• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.229-234
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• 2014

We analyzed drainage water from coir substrate in which cucumber plants were grown in winter and elucidated changes in pH, EC, and major nutrients according to the growth stages to recommend nutrient solution management appropriate to each growth stage. From the analysis of drainage solution the growth stages of cucumber were desirable to be divided into two, planting to fruit setting and fruit setting to harvest in case of nutrient solution management. The time required was about 3 weeks from planting to the first fruit setting and thereafter 7~10 days more until the first harvest. Approximately every 3~4 days were needed until the upper flowers bloomed. The time required from fruit setting to harvest was not different much among flowers as cucumber plants grew. From the experimental results, EC of supplied solution was recommended to maintain a little high to $3.0dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ until before fruit setting and lower a little to $2.0{\sim}2.3dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ after that. Of course, the amount of solution supply should be increased as plants grew. In case of each nutrients, the recommendation of concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium were 700, 60, and $110mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ each until before fruit setting, and then 660, 50, and $100mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ each after fruit setting. The concentrations of potassium and magnesium are recommended to start from 400 and $80mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ until fruit setting and lower a little after that.