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Abstract

Water shortage and low efficiency of water use in traditional agricultural systems are limiting factors in agriculture development in Iran. Therefore, an investigation of the effect of hydrophilic polymer and mulch on increasing water use efficiency is crucial. To determine the effect of application of different levels of hydrophilic polymer Tarawat A200 (0, 2 and 4 g/ plant) as well as dark mulch on vegetative growth (shoot, and root fresh and dry weight)as well as yield in field cultivated cucumber, cultivar Superdaminus in atumn culture, an experiment was carried out with three replications for two years. Results indicated that early yield in treatment of 4 g/plant of hydrophilic polymer along with dark mulch was about four times than that in control (280 g/plant and 73 g/plant, respectively). Four g/plant of hydrophilic polymer led to 76% increase in total yield as compared with control. Total yield in the application of 4 g/palnt hydrophilic polymer treatment together with dark mulch was 115 % control. It is therefore recommended to apply 4 g/plant of hydrophilic polymer Tarawat A200 along with dark mulch in field grown cucumber, cultivar Superdaminus, in atumn culture, for better yields.

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