THE MUTUAL EFFECTS OF QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE TRAITS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF CUCUMBER CULTIVARS IN MIXED CULTIVATION OF CUCUMBER WITH OKRA

To analyze the correlation between crop yield and its components and choose the most favorable combination of okra and cucumber based on quantitative characteristics, an experiment was carried out in a greenhouse located in the Varamin region. The experiment followed a randomized complete block design with three replications conducted in both 2020 and 2021 under the supervision of the Horticultural Science Research Institute. The compound analysis results revealed significant variations among traits in relation to mixed cropping treatment and the combined impact of traits. Furthermore, the interaction effect of year and intercropping was found to be statistically significant for all traits, except for stem diameter. The results of comparing averages using Duncan's method indicated that, based on various characteristics such as fruit weight, plant height, stem diameter, fresh fruit yield, dry fruit yield, number of internodes, fruit diameter, fruit length, fruit number, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll, the following mixed cultures were identified as suitable: okra with greenhouse cucumber Viola, okra with greenhouse cucumber Fc-21, and okra with greenhouse cucumber Emilie. When considering the traits observed over the years of the experiment from multiple perspectives, it was determined that mixed crops of okra with Viola greenhouse cucumber and okra with Emilie greenhouse cucumber were chosen as desirable crops. Upon analyzing the main components, the researcher selected the first four components as they accounted for the largest amount of variance in the data. Consequently, okra crops with greenhouse cucumber Mirsoltan variety and okra with greenhouse cucumber Emilie variety were chosen as suitable crops based on the first and second main components during the experimental years. Based on the Land Equality Ratio (LER) in the experimental years, the cultivation of okra with greenhouse cucumber varieties Mirsoltan, Emilie, CUB-9042, and CUB-9045 proved to be more advantageous compared to growing pure okra.