EFFECTS OF PRE-PLANT SOIL TREATMENTS ON STRAWBERRY IN SICILY

The 2005 ban by Italy of methyl bromide (MB) has resulted in significant crop management difficulties in pre-plant soil dis-infestation. We report two pre-plant soil treatment techniques and their effects on the performance of new cultivars and selections tolerant to the main root pathogens. The plants grown in soil treated with chloropicrin + 1,3 dichloropropene were the most productive. While neither treatment affected average berry weight, soluble solids content or titratable acidity, the treatment × cultivar interaction was significant and fruits from plants grown in treated soil were firmer than control’s. Selection PA 260 and cultivar ‘Florida Fortuna’ were the earliest, three selections were the most productive and ‘Nora’ produced the sweetest but smallest fruits.