Postharvest quality of cucumber grown by soilless culture

Shelf life of cucumber fruits is dependent on the preharvest conditions prevealing during the growing season as well as storage conditions. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of growing factors in soilless culture on postharvest performance of cucumbers. Test plants were grown in bags with 8 liters rooting volume filled with perlite. The factors examined were (1) nutrition system, (2) bag type and (3) cultivar. The tested nutrition systems were open and closed systems. Vertical and horizontal bags containing one or two plants per bag, respectively, were compared. Cultivars Afrodit, Efes and Rawa were used in testing the above mentioned two variables. Fruits of the cucumber plants belonging to each treatment were packed in PE bags and stored for 21 days at 13 degrees C temperature and 85-90 % relative humidity. During the storage; weight loss of fruits, changes in fruit colour, chilling injury symptoms and general appearance scores were determined at three-day intervals and fruit firmness was measured weekly. The tested nutrition systems and bag types were found to be effective mainly on weight loss, however, cultivar difference exerted significant effects on all of the examined parameters. Afrodit had the best postharvest performance.