Response of Pickling Cucumber Hybrids to Bio Fertilization With Mycorrhizal Fungi and Trichoderma

Abstract The experiment was conducted in a private field in Al-Azawiya area – Al-Musayyib district, north of Babylon Governorate, during the spring season of 2024. It involved two factors: pickling cucumber hybrids (Russian and BOBY) and bio-fertilization (control, Mycorrhizal fungi at 10 g.plant −1 , and Trichoderma at 10 g.plant −1 ). The study followed a split-plot design (2×3) within a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Means were analyzed using the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at a 0.05 significance level. The Russian hybrid outperformed the BOBY hybrid in vegetative traits: plant height (231.7 cm), number of leaves (34.5 leaves.plant −1 ), leaf area (7665.5 cm 2 .plant −1 ), and chlorophyll content (45.1 SPAD). Trichoderma treatment also enhanced these parameters, with means of 230.4 cm, 35.4 leaves.plant −1 , 7522.2 cm 2 .plant −1 , and 42.72 SPAD. The interaction of Russian hybrid with Trichoderma showed the highest values for plant height (236.0 cm), leaf number (36.7 leaves.plant −1 ), and leaf area (7541.2 cm 2 .plant −1 ), while chlorophyll content was highest (45.28 SPAD) in the Russian hybrid under control treatment. The lowest values were recorded for the BOBY hybrid under control. For yield traits, the BOBY hybrid exceeded the Russian in fruit number (30.83 fruits.plant −1 ), plant yield (382.8 g), and total yield (478.6 kg), while the Russian hybrid led in fruit weight (12.49 g). Trichoderma treatment also excelled in yield attributes: 34.22 fruits.plant −1 , 424.7 g.plant −1 , and 530.8 kg total yield. The highest fruit weight (12.67 g) was found in the control treatment.