Effect of photoperiod on propagation of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.)

Abstract

The effect of photoperiod on multiplication of commercial strawberry cultivars was investigated at the Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) Station in Cameron Highlands. Two strawberry cultivars, Camarosa and Camaroga, were grown under a plastic rain-shelter supplemented with three levels of photoperiod, 12 (normal day length of Cameron Highland), 15 and 17 h. The result showed that photoperiod, cultivars, photoperiod ´ cultivars had significantly affected on a number of runners per plant and increased the length of runner and number of plantlets per runner and per plant. 15 h long-day were found to be very efficient in multiplying the strawberry plant under which the number of plantlets per plant had significantly increased to about 19.79 as compared to about 7.4 under the 12 h photoperiod. The result also showed that cultivar Camaroga was capable to produce a significant number of about 17.31 plantlets per plant compared to about 13.06 in Camarosa. The analysis of photoperiod × cultivar interaction indicated that the highest number of about 22.06 plantlets per plant was obtained from Camaroga, grown under the 17 h photoperiod. This study indicated that propagating performance in Camaroga is better than Camarosa under Cameron Highland climatic condition. Key words: Fragaria × ananassa, photoperiod, propagation.