

This study was conducted to validate the growth and productivity of cucumber hydroponics using coir as the medium, different types of nutrient solutions and formal methods, in order to select the most efficient cultivation method. The nutrient solutions consisted of culture solution (S) and raw water (W), the planting methods were rockwool cube seedlings (RC), rockwool plug seedlings (RP), and slab directly seedlings (DS). The reference date was set the sowing date. The initial growth showed a significant increase in the culture solution treatment, the differences among treatments decreased as the growth period lengthened. There was no apparent correlation between the planting methods and growth, but different results were observed among the same planting methods depending on nutrient solution used. Similarly, productivity followed a similar trend, with significantly higher harvest in the culture solution treatment during the initial harvest period of 6－8 weeks after sowing, but the harvest gap among treatments were diminished in the after period. The cumulative harvest was significantly higher in the culture solution treatment due to the initial difference in harvest quantity. Plant growth and fruit productivity exhibited a similar trend, showing a linear relationship. There was no correlation among the planting methods, but direct seedling with the culture solution showed the highest initial growth and harvests due to stable nutrient and moisture supply in the initial root zone. Therefore, it is believed that direct seeding method on the culture solution medium would be most advantageous for plant growth and productivity. Additionally, it is expected to contribute to cost effectiveness from an economic perspective through simplification of the cultivation process, labor costs and production cost reduction.