Effects of soil compaction stress on the growth,yield and nutrient uptake of cucumber

A pot culture experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of soil with different bulk densities(1.2、1.4 and 1.6 g/cm3)on the growth,yield and nutrient uptake of cucumber plants.The results showed that the increase of soil compaction depressed plant height of cucumber seedling significantly after planting 15 days;the width and length of the forth leaf after fix planting 9～17 days increased;stem thickness of plants,biological yield,economic yield,economic coefficient and total absorptive capacity of N,P and K were the largest in the slightly compacted soil(R1.4),while those parameters are the lowest in the most compacted soil(R1.6).Soil with 1.2 g/cm3 bulk density was most favorable for the plant height and root growth of cucumber plants,and soil with 1.4 g/cm3 bulk density was most favorable for the stem thickness,yield and nutrient uptake of cucumber plants under this experiment conditions.