Rice husk ash based growing media impact on cucumber and melon growth and quality

Rice husk, an agricultural waste from the rice industry, can cause serious environmental pollution if not properly managed. However, rice husk ash (RHA) has been found to have many positive properties, making it a potential replacement for non-renewable peat in soilless planting. Thus, this study investigated the impact of a RHA composite substrate on the growth, photosynthetic parameters, and fruit quality of cucumber (Yuyi longxiang variety) and melon (Yutian yangjiaomi variety). The RHA, peat, vermiculite, and perlite were blended in varying proportions, with the conventional seedling substrate (peat:vermiculite:perlite = 1:1:1 volume ratio) serving as the control (CK). All plants were cultivated in barrels filled with 10L of the mixed substrates. The results from this study found that RHA 40 (RHA:peat:vermiculite:perlite = 4:4:1:1 volume ratio) significantly enhanced substrate ventilation and positively influenced the stem diameter, root activity, seedling index, chlorophyll content, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), and transpiration rate (Tr) of cucumber and melon plants. Additionally, plant planted using RHA 40, the individual fruit weight of cucumber and melon found to increase by 34.62% and 21.67%, respectively, as compared to the control. Aside from that, both cucumber and melon fruits had significantly higher sucrose, total soluble sugar, vitamin C, and soluble protein levels. This subsequently improved the activity of sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphate synthase in both cucumber and melon. In conclusion, the RHA 40 found to best promote cucumber and melon plant growth, increase plant leaf photosynthesis, and improve cucumber and melon fruit quality, making it a suitable substrate formula for cucumber and melon cultivation in place of peat.