INTEGRATIVE EFFECTS OF SMART IRRIGATION AND VENTILATION SYSTEMS ON YIELD OF CUCUMBER UNDER GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS
Keywords:
Smart irrigation, protected agriculture, cucumber cropAbstract
This study was conducted over two agricultural seasons in Diyala Governorate, Al-Khalis District, Hebheb Subdistrict, Republic of Iraq. Four plastic greenhouses were used, planted with cucumbers, with two designated for a smart irrigation system under both forced and natural ventilation treatments, while the other two were designated for a traditional irrigation system under the same two ventilation treatments. The smart irrigation system relied on soil moisture sensors connected to an automated control system to monitor and regulate irrigation, and its performance was evaluated in comparison to the traditional irrigation system. The experiment was designed according to a split-plot arrangement within a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Ventilation systems (forced and natural) were assigned to the main plots, while irrigation systems (smart and traditional) were assigned to the sub-plots. Means were compared using the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at a 0.05 significance level. Yield traits showed a notable improvement under the smart irrigation system, with increased fruit weight and number per plant, particularly under forced ventilation, which achieved 45 fruits per plant. Consequently, the early plant yield, total plant yield, and the final production per plastic greenhouse increased compared to traditional irrigation. The highest production was achieved through the combination of smart irrigation and forced ventilation, with averages reaching 0.82 kg, 5.3 kg, and 1082 kg, respectively. This highlights the integrative effect between efficient water management and improved microclimatic conditions inside the protected greenhouse.
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