Quality of greenhouse cucumber fruit grown on perlite substrate or nutrient film technique.

摘要

Fruit quality was evaluated in cucumber (cv. Tropico F1) grown on perlite substrate or in a hydroponic system (nutrient film technique or NFT) during the winter and summer seasons of 2001. Superior fruit quality based on lightness and hue angle parameters was obtained during the 3 weeks following the date of first picking in both seasons. NFT-grown fruits had darker and greener skin colour than the perlite-grown fruits. Fruits grown during winter had darker and dull green skin colour, and were of better quality than fruits grown in spring. Fruit weight and diameter gradually increased during winter, but decreased after the third harvest during spring. The length of NFT- and perlite-grown fruits significantly varied only during some particular harvest dates during winter. However, perlite-grown fruits were larger during spring than during winter. In spring, NFT-grown fruits were less acidic than the perlite-grown fruits. Firmness decreased over time in winter but increased during spring. Skin colour was found to be the best index of fruit quality in cucumber, although acidity and firmness can also be used to monitor quality particularly during spring.