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This experiment was conducted in a greenhouse in Vinces Los Rios (Ecuador). The aim of this work is to evaluate the relationship between different parameters and the nutrient demand of a greenhouse soilless cucumber production system in a tropical climate as well as to propose an empirical model for the design of the nutrient supply to the system. Considering the results obtained in this experiment, there was a high correlation between nutrient demands of the system with nutrient supplies and water uptake but not with leaf area index. With respect to the models, nutrient supplies and leaf area index were the most significant variables for nitrate (NO3−), chloride (Cl−) and manganese (Mn). For calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+) and zinc (Zn), nutrients supply was the most significant variable and for the rest of nutrients [phosphates (H2PO4−), sulfates (SO42)−, potassium (K+), sodium (Na+) and iron (Fe)], the three variables assessed were significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of cucumber under open field conditions in the coast of Ecuador results in low yields being the growth under protected conditions a tentative solution, but there is little information about the nutritional status of this crop in this region. The objectives were to determine the yield, nutritional status as well as the water and nutrient use efficiencies. The different growing conditions were: multitunnel greenhouse with soilless system (GSL), multitunnel greenhouse with soil system (GS) and open field conditions with soil system (OFS). Cucumber plants grown under GSL had the highest yield. The nutrient concentration in leaf showed different trends: nitrogen (N), calcium (Ca) and iron (Fe) remained unchanged. Phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) showed variations according to the growing conditions and phenological stages. The highest values of water and nutrient use efficiencies under GSL were related to the highest yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]