Growth, Productivity, and Quality of Strawberry as Affected by Propagation Method and Cultivation System

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate productivity of strawberry plants as affected by propagation method and cultivation system. Transplants propagated by cutting propagation and pinning propagation were planted and grown for a whole production period in soil and hydroponic cultivation systems. Growth parameters, fruit productivity, and fruit quality were measured during the whole harvest period. The results showed that propagation method and cultivation system had significant effects on vegetative growth of strawberry plants. Total fruit yield per plant and average fruit weight per fruit during the whole harvest period were significantly lower in the plants grown in soil cultivation system. Total unmarketable fruit ratio was significantly greater in soil cultivation system than that in hydroponic cultivation system. Small fruits were the primary unmarketable fruits in soil cultivation system, while malformed fruits were the primary unmarketable fruits in hydroponic cultivation system. The overall high quality of fruit was found in February, and the plants cultivated in hydroponic cultivation system had higher quality of fruit as compared with that in soil cultivation system. It is concluded that cutting propagation is better than pinning propagation, and hydroponic cultivation system is better than soil cultivation system for fruit productivity of strawberry.