Greenhouse soil salinization by excessive fertilization and lack of leaching has been a common cause of cucumber yield reduction in Brazil. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of irrigation with saline water on the vegetative development of grafted cucumber plants in a greenhouse. Three water salinities (S1=1.58; S2=3.08 e S3=5.13 dS m-1), two irrigation water depths (L0=1.00 x ETc e L1=1.25 x ETc) and two application frequencies of L1 (F1=in all irrigations and F2=when the irrigation water depth of L0 reached 100 mm) were used. Irrigation water depths and frequencies of L1 were grouped and, therefore, the experimental design was in a factorial scheme 3x3, with randomized blocks. Results showed that plant height, unit leaf area and leaf area index were linearly affected by water salinity. No differences were observed for the various irrigation water depths and frequencies of L1 application.
Cucumis sativus; irrigation; salinity; vegetative development