Effects of Sustainable Input Applications on Plant Growth in Soil-based Greenhouse Cultivation of Cucumis sativus L.

In semi-arid conditions, sustainable soil amendments have recently gained attention for enhancing plant growth and product quality in protected vegetable cultivation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of biochar (BC) and arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculant (Endo Roots Soluble) (ERS)) applications on growth parameters (plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves), yield, photosynthetic activity, fruit quality characteristics (weight, fruit size, color, TSS), and macro- and micronutrient contents in leaves of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) grown in a fall greenhouse. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with four treatments and three replications. Results exihibited that both individual and combined applications of biochar and mycorrhiza significantly improved plant growth, yield, and quality parameters (p < 0.05; p < 0.01). The highest yield per plant and total yield da -1were recorded in the BC treatment, with 3.461 kg plant-1 and 9,385.47 kg da-1, respectively. The highest values for plant height (189.73 cm), stem diameter (17.78 mm), and number of leaves (15.0) were observed in the BC + ERS treatment. Although not statistically significant, the BC + ERS treatment showed a 5.9% numerical increase in photosynthesis rate compared to the control. In the BC + ERS treatment, the highest nitrogen (N) content (8%) and iron (Fe) concentration (150.51 mg kg⁻¹) were also recorded. Phosphorus (P) content was enhanced by mycorrhizal activity, reaching 1.50% in ERS and 1.46% in BC + ERS treatments. These findings highlight the promising role of biochar and mycorrhiza as soil amendments for developing resilient and sustainable vegetable production systems, particularly for fall planting in regions with limited arable land and water resources.