Substrate Type Affects Growth, Yield and Mineral Composition of Cucumber and Zucchini Squash

The expansion of hydroponics in many countries of the world in the last few decades may be ascribed to the ability of soilless growing systems to avoid various problems arising from the use of the soil. Cucumber （Cucurnis sativus L.） and zucchini （Cucurbita pepo L.） plants were grown in closed-soilless culture under unheated-greenhouse conditions at the experimental farm of University of Tuscia, Central Italy to evaluate the effects of four substrates （rockwool, pumice, perlite, and cocofiber） on growth, yield and plant mineral composition. For both cultures, plants grown in cocofiber, perlite and pumice yielded more than those grown in rockwool. The better temperature regime in cocofiber, perlite and pumice was due to the greater thermal inertia compared to rockwool slabs. Thc concentration of N in zucchini and cucumber leaves was significantly higher in cocofiber, perlite and pumice in comparison to the rockwool treatment. The concentration of K was significantly affected by the substrate only for the zucchini squash with the highest value recorded on the organic substrate （cocofiber）, whereas the Ca concentration was significantly influenced by the growing media only for cucumber with the highest value observed on pumice. Finally, the lowest Mg concentration in leaf tissue was observed on plants grown with the rockwool substrate for both zucchini squash and cucumber. We can conclude that cocofiber, perlite and pumice are suitable for zucchini and cucumber production in closed soilless system, whereas the use of rockwool is more suitable for crops grown under heated greenhouse conditions.

Discovery of pockmarks in the Zengmu Basin,southern South China Sea and the implication

The Zengmu Basin located in the shallow water area of the southern South China Sea,is rich in oil and gas resources,within which faults and mud-diapir are developed,but it is unknown whether oil and gas migrate to the seafloor surface.The newly collected multibeam data across the Zengmu Basin reveal a large number of depressions,with depths of 2-4 m,widths of several tens of meters,large distribution range of 1.8-8 km along survey line,up to~50 km,and their backscatter intensity(-26 dB)is much greater than that of the surrounding area(-38 dB).Combined with the developed mud-diapir and fracture structures,and abundant oil and gas resources within this basin,these depressions are presumed to be pockmarks.Furthermore,more than 110 mono-sized small circular pockmarks,with a depth of less than 1 m and a width of 5 m,are observed in an area of less than 0.03 km2,which are not obliterated by sediment infilling with high sedimentation rate,implying an existence of unit-pockmarks that are or recently were active.In addition,seismic profiles across the Zengmu Basin show characterization of upward migration of hydrocarbons,expressed as mud-diapir structures,bright spots in the shallow formation with characteristics of“low frequency increase and high frequency attenuation”.The subbottom profiles show the mud-diapir structures,as well as the gas-bearing blank zones beneath the seafloor.These features suggest large gas leaking and occurrence of large amounts of carbonate nodules on the seafloor.This indicates the complex and variable substrate type in the Zengmu Basin,while the area was once thought to be mainly silty sand and find sand.This is the first report on the discovery of pockmarks in the Zengmu Basin;it will provide basic information for submarine stability and marine engineering in China’s maritime boundaries.