Effects of beneficial endophytic fungi under different irrigation regimes of greenhouse cucumber

This study was conducted in order to determine the effects of beneficial organisms under different irrigation regimes with different leaching rates in greenhouse cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) production. Two beneficial microorganisms, namely mychorriza (Glomus species) and Trichoderma harzianum and their combination mychorriza + T. harzianum were tested comparing with control (no treatment) under two irrigation programs based on indoor integrated solar radiation levels of 1 or 2 MJ m(-2) with a two different leaching rates of 20% and 40%. Cucumber plants were grown during the spring growing season ( 16 March-10 July 2015) in unheated greenhouse conditions. Perlite was used as substrate with a volume of 6 L per plant. Results showed that total yield varied between 17.0 and 33.3 kgm(-2) and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) and water use efficiency (WUE) of cucumber crop changed between 39-58 kg m(-3) and 67-82 kg m(-3), respectively. Among the tested treatments the highest yield was obtained under frequent irrigation application of 1 MJ m(-2) x leaching rate of 40% x mychorriza and mychorriza + T. harzianum interactions.