Effect of different nutrient solution EC during growth stages on fruit and vegetative characteristics of strawberry in hydroponic system

Hydroponic plant production systems allow the manipulation of fertilization to modify plant characteristics. In this study different modifying of electrical conductivity (EC) of the nutrient solution during growth stages was investigated on yield and vegetative characteristics of strawberry. EC levels program were including 0.9, 1.3 and 1.7 mS cm^‑1, 0.9 mS cm^‑1 in the vegetative growth stage and increase to 1.3 mS cm^‑1 at the start of bearing, 0.9 mS cm^‑1 in the vegetative growth stage, and increase to 1.7 mS cm^‑1 at the start of bearing. It was carried out in split-plot in randomized complete block design in the greenhouse. In this experiment fruit weight, fruit size, runner number, height, and width of the plant were measured. Results showed that vegetative growth and runner number were encouraged by 1.7 mS cm^‑1 of nutrient solution. Fruit size and weight were highest when EC was 1.3 mS cm^‑1 in all plant growth and bearing stages.