Strawberry waiting bed plants: a valid alternative to increase early and total yields in sub-tropical regions

Abstract

Strawberry ( Fragaria× ananassa Duch.) production in sub-tropical areas is characterized by a low late-fall and early-winter fruit yield, a time when the value of the crop is highest. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility of waiting-bed plants for late fall and early winter production in order to increase early and total fruit yields in the Argentine sub-tropic. Plants of the cultivar ‘Chandler’ produced in a waiting-bed (WB), at high-latitude (HL), high-altitude (HA), or low-altitude (LA) were compared at two locations in Tucuman, NW Argentina: Famailla (1995, experiment 1; 1996, experiment 2) and Lules (1995, experiment 3). Total production from WB plants was 41% higher than from HA plants in experiment 1. Total production from WB plants was 83% and 53% greater than from HL plants and LA plants, respectively, in experiment 2. Early season fruit production was greater in WB (241%) than HL plants in experiment 2. In experiment 3, early fruit production from WB plants was greater than HL, HA, and LA, by 573%, 177%, and 158%, respectively. The number of marketable fruit from WB plants was greater than in the other treatments. WB percentages of marketable fruit were above 90%. WB plants could be considered as an alternative to HL, HA, and LA plants to improve fruit production and yield distribution in South American sub-tropical regions.