Effect of Organic Fertilizers on Growth and Yield of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L)

Abstract

Organic fertilizers constitute an alternative to improve soil fertility, nutrient availability, and productive development of crops. The research aimed to evaluate the effect of the application of organic fertilizers on the agronomic and productive behavior of Cucumis sativus under protected conditions. A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was used, consisting of three organic treatments and a control without application, with four repetitions per treatment. The variables evaluated were plant height, stem diameter, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight, yield, and economic analysis. The treatment with worm humus showed the best agronomic response, with heights of 74.9, 161.5, and 341.5 cm at 30, 45, and 60 days after transplanting, respectively. It also recorded the largest stem diameters, with 5.75, 6.73, and 6.78 mm at the same evaluation times. In fruit characteristics, it reached the greatest length (25.51 cm), diameter (6.09 cm), and average weight (480.75 g). In addition, it obtained the highest yield, with 30,028 kg ha⁻¹. It is concluded that the application of vermicompost improves vegetative development, fruit quality, and productivity.