EFFECTS OF SMART IRRIGATION AND VENTILATION SYSTEMS ON GROWTH TREATS FOR GREENHOUSE-GROWN CUCUMBER CUCUMIS SATIVUS

• Mahmood Mejbel Jameel

  Directorate of Agriculture of Diyala, Diyala Governorate, Iraq

  Author

• Elsadig Ahmed Elfaki

  Dep. of Agricultural Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Gezira, Sudan.

  Author

• Montaser Khairie Khessro

  Author

This study was conducted over two agricultural seasons in Diyala Governorate, Al-Khalis District, Hebheb Subdistrict, Republic of Iraq. Four plastic greenhouses were used, planted with cucumbers (Cucumis sativus), with two designated for a smart irrigation system under both forced and natural ventilation treatments, while the other two were designated for a traditional irrigation system under the same two ventilation treatments. The smart irrigation system relied on soil moisture sensors connected to an automated control system to monitor and regulate irrigation, and its performance was evaluated in comparison to the traditional irrigation system. The experiment was designed according to a split-plot arrangement within a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Ventilation systems (forced and natural) were assigned to the main plots, while irrigation systems (smart and traditional) were assigned to the sub-plots. Means were compared using the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at a 0.05 significance level. The results showed that the smart irrigation system led to a significant improvement in water use efficiency. Vegetative growth traits were clearly influenced by both irrigation and ventilation systems. Smart irrigation contributed to earlier flowering, with plants reaching 50% flowering in a shorter time of 23.54 days compared to 35.17 days under traditional irrigation. It also improved plant growth, reflected in increased plant height, number of leaves, number of lateral branches, leaf area, and chlorophyll content, recording values of 271.13 cm, 43.92 leaves, 7.50 branches/plant, 15956.02 cm²/plant, and 131.51 SPAD, respectively. These results indicate enhanced physiological performance and nutrient use efficiency under optimal irrigation conditions.

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