EFFECT OF SOIL CONDITIONERS ON YIELD, WATER PRODUCTIVITY AND SOIL MOISTURE DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS OF CUCUMBER GROWN UNDER SUBSURFACE DRIP IRRIGATION ON A SANDY SOIL

A field experiment was conducted in sandy soil in a private farm, El-Giza, Egypt, throughout two consecutive summer seasons for 2014 and 2015, to assess the impact of soil conditioners on cucumber (Cucmissativus l.) plants under subsurface drip irrigation. The drip lines treatments were (GR; GR anti-root; and T-tape), while the soil conditioners treatments were (Compost; Rice straw; Polymer; and Control). The result showed that the compost with Anti-roots treatment achieved highest yield, where the yield was greater by 20.12%, 34.42% and 57.31% comparing with rice straw, polymers, and control treatments, respectively, for the first season, while it was greater by 16.7 %, 32.7 and 53.8% than rice straw, polymers, and control treatments, respectively, for the second season. The water productivity under compost with GR anti-root treatment was greater by 10.16% and 11.8% comparing with compost with GR and compost with t-tape treatments, respectively, for the first season, while it was greater by 8.34% and 9.5% than compost with GR and compost with t-tape treatments, respectively, for the second season. Data from this study indicate that cucumber yield can be improved under subsurface drip irrigation by using compost and GR anti-root as drip line.