PLUG PRODUCTION AND EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT SOILLESS SYSTEMS AND SUBSTRATES FOR CULTIVATION OF STRAWBERRY (Fragaria ananassa Duch.) cv. ‘STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL’
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Date
40840
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University of Agricultural Sciences GKVK, Bangalore
Abstract
The investigation was carried out at the Division of Fruit Crops,
Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) Bangalore, India during
2010-11 on strawberry cv. ‘Strawberry Festival’ to find out the effect of
explant and media on plug growth. The studies were extended to
determine the suitable system and media for quality fruit production in
soilless culture.
The explant (first and second order nodes and runner tip) did not
affect most of biometric characters of plug. However, the highest per cent
establishment (89) was observed from first order node. Higher number of
roots (12.33) and leaves (5.48), larger crown diameter (7.32 mm) and
higher shoot and root fresh and dry weight were observed when plugs
produced in coco peat + perlite (1:1, v/v).
The results of soilless culture of strawberry indicated that plants
performed best in Open-trough as compared to Lay-Flat-Bag and Verti-
Gro systems. Maximum leaf area (2478.66 cm2), crown diameter (33.75
mm), highest shoot (60.97 g) and root (16.50g) fresh weight, highest
shoot (21.10 g) and root (5.74 g) dry weight, highest fruit weight per plant
(281.83 g) and marketable fruits (78.33 %) recorded in Open-trough.
Further, highest number of leaves (37.16), leaf area (2199.82 cm2),
larger crown diameter (30.50 mm), fruit weight per plant (209.92 g) and
marketable fruits (61.91%) was recorded when plants were grown using
60% coco peat +40% perlite (v/v). Maximum leaf area (2002.64 cm2),
crown diameter (31.00 mm), fruit weight per plant (194.60 g), marketable
fruits (63.33) and highest TSS (10.51 °B) and lowest acidity (0.81 %) was
observed in first tier as compared to lower section of the Verti-Gro
system.