Figures (4)  Tables (3)
    • Figure 1. 

      Water retention curve of different media in (a) Trial 1 and (b) Trial 2. The pressures applied (-ve) were 0, 0.1, 0.3, 1, 5, 10, and 15 bar. Bars in the graph indicate the standard error. * and *** indicate significant differences at a p ≤ 0.05 and p ≤ 0.001 level of significance, respectively. C: Control, FHW: Full hardwood, FSW: Full softwood, FH: Full hemp, PHW: Partial hardwood, PSW: Partial softwood, PH: Partial hemp.

    • Figure 2. 

      Thermal conductivity (W/m/K) of different media in (a) Trial 1 and (b) Trial 2. The pressures applied (-ve) were 0, 0.1, 0.3, 1, 5, 10, and 15 bar. Bars in the graph indicate the standard error and *, **, *** indicate significant differences at a p ≤ 0.05, p ≤ 0.01, and p ≤ 0.001 level of significance, respectively. C: Control, FHW: Full hardwood, FSW: Full softwood, FH: Full hemp, PHW: Partial hardwood, PSW: Partial softwood, PH: Partial hemp.

    • Figure 3. 

      Germination counts of cucumber seeds in (a) Trial 1 and (b) Trial 2. Germination count was recorded at 4, 5, 6, 7, and 11 DAP in Trial 1 and 5, 7, 9, 11, and 12 DAP in Trial 2. C: Control, FHW: Full hardwood, FSW: Full softwood, FH: Full hemp, PHW: Partial hardwood, PSW: Partial softwood, PH: Partial hemp.

    • Figure 4. 

      Cucumber seedling height in (a) Trial 1 and (b) Trial 2. Bars in the graph indicate the standard error. ** and *** indicate significant differences at a p ≤ 0.01 and p ≤ 0.001 level of significance, respectively. C: Control, FHW: Full hardwood, FSW: Full softwood, FH: Full hemp, PHW: Partial hardwood, PSW: Partial softwood, PH: Partial hemp.

    • Soilless media typepHEC (dS/m)
      C5.20.178
      PHW7.90.378
      PSW7.80.38
      PH8.70.74
      FHW9.00.592
      FSW8.30.612
      FH9.41.078
      C: Control, FHW: Full hardwood, FSW: Full softwood, FH: Full hemp, PHW: Partial hardwood, PSW: Partial softwood, PH: Partial hemp.

      Table 1. 

      The pH and EC of different media treatments used in greenhouse cucumber experiments at Lubbock, TX, USA in 2022.

    • TrialMediaFresh shoot weight (g)No. of leavesLeaf area (cm2)Shoot:Root
      Trial 1C0.82c*3.00d11.88c0.30c
      FHW1.85bc4.16ab23.26bc0.41bc
      FSW4.77a4.66a69.07a0.55a
      FH1.54bc3.66bc17.97bc0.35c
      PHW1.68bc4.00b22.48bc0.48ab
      PSW2.15b4.00b30.29b0.39bc
      PH1.38bc3.16cd16.70bc0.37bc
      Trial 2C0.56b3.00b8.36b0.19d
      FHW1.26b3.00b16.07b0.30bc
      FSW3.52a4.33a54.60a0.36ab
      FH1.55b3.16b17.08b0.41a
      PHW1.16b3.00b16.77b0.26cd
      PSW1.40b3.16b22.02b0.34abc
      PH1.20b2.83b15.85b0.33bc
      The values represent the mean value of individual treatment in each of the trials. * The different letters in a column and s indicate a significant difference at p ≤ 0.05. C: Control, FHW: Full hardwood, FSW: Full softwood, FH: Full hemp, PHW: Partial hardwood, PSW: Partial softwood, PH: Partial hemp.

      Table 2. 

      Effect of different media types on fresh shoot weight (g), number of leaves, leaf area, and shoot:root ratio of cucumber seedlings in Trial 1 and Trial 2 in greenhouse experiment at Lubbock, TX, USA in 2022.

    • TrialmediaRLD
      (cm/
      cm3)
      RSAD
      (cm2/
      cm3)
      Root classification category (% of total root length per diameter)
      0.0−0.5
      mm
      0.5−1.0
      mm
      1−1.5
      mm
      > 1.5
      mm
      Trial 1C6.08c*0.76c77.22b18.52ab2.59d1.66cd
      FHW5.69c0.74c77.21b17.47ab2.43de2.88ab
      FSW9.69a1.22ab76.59bc18.04ab3.35bc2.00c
      FH9.88a1.41a73.87cd18.20ab4.38a3.54a
      PHW8.17ab1.00b78.09b16.60b3.13cd2.16bc
      PSW6.62bc0.66c84.82a12.23c1.73e1.20d
      PH5.38c0.75c73.35d19.79a3.98ab2.86ab
      Trial 2C6.58bc0.71d83.57a12.67d2.05d1.69ab
      FHW6.04bc0.88bcd70.04cd24.25a3.83ab1.86ab
      FSW11.48a1.58a75.58b18.04c3.96ab2.40a
      FH5.21c0.78cd69.18d24.07a4.46a2.28a
      PHW6.80bc0.92bcd73.75bc21.70ab3.09bc1.44b
      PSW7.97b1.09b75.17b19.91bc3.24bc1.65ab
      PH7.65b0.99bc75.50b20.46bc2.72cd1.30b
      The values represent the mean value of individual treatment in each of the trials. * The different letters in a column and s indicate a significant difference at p ≤ 0.05. C: Control, FHW: Full hardwood, FSW: Full softwood, FH: Full hemp, PHW: Partial hardwood, PSW: Partial softwood, PH: Partial hemp.

      Table 3. 

      Effect of different media types on root length density (RLD), root surface area density (RSAD), and root classification categories (0.0−0.5 mm, 0.5−1.0 mm, 1.0−1.5 mm, > 1.5 mm) of cucumber seedlings in Trial 1 and Trial 2 in greenhouse experiment at Lubbock, TX, USA in 2022.