In this work, the growth parameters (leaf area - LA, leaf area index - LAI and productivity - P) of cucumber variety Hokuho during winter and summer periods were studied under greenhouse (120 mm polyethylene cover) and field conditions. The winter cycle began on May 13, 1998 and the crop growth period was eighteen weeks. In this case, the models obtained were: LAIint= 0.869 - 0.73x + 0.18x² - 0.008x³ (R² = 0.964, SD = 0.403) and LAIext= 0.974 -1.015x + 0.288x² - 0.024x³ + 0.000584x4 (R² = 0.940, SD = 0.211), where x represent weeks after transplant. In the summer period, the transplant date was November 10, 1998 and the crop growth period was fourteen weeks. The models obtained were: LAIint = 2.619 - 3.13x + 1.515x² - 0.161x³ + 0.005x4 (R² = 0.959, SD = 0.642) and LAIext= 3.807 - 4.893x + 1.635x² - 0.161x³ + 0.005x4 (R² = 0.968, SD = 0.597). The relationships between leaf area index and productivity was explained by the following models: Pint = 0.426 . e0.364.LAI and Pext = 0.133 . e0.887.LAI (winter); Pint = 0.4297 . e0.360.LAI e Pext = 0.4597 . e0.322.LAI (summer). These models may be used to estimate leaf area index and yield of cucumber crop, variety Hokuho, from the data on weeks after transplant and LAI.
Cucumis sativus L.; leaf area index; models; yield
