Abstract
This study was conducted to develop the simple and convenient irrigation control model which can maintain the appropriate rates of irrigation and drainage of nutrient solution according to the enviornmental conditions and growth stages in soilless culture of cucumber. In order to obtain fundamental data for development of the model, investigation of the actual state of soilless culture practices was carried out. Most irrigatioin systems of soillness culture were controlled by the time colock. Evapotranspiration of cucumber in soilness culture was investigated and correlations with environmental conditions were analyzed , and its estimating model was developed. In order to develop the irrigation system which can control the amount of nutrient solution applied according to seasons, weather conditions, and growth stages, a irrigation clock control was developed. Applicability of the model was tested by simulation. Drainage rates of nutrient solution controlled by conventional time clock, integrated solar radiation, and the developed model were 61% , 20%, and 32% , respectively in cucumber perlite culture.
