Full Length Research Paper

Effects of spent mushroom compost on quality and productivity of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) grown in greenhouses

Ersin Polat¹*, H. İbrahim Uzun¹, Bülent Topçuoğlu², Kubilay Önal², A. Naci Onus¹ and Mehmet Karaca¹

¹Akdeniz University, Faculty of Agriculture, Antalya, Turkey.

²Akdeniz University, Vocational School of Technical Sciences Antalya, Turkey

*Corresponding author. E-mail: polat@akdeniz.edu.tr.

Accepted 12 January, 2009

This study was conducted to determine the effects of spent mushroom compost (SMC), which is a waste product of mushroom processing through a year, on greenhouse cucumber growth as an organic matter source for the soil. The effects of SMC on several yield related characteristics, such as total yield, fruit width, fruit length, total soluble solids, first quality fruit yield in total yield and nutrition content of the cucumber fruit were investigated. The effects of SMC on total yield and fruit width obtained during the whole vegetation period were statistically significant. On the other hand, no significant differences were determined among the SMC treatments for the first quality fruit yield, total soluble solids and fruit length. The highest total fruit yield was obtained at 40 ton ha^-1 and it was followed by 80 and 20 ton ha^-1 SMC applications. The highest values of fruit width and the nitrogen contents in cucumber were found at 80 ton ha^-1 SMC application. Based on the present study it was concluded that as an organic material source and amendment of greenhouse soil application of at least 6 months waited SMC was very effective and beneficiary for cucumber growth, productivity and recycling the spent mushroom compost.

Key words: Spent mushroom compost, soil amendment, yield, nutrition content, cucumber.