Matted Rows Research Articles

EXPLORING THE ALLURE OF STRAWBERRIES

Strawberry is a member of family Rosaceae. Fragaria x ananassa are two important species which grown throughout the world. It is a rich source of Vitamin C, also contains sugar, organic acid, and major constituent is water. It is utilized in fresh form as well as processed such as jam and juices. Organic food products are beneficial for the people around the globe. From the past years, organic food production is increased abruptly. Plasticulture strawberry production system is used which enhances the yield of strawberry doubles times as compared to matted rows. Different kinds of plastic mulches used which give protection to plant and soil and increase the yield. As we know due to health concerns that occurred due to excessive use of chemicals and fertilizers, it is hazardous to use chemical fertilizers on unpeelable fruits like strawberry. It enhances risks for human health. Many constituents of strawberries such as ellagic acid, anthocyanins, and ellagitannins provide different health benefits to humans. It has anticarcinogenic and anti-antioxidant properties, and they prevent human from heart diseases and many other problems such as obesity.

Strawberry Flavor Is Influenced by the Air Temperature Differential during Fruit Development but Not Management Practices

The majority of cultivated strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa) in the northern United States (US) and Canadian provinces is grown in perennial matted rows across a range of soil types and microclimates. Management practices vary in fertilization rates, intensity of pesticide use, and the source of inputs depending on grower preferences. The objective of this study was to identify environmental and management factors that influence strawberry flavor attributes across a range of production systems. The cultivar Jewel was selected for its popularity in this region and reputation for excellent flavor. “Jewel” was sampled from regional farms and, concurrently, grown in a controlled field study with different inputs over three years. Soluble solids content (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA) across farms was found to be positively associated with the air temperature differential during fruit ripening. In controlled field studies, yield was correlated positively with total N in the form of synthetic urea, but not with the rate of applied organic nitrogen (N). Despite different levels of soil carbon inputs, N rates, pesticides, and microbial supplements, the fruit quality attributes, including SSC, TA, aromatic volatile concentration, and phenolics were not associated with treatment. A human sensory evaluation found no perceptible differences in flavor or aroma among contrasting treatments. Our study concludes that growers should invest in temperature management, rather than agricultural inputs, to influence SSC and TA of strawberry.

Cultivars and cultivation systems for organic strawberry production in Norway

ABSTRACTCultivars and cultivating methods for organic strawberry production were studied in experiments in open fields and high plastic tunnels during four cropping seasons in southern Norway. In open fields, flowers and fruits were attacked by grey mould when the flowering and harvest seasons were wet, and marketable yield was reduced by up to 20%. Production in high tunnels showed a potential of high yields of fruits of good quality when strawberry powdery mildew was controlled. Berry size varied significantly among the cultivars. ‘Frida’ had the largest fruits followed by ‘Sonata’ and ‘Florence’, while ‘Polka’, ‘Korona’ and ‘Iris’ had the smallest fruits. All cultivars yielded well, but due to fruit decay caused by grey mould the marketable yield was significantly reduced, especially in open field. Grey mould was the most important factor influencing marketable yields. Fruits from matted rows were largest, while the highest yield was obtained on woven polyethylene. There were no effects of mulching methods on marketable yield or the amount of fruits with grey mould. High tunnels with good control of pests and diseases showed a potential of high and stable yields of good quality.

Control of Strawberry Black Root Rot with Compost Socks

Black root rot (BRR) can severely limit productivity in perennial, matted-row strawberry systems. In annual production systems, fumigation temporarily controls soilborne diseases. This report describes for the first time a novel, raised-bed growing method that uses 100% mature compost as an alternative to fumigation. Compost is pneumatically blown into flexible mesh tubes (“compost socks”) that lie directly on top of nonfumigated BRR-infested soil. Root health, plant growth, and yield of two cultivars, Chandler and Allstar, were evaluated after growth in compost socks, matted rows, and black plastic mulch at three locations in Maryland. Effects of a pre-plant soil drench with 20% vinegar were also examined. Results show that BRR symptoms were significantly reduced in all compost sock treatments, with or without vinegar, and that yields increased 16 to 32-times those observed in black plastic mulch or matted rows. In general, growth and yield of ‘Chandler’ surpassed that of ‘Allstar’ regardless of pre-plant vinegar and compost treatments. Vinegar alone was ineffective in preventing significant plant disease. Cotton-mesh compost socks readily decompose in soil eliminating the need for plastic removal. The compost sock system requires minimal equipment/supplies for startup, no fumigants, and is compatible with standard methods of weed management used in strawberry fields. Accepted for publication 2 June 2006. Published 16 October 2006.

392 Postharvest Quality Of Eastern North American Strawberry Cultivars during Short-term Storage

Strawberry cultivars grown for “pre-picked” markets need to maintain quality during short-term postharvest storage in contrast to those destined for “U-pick” harvest. However, very little information is available on berry quality during postharvest storage of cultivars grown in matted-row culture in eastern North America. To determine how rapidly berry quality may change and identify cultivars best-suited for pre-picked markets, the postharvest performance of 16 cultivars grown in matted rows was compared. Berries were sampled at harvest, after 3 days of 4 °C storage within sealed plastic bags, and after 3 subsequent days at 20 °C. Quality traits assessed included fruit firmness, color, titratable acidity, pH, soluble solids, and percent weight loss. At harvest, berry quality varied by cultivar and from early to late harvest dates. Berry quality changed very little during 4 °C storage. During the subsequent 20 °C storage, berry quality traits changed more for some cultivars than others. In particular, soft fruit at harvest and/or a rapid decline in berry firmness indicated that several cultivars were not suited for short-term storage. Based on the cumulative data, several cultivars can be identified as better suited for pre-picked markets.

Effect of June Yellowbuds on Yield, Fruit Weight, and Fruit Quality in `Blomidon' Strawberry

Twelve clones of `Blomidon' strawberry (Fragaria xananassa) exhibiting a range of severity of June Yellows symptoms were grown in field plots to measure effects on productivity. Field plot layout was a randomized block design with four blocks. Plots were matted rows developed from five plants spaced at 45 cm inrow. Fruit samples were frozen and later analyzed for soluble solids concentration, total acidity, and pH. In the greenhouse, self-pollinated seedlings grown from these clones were rated for symptom expression as an additional measure of severity of June Yellows. Large differences in marketable yields were recorded, ranging from 1.94 t·ha–1 to 14.67 t·ha–1. Clones with severe symptoms produced smaller fruit. Small clonal differences were measured in total acidity and pH. A strong correlation was observed between the percentage of symptomless seedlings and the yield of the parental clone. This may lead to a test to predict whether a new cultivar will succumb to June Yellows.

USING GEL POLYMERS TO INFLUENCE FERTILIZER NITROGEN RECOVERY BY STRAWBERRY

Three gel polymers, Hydrosource, REAP, and Agri-gel, wetted with solutions of 15N-ammonium nitrate, were evaluated for controlled release of fertilizer nitrogen (N) to strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) in the greenhouse and field. Container-grown plants of `Earliglow' and `Allstar' were harvested every 2 weeks for 8 weeks. Field-grown plants of the same cultivars were collected from matted rows after harvest, and fruit were collected during harvest. Plant and fruit tissues were analyzed for total % N and atom % & 15N, and total fertilizer N recovery was calculated. For the container-grown plants, total % N differed by cultivar, `Earliglow' > `Allstar', and harvest date, declining during 8 weeks. Treatment effects on total % N were observed only in the field study, with Agri-gel showing the highest value. In the greenhouse study, Hydrosource and Agri-gel gave the highest tissue enrichments from fertilizer N. In the field study, REAP and Agri-gel gave the highest enrichments. In spite of the greater tissue enrichments, however, no gel polymer significantly increased total fertilizer N recovery in either study.

Performance of Californian and Eastern U.S. Strawberry Cultivars under Conditions Mimicking Eastern Production Systems

Twenty-one western and 13 eastern strawberry [Fragaria × ananassa (Duch.)] cultivars were grown in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse (polyhouse) in deep beds at either 10 × 10 or 25 × 25 cm spacing. Runners were removed weekly from the closest-spaced plants (hills), and the more open-spaced plants were allowed to set four runners on each side of the mother plant before the runners were removed (matted rows). Temperatures were allowed to fluctuate normally in the polyhouse, except that winter temperatures were maintained above 0C. The average yield of eastern and western cultivars did not differ significantly in most comparisons, but the average fruit weight of the Californian cultivars was significantly higher than the eastern ones, and Californian cultivars allocated a higher proportion of their biomass to reproduction. Nonbearing plants of eastern and western cultivars produced similar numbers of runners per plant and daughters per runner. There was no significant relationship between CO2 assimilation rate and yield. Interbreeding eastern cultivars with the most productive western genotypes might result in increased yields, but only if the higher reproductive efforts of the western types can be captured and transferred.

The influence of micropropagation on yield components, dry matter partitioning and gas exchange characteristics of strawberry

Asexual progeny of micropropagated (MP) plants of the cultivars ‘Earliglow’ and ‘Redchief’ had higher plant densities and yields than conventionally propagated (CP) plants in matted rows. MP plants partitioned 9–10% less of their total dry matter to leaf tissue. Micropropagated ‘Redchief’ increased its allocation to crowns and flower trusses; ‘Earliglow’ to fruit. Leaf area crown −1 was reduced in MP ‘Earliglow’ (49%) and ‘Redchief’ (55%), and yield crown −1 was lower (32%) in MP ‘Redchief’, but not ‘Earliglow’. Net photosynthetic rate (mg CO 2 dm −2 h −1 or μg CO 2g −1 dry wt. h −1 was greater in MP ‘Earliglow’ but not in ‘Redchief’. Stomatal conductance was higher in MP ‘Earliglow’, while mesophyll conductance was unchanged in both cultivars. MP plants of both cultivars had more stable PN rates across leaf densities than CP ones.

Variation in leaf photosynthetic rates and yield in strawberries

SummaryVariability in CO2 assimilation rate (A) was measured in seven cultivars on five dates and three cultural systems using the stability analysis of Finlay and Wilkinson. The regression coefficient (b) of net photosynthetic rates was significantly correlated (r = 0.75) with yield, even though mean A was not. The highest yielding cultivars had b>l, suggesting that they did better than lower yielding genotypes in environments favouring high A. Most cultivars had significantly higher A on double hills than in ribbons or matted rows, and were photo- synthetically more active when producing fruit and runners than at anthesis.

Growth Analysis of Field-grown Strawberry Genotypes Differing in Yield: I. The Matted Row System

Abstract Seven field-grown strawberry genotypes (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) were grown in matted rows and harvested weekly from early spring until the end of harvest. An increase in plant dry weight through the season was due mainly to inflorescence and leaf development. Genotypes differed in the progression of the natural log of plant dry weight and leaf area over time, relative growth rate, absolute growth rate, leaf area ratio, and unit leaf rate. Genotypes differed in growth variables through the season, but only crown dry weight during the fruiting period was correlated with yield among genotypes. Total plant dry weight was not correlated with yield, indicating the importance of the percent dry matter partitioned to the inflorescence.

Harvesting and bedding practices in relation to grey mould of strawberries

SUMMARYRelationships of cultural and harvesting practices in strawberries to epidemics of grey mould, caused by Botrytis cinerea, were examined in field plots in 1983 ‐ 84 and 1984 ‐ 85. The strawberries were grown in matted rows or solid beds and harvested by hand or by machine. Foliage cut by the machine was removed by hand‐raking. Potential sporulation of B. cinerea on dead strawberry leaves, the principal inoculum source, was estimated by quantifying sporulation on samples of the leaves incubated in humidity chambers.During May, the incidence and density of sporulation, and total spore production per unit area of strawberry bed, usually were lower in plots harvested by machine in the preceding year than in those harvested by hand. Machine harvesting in the preceding year also suppressed incidence of grey mould on the fruits in June. Potential sporulation on dead leaves was usually less in solid beds than in matted rows in 1984 but not in 1985. Bed type usually did not affect incidence of grey mould fruit rot. No relationship was found between dry weights of dead leaves from sampling quadrats and potential sporulation on the leaves. It was postulated that the long‐term impact of machine harvesting on grey mould epidemics was related to removal of the majority of the foliage and berries from the plots during harvesting operations.

Relationship Between Achene Number, Achene Density, and Berry Fresh Weight in Strawberry

Abstract Field-grown genotypes (Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne) were studied in two seasons to determine the relationship of primary berry fresh weight to the total number of achenes per berry and the number of achenes/cm2 of receptacle tissue. Within genotypes grown in matted rows (1985), berry fresh weight was correlated with the total number of achenes per berry. In the hill system (1986), berry weight was correlated with the number of achenes and the number of achenes/cm2. Genotypic variation in berry weight in the matted row was related to the total number of achenes. In the hill system, there were no differences in the total number of achenes per berry between high- and low-yielding genotypes, but the highest-yielding genotype had fewer achenes/cm2.

Yield Component Analysis of Strawberry Genotypes Differing in Productivity

Abstract Strawberry genotypes (Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne) varying in yield per plant were studied. In 1985, genotypes were grown in matted rows and in 1986 as individual plants. Yield per plant within genotypes was mainly dependent on the number of berries per plant, regardless of cultural system. Other variables were correlated with yield, including crown dry weight and leaf area after harvest, and number of inflorescences, which indirectly affected berry number. Potential differences in yield within genotypes apparently were established prior to flower bud differentiation. Variables associated with yield among genotypes differed with cultural conditions. When genotypes were grown in matted rows, vegetative variables were highly correlated with yield. With less interplant competition, reproductive variables were correlated with yield among genotypes. Data suggested that, in some genotypes, runnering and fruiting may have competed for assimilates. Genotypic variability in yield components suggests that genotypes with similar yield can have different routes to yield.

Strawberry growth and yield related to plant density using matted row husbandry

SummaryStrawberry plants cv. Cambridge Favourite were planted at 200, 300 and 450 mm intra- row spacings to establish matted rows 245 mm wide. Yield was directly related to the number of parent plants and crowns at fruiting and positively correlated with planting density. Highest yields were obtained at an intra-row spacing of 200 mm between parent plants. Spacing had no significant effect upon individual plant development in the maiden year; growth at parent plant spacings closer than 450 mm within the row had no effect on fruit quality or losses caused by Botrytis cinerea (grey mould).

EFFECTS OF CULTURAL SYSTEMS AND HARVESTING TECHNIQUES ON THE PRODUCTION OF STRAWBERRIES FOR PROCESSING

Field and decapping performance were compared for two strawberry clones, the cultivar Midway and the selection Vineland (V) 6747R-6, grown in solid beds or in matted rows and harvested either once-over by hand or by machine or by multiple harvests involving both hand and machine. Yields, which were related to crown numbers, were higher and fruit sizes were lower from the solid beds compared to the matted rows. Within each cultural system, yields were higher from the once-over hand and multiple harvests than from once-over machine harvests. A similar proportion of decapped fruit for a frozen product was obtained by mechanical decapping from the two systems. A greater proportion was obtained from multiple harvests of the matted rows than by other harvest treatments in that system or by any of the treatments in the solid bed system. From all systems and treatments, Midway gave higher yields and more decapped fruit than V6747R-6.Key words: Strawberry, Fragaria x ananassa, yield, machine harvest, solid beds, matted rows

Training Systems for Second-year Production of Fall-planted Strawberries

Abstract Certified, fresh-dug plants of ‘Apollo’ and ‘Earlibelle’ strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) were set in single plant rows on 23 Sept., 7 Oct., 21 Oct., and 5 Nov. 1982 at in-row spacings of 7.5, 15, 22.5, and 30 cm. After harvest in 1983, plants were mowed and maintained as hill rows or mowed or not mowed for conversion to matted rows. Crown number, leaves, inflorescences and flowers per crown, fruit size, and fruit number and yield were determined in Spring 1984. Mowing had no effect on yields of matted rows, which, except from the 23 Sept. set plants, were higher than hill rows. Hill rows produced larger fruit than matted rows, but the latter had higher fruit numbers and averaged 57 % more crowns per unit area. The 23 Sept. hill row yields were higher than later plantings, but original planting date had no effect on matted row yields. Fruit number of the three later plantings of both training systems and hill row yields decreased as plant spacing increased. ‘Apollo’ had higher yields and individual yield component values than ‘Earlibelle’ in both training systems.

Strawberry Weevil Control, 1977

Abstract Experimental plantings consisted of 2-ft wide matted rows of strawberry plants. Each treatment was replicated once in each of 4 blocks, with each replication consisting of 3 rows 200 ft in length. Treatments were applied with a row crop sprayer at 50 gpa on May 6 and on May 18. Test 1 was conducted on ’Sunrise’ variety strawberries at Genoa, NY while Test 2 was conducted on ‘Fletcher’ variety strawberries at Weedsport, NY. Fifty flower clusters were collected from Test 1 and Test 2 on May 25 and May 31, respectively. The samples were returned to the laboratory and the percent of clipped blossoms for each replication was determined.

PLANT SPACINGS AND CULTURAL SYSTEMS FOR TOTEM AND SHUKSAN STRAWBERRY CULTIVARS

The performances of two strawberry cultivars, Totem and Shuksan, were compared in two planting systems, hill row and matted row, at two original plant spacings within each. The highest marketable yield over a 2-yr period was produced by Totem grown in matted rows in which original plants were spaced 61 cm apart. Totem in matted rows originally spaced at 46 cm yielded significantly less than at the wider spacing as did hill row plots with plants spaced at 38 and 31 cm. Shuksan planted in matted rows at an original spacing of 46 cm did not differ significantly in marketable yield from Totem in hill rows at 38 cm. Otherwise, the Shuksan treatments yielded significantly less than the Totem treatments. The poorer performance of Shuksan, compared to Totem, for all treatments is probably due to the greater susceptibility of Shuksan to virus diseases.

Phenmedipham in the establishment of strawberries as solid beds

Solid-bed culture of strawberries results in much greater yields than the more usual matted rows. One of the reasons that solid beds are not commercially popular is that weeds, particularly Veronica spp., which are resistant to simazine and lenacil, may establish during the period of runner growth and rooting when weed control by cultivation is impossible. To allow the formation of a clean solid bed, these weeds were controlled by phenmedipham applied immediately after harvesting the first crop from autumn planted strawberries. Yield (up to 50 tonnes per hectare) and berry weight data are presented for 2 years and 4 commercially important cultivars managed in this way. Once established, a weed-free solid bed was found to need only slight attention for satisfactory maintenance.