EFFECT OF HIGH TEMPERATURE ON FRUIT QUALITY OF POT-GROWN STRAWBERRY PLANTS

We investigated the effect of high temperature on the fruit quality of pot-grown strawberry plants with a limited number of fruit in greenhouse and growth chamber experiments. In the greenhouse, plants were grown under either normal greenhouse (control) temperatures or in a small plastic tunnel, which held the air temperature a few degrees higher than the control. In the growth chamber, the air temperature was set to either 35/20°C (day/night) or 25/20°C. The fruits weight content showed no relation to temperature regime. Ascorbic acid content was not influenced by high temperature in either experiment. However, the anthocyanin content was decreased at high temperature in the growth chamber. Because the periods from anthesis to harvesting were almost the same in both temperature regimes, high temperature might reduce the internal content of anthocyanins in marketed fruits.