Abstract
Establishing bare-root transplants in Florida, United States, is an inefficient water-consuming activity. Between 3500 and 5500 m3/ha are applied with sprinkler irrigation to lower temperatures around the transplant crown and aid early root development, but more than 97% of the water volume runs off the polyethylene-covered beds. Research has been conducted to evaluate the feasibility of producing containerized (plug) short-day cultivar transplants under Florida conditions, the effect of continuous and intermittent low-volume sprinklers on transplant establishment and the use of kaolin clay to reduce stress on young transplants. Research results demonstrated that growers may have alternatives to reduce water use and pumping costs during strawberry transplant establishment by the following: (a) plug transplants can be produced from mother plants from Florida’s subtropical weather without chilling conditioning and still be competitive in the winter market; (b) using continuous and intermittent low-volume sprinkler irrigation saves between 16% and 33% of the water volumes for strawberry establishment; and (c) using kaolin clay showed to be a low-cost (US$63/ha plus application costs) investment to reduce irrigation volumes by at least 30%.
Highlights
Winter Strawberry Production in Florida Open FieldsFlorida is the only state in the USA that produces large volumes of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fruit during winter, mainly due to its subtropical weather
Hillsborough County Extension, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Tel.: +1-813-633-4128; Fax: +1-813-634-0001
It was demonstrated that plug transplants could be produced from mother plants from Florida’s subtropical weather without precooling conditioning and still be competitive in the winter market
Summary
Florida is the only state in the USA that produces large volumes of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fruit during winter, mainly due to its subtropical weather. Florida strawberries are produced in annual hills using bare-root transplants from nurseries located in northern. Bare-root transplants are relatively inexpensive in comparison with commercially-available containerized (plug) plants, and they are set into planting beds from late September to early October. Most planted cultivars are short-day flowering plants that bear marketable fruit between early December and late March. The majority of the strawberry fields are located in the Plant City-Dover production area in Hillsborough County, Florida. This area is characterized by the proximity of urban developments to strawberry farms, which obtain water from wells tapping into the same aquifers as their agricultural neighbors. The objective of this paper is to summarize and describe recent results of science-based, alternative water management strategies during strawberry establishment to improve its environmental and economic sustainability in Florida, USA
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
