EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PROPAGATION SYSTEMS ON STRAWBERRY PLANT PERFORMANCE

Seven cultivars: Addie, Brio, Cesena, Dana, Etna, Ferrara and Gea were tested.

After eight months in the field the health status of each propagation x cultivar combination was tested by leaf graft on Fragaria vesca indicator plants. Strawberry crinkle virus (SCV) and strawberry mottle virus (SMV) were detected in some cases.

Except for Cesena, differences could not be detected within cultivars propagated by the four different procedures. Original propagated plants of Cesena outyielded macro VO propagated plants by 300 g/plant.

Virus infected plants did not show any change in growth habit and/or productivity. The limited presence and/or spreading of the viruses in the open field has to be pointed out with the tolerance of the seven cultivars released by the Emilia-Romagna strawberry breeding program.