Response of cold stored drip-irrigated strawberry to root trimming and transplant crown diameter.

摘要

This study was carried out at the Experimental Farm of Strawberry and Non-Traditional Crops Center, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt, during the two successive seasons of 2006-2007 and 2007-2008. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cultivar, transplant crown diameter and root trimming on yield and fruit quality. Frigo transplants were used. A split-split design with three replicates was adopted. The main plots were assigned to the cultivars 'Sweet Charlie' and 'Festival', while the sub-plots were for transplant crown diameter, i.e., small diameter (0.5-0.8 cm) and large diameter (0.8-1.2 cm). The sub-sub-plots were for root trimming, i.e., without trimming, root length 5 cm and root length 10 cm. Results showed that 'Festival' recorded the highest values in leaf area, total yield and ascorbic acid in the two tested seasons. Data indicated also that using large crown diameter had a higher significant increment in leaf area, total yield and ascorbic acid in both seasons. Root trimming for 5 cm had a higher significant increment in leaf area and ascorbic acid in both seasons.