Effect of chitosan on variables of growth, nutrient absorption and yield of Cucumis sativus

To determine the effect of the application of Chitosan on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), an experiment was carried out in glasshouse conditions. The treatments consisted of the application of three doses of Chitosan 100, 200 and 300 mg ha-1 and a control, on the varieties INIVIT and RACER, for a total of 8 treatments that were distributed in a completely randomized design with three repetitions. At the time of harvest, plant samples were taken to determine stem height, root length, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content in the leaf tissue, as well as the number of fruits per plant, biomass, length and width of the fruits The results indicated that the variables of the growth and accumulation of nutrients were positively influenced with the application of Chitosan, especially with the maximum dose of 300 mg ha-1, although also the number of fruits as well as the length and its diameter were increased from 200 mg ha-1. There was a positive and highly significant linear relationship between the variables of nutrient growth and absorption and the amount of fruits per plants and their characteristics.