Influence of selected growing media on the morphology, yield and nutrient uptake of Strawberry Cv. Winter Dawn

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out at Horticultural Demonstration Farm, SGT University, Gurugram, during the years 2022-23 to determine the efficacy of growth, yield, quality and nutrient uptake in the Strawberry cultivar Winter Dawn. The research trial was conducted in the RBD with seven different growing media (T1: Perlite + Soil, T2: Cocopeat + Soil, T3: FYM + Soil, T4: Cocopeat + Perlite + Soil, T5: Cocopeat + FYM + Soil, T6: FYM + Perlite and T7: FYM + Cocopeat + Perlite + Soil) and a control (T0). The results showed that the maximum plant height (40.93 cm), no. of leaves (36.73%), no. of crown (13.33%), no. of berry percentage (10.40%), fruit yield/plant (206.95 gm), berry weight (26.36 gm), berry size (35.45 mm), berry volume (30.32 cc), TSS (10.05°Brix), total sugar (6.01%), titratable acidity (0.77%), reducing sugars (5.93%), nonreducing sugars (0.53%) and leaf nutrient uptake, i.e., nitrogen (27.70%), phosphorus (3.56%) and potassium (90.80%), were greatest in the T7 treatment group, followed by the T5 treatment group. T7 application leads to improvements in soil nutrient content and microbial activity, contributing to significant improvements in both the quantity and quality of produce. Therefore, growing media (especially FYM, cocopeat and perlite) should be selected as growing media to cultivate strawberries for quality production.