Response of growth, photosynthesis, dry matter partition and roots to combined nitrogen–potassium stress in cucumber

In order to improve the yield of cucumber and ensure food safety by investigating the response of cucumber to nutrient stress, especially compound stress, gas-exchange and growth parameters, biomass, and root development were measured and compared. The results showed that compared with control (CK), different treatments had different effects on these parameters, and under short-term nitrogen (N) or potassium (K+) stress, the development of lateral roots and root hair was promoted. The research on the response of cucumber to nutrient stress provided a basis for establishing reasonable irrigation strategies as well as improvement of fertilizer utilization rate and cucumber yield, which was of great significance for maintaining national food security. In addition, this was beneficial to reveal the stress response mechanism of crops under NK stress and conduct in-depth research on the phenotypic information characteristics of cucumber under compound stress. It provided a theoretical basis for the subsequent construction of a comprehensive evaluation system for greenhouse cucumber health status.