Soil and Water Conservation Engineering Techniques to Modify the Rhizosphere Climate of Cucumber (Cucumis Sativus L.) for Improving Water Use Efficiency and Yield

The research was conducted to study the performance of cucumber under protected conditions with different plastic mulches. This experiment was conducted in a split plot design, having irrigation levels as main plot and mulches as subplots. The study revealed that mulching helped to maintain the soil moisture higher than bare soil and black mulch showed higher soil temperature and soil moisture (23.3%) under 100% irrigation. Plant height and yield was also influenced by mulching. Plant height and yield decreased in relation to reduction of the irrigation level. The highest water use efficiency (WUE) was found under 50% irrigation and black mulch plot (32 kg·m⁻³). In conclusion, black mulch with 100% irrigation performed well among the treatments because of higher moisture and favourable soil temperature. In consideration of WUE, black mulch with 50% irrigation performed well.