Effect of Artificial LED and Natural Light on the Growth of Cucumber Plant (Cucumis sativus) in Hydroponic System

Hydroponics is the latest innovation in farming where plants are grown in the absence of soil. In India adoption rate of hydroponics is estimated 13 – 15 % annually. In this context present study was conducted to analyze the morphological characteristics of cucumber plant in Dutch Bucket Hydroponic system. Moreover, comparative evaluation of morphological characteristics of cucumber plants were carried out under natural light as well as artificial light emitting diode (LED). The experiment was carried out in the Naturally Ventilated Polyhouse (NVPH) and in the laboratory (as an indoor practice) in the campus of Dadasaheb Mokashi Collage of Agricultural Engineering and Technology Rajmachi, Karad, Maharashtra, India. Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) HY shiny variety was grown in both the environments to evaluate different morphological characteristics such as average leaf count, leaf area, stem diameter, plant height and root length. Dutch bucket system of 10 buckets (each having capacity of 11 liters) was installed each in natural and artificial light source. Cucumber plants were grown in both environment for months June- July 2024. From the present experiment it was observed that, most of the selected parameters were found more satisfactory in artificial light as compared to natural light. Before the flowering stage, average leaf count, average leaf area, average plant height, and average root length was observed approximately 26, 123.15 cm2, 154 cm, 30.1 cm for artificial light and 22, 56.07 cm2, 110 cm, 25.3 cm for natural light, respectively. The average stem diameter was observed almost similar in both the systems and it was about 1.1 cm. Therefore, from this study it was envisaged that overall average leaf count, average leaf area, average plant height and average root length was improved in artificial light by 18%, 54%, 28%, and 25%, respectively over natural light.