Articles
EFFECT OF PLANTING DENSITY AND PLASTIC SOIL MULCH ON STRAWBERRY PLANT DEVELOPMENT, YIELD AND FRUIT QUALITY
Article number
926_73
Pages
517 – 523
Language
English
Abstract
The present work was carried out in the Pūre Horticultural Research Centre, Latvia during 2008-2009. Cold stored strawberry plants of cultivars Polka, Elsanta and Honeoye were planted on two row beds with planting densities 3.3 and 6.6 plant m-2. Beds were mulched by white plastic with black lower side (white on black) or unmulched.
Split-split block design with four replicates was used for the experiment.
Plants were evaluated for two growing seasons.
The following features were evaluated: plant development, yield, fruit quality, biochemical composition and radical scavenging activity (ARA), susceptibility to gray mold (Botrytis cinerea Pers.).
There was no difference in the plant development between two tested planting densities in the first growing year, but in the second growing year plants were weaker developed in the denser planting than in the sparser planting.
In the first production year the marketable yield was for 127% higher in two times denser planting (6.6 plant m-2) than for planting density 3.3 plant m-2. In the second growing year the obtained yield from double density planting was only for 32% higher than in sparser planting.
Using of white plastic with black lower side mulch increased the yield and fruit size in both planting densities and reduced Botrytis incidence compared with the unmulched variant.
Significant differences of fruit chemical content between strawberry cultivars, planting densities and mulching were stated.
Biochemical content and ARA were mostly influenced by genotype, and in less importance by cultural methods.
Split-split block design with four replicates was used for the experiment.
Plants were evaluated for two growing seasons.
The following features were evaluated: plant development, yield, fruit quality, biochemical composition and radical scavenging activity (ARA), susceptibility to gray mold (Botrytis cinerea Pers.).
There was no difference in the plant development between two tested planting densities in the first growing year, but in the second growing year plants were weaker developed in the denser planting than in the sparser planting.
In the first production year the marketable yield was for 127% higher in two times denser planting (6.6 plant m-2) than for planting density 3.3 plant m-2. In the second growing year the obtained yield from double density planting was only for 32% higher than in sparser planting.
Using of white plastic with black lower side mulch increased the yield and fruit size in both planting densities and reduced Botrytis incidence compared with the unmulched variant.
Significant differences of fruit chemical content between strawberry cultivars, planting densities and mulching were stated.
Biochemical content and ARA were mostly influenced by genotype, and in less importance by cultural methods.
Authors
V. Laugale , L. Lepse , S. Strautina, I. Krasnova , D. Seglina
Keywords
Fragaria × ananassa Duch., cold stored plants, growth, productivity, chemical composition
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