Effect of hydroponic solution composition, electrical conductivity and plant spacing on yield and quality of strawberries
1994
Sarooshi, R.A. (New South Wales Agriculture, Gosford (Australia). Horticultural Research and Advisory Station) | Cresswell, G.C. (New South Wales Agriculture, Rydalmere (Australia). Biological and Chemical Research Inst.)
For strawberry fruit (var. Torrey) produced in a recirculating hydroponic system, 4 ways of managing the nutrient solution were examined: pH and EC adjusted daily and the solution replaced every 8 weeks (current grower practice); as above except that a topping up solution with lower K:N ratio was used for EC adjustment; no daily adjustment of EC or pH and one-third of solution replaced every 2 weeks; and no daily adjustment of solution volume, EC or pH and full replacement after 8 weeks. Compared with grower practice, these alternative solution management strategies provided no advantage in yield, fruit number or in the Brix, citric acid, sweetness or flavour of fruit. Use of a topping up solution supplemented with ammonium nitrate and calcium nitrate to reduce the K:N ratio from 1.7:1.0 to 1.4:1.0 had no effect on yield but significantly increased berry weight and improved fruit aroma. The method of nutrient solution management significantly affected the leaf P, Ca, Mg, Mn and Zn but only Mg fell to a suboptimal level for growth of strawberries. Yield declined when EC was increased from 2 to 4 dS per m. Solution EC had significant effects on leaf P, Mg, Mn and Zn. An increase in planting density from 5.35 to 9.35 plants per sq m lowered marketable yield per plant and fruit acidity but gave 41 percent higher yield on an area basis.
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