Strawberry fruit production and quality under conventional, integrated and organic management

The aim of the present research was to study the effects of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) farm management (organic, conventional, and integrated) on fruit quality. The three farm managements were distinguished by the use of only chemical fertilizers (conventional), only organic ones (organic) or combination of the two former types of fertilizers (integrated), along with the prohibition (organic) or not (integrated, conventional) of pesticides. Two samplings took place; each one lasted approximately one month. During each sampling event the fruit weight, diameter, length, dry weight, color, firmness, titratable acidity, total soluble sugars and pH along with the antioxidative capacity of the juice (according to DPPH and FRAP assays) were measured. Based on the statistical analysis, there were not any significant differences between the three farming systems concerning pH, titratable acidity, firmness, color parameters, fruit diameter and length as well as mean fruit weight. Organically and integrated produced fruits presented higher values of total soluble solids. There was not any significant difference observed concerning the antioxidative capacity of the juice based on the DPPH assay, but FRAP assay revealed significant differences, as the integrated production system resulted in significantly lower ferric reducing power of the juice produced, compared with the conventional and organic production system. Fruit production was significantly higher under integrated farming system, while both organic and integrated management system resulted in the higher weight of fruits classified in Extra category. In conclusion, the integrated management system resulted in the higher yield of high quality fruits, organic one in fruits with high health benefits and conventional one in lower yield of good quality fruits. This is probably the result of improved soil fertility (microbial activity, plant growth regulators produced by microorganisms, etc.) under organic matter addition.