INFLUENCE OF PEAT COMPOSITION ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF ‘ELSANTA’ STRAWBERRY PLANTS GROWN ON SUBSTRATE

Five peat mixtures containing respectively 40, 30, 20, 10 and 0% perlite were compared in a forcing and an autumn culture of ‘Elsanta’ grown on buckets and in peat bags. There were no significant differences in vegetative development nor in yield for a first year culture, in spring, or in autumn. When 15% argile was added to the peat mixture, vegetative development was least in the first culture. For the second culture in the spring, the yield was significantly lower on the peat mixture with argile. There were no differences in yield among mixtures composed of peat from different origins, but allhad high air volume and water capacities. A second culture on the same bags resulted in a yield reduction of 5–7% compared to a new peat mixture. A third culture on the same peat bags reduced the production for all peat media again by 8–9%, compared to new bags.