EFFECT OF SUBSTRATE WATER CONSUMPTION AND FERTILIZATION LEVELS IN THE YIELD OF STRAWBERRY (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.)

Abstract

Few greenhouse studies have been carried out to evaluate the effect of substrate water consumption before the application of nutrient solutions with different electrical conductivity (EC) values. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of two levels of substrate water consumption for moisture replenishment and three EC values of the Steiner solution on the yield and fruit quality of a strawberry crop (Fragaria x ananassa Duch. cv. Albion). A randomized block split-plot design with four replicates was used. The bigger plot consisted of the water consumption assessment at levels of 350 and 700 mL, which corresponded to 11.29 and 24.19 %, respectively, of the water volume contained in the saturated substrate (after free drainage). In the smaller plot, three EC levels of the Steiner solution (0.5, 0.75, and 1 dS m^-1) were evaluated for a total of six treatments. The main factors analysis showed that yield (g plant^-1), fruit per plant, fruit weight, degrees Brix, and vitamin C content were higher at the 700 mL intake and the ECs of 0.5 and 0.75 dS m^-1. The interaction between factor levels revealed that all response variables were higher for the 700 mL consumption and the EC of 0.5 and 0.75 dS m^-1 and lower for the EC of 1 dS m^-1. On the other hand, for the 350 mL consumption, a decreasing trend of the same response variables was observed as the EC increased. In addition, the combination of 700 mL water consumption and the EC of 0.75 dS m^-1 resulted in the highest values of these variables.