Progress 10/01/00 to 09/30/04
Outputs
We determined the optimum photoperiod length, number of cycles and temperature conditioning for flowering of plug plants for plug plants of Chandler, Fern, Selva, Seascape, Earlinglow, Cavendish, Seneca, Sweet Charlie, Camarosa, and Jewel were exposed to 9 to 18 eight-hour photoperiod cycles at 12,15,or 20 degree C in growth chambers. Control plants were maintained in a greenhouse at ambient temperatures under 16 hour long days. After plants received appropriate photoperiod/temperature treatment, five single plant replicates for each cultivar/photoperiod/temperature combination were moved to a long day greenhouse and potted separately. Plants of each cultivar were dissected the day experiment begins. Photoperiod and temperature conditioning Sweet Charlie was the most productive and highest quality cultivar in this system. Conditioning experiments (photoperiod and temperature manipulation) with the cultivars Sweet Charlie, Gaviota, Earlibrite, Anaheim, Pacific, Laguna,
Treasure, Aromas, Camarosa, Selva, Sunset, Seascape, Fern, Capitola, Diamonte, Oso Grande, Sequioa and Everest continued to determine the optimum treatment for maximum yield. None of these other cultivars were as good as Sweet Charlie. Date of conditioning, greenhouse planting date and age of plug at conditioning is being studied. The influence of runner tip source for plug production wa also being investigated. Ultimately Sweet Charlie was the best cultivar in this system. Two-to-three week old `Sweet Charlie' strawberry plug plants conditioned (seven 9-h short days without chilling (21/21oC, day/night) followed by seven, 9-h short days with chilling during the nyctoperiod (21/12oC, day/night) in September, then planted in a vertical hydroponic system for winter greenhouse production were the most productive. Conditioned plugs produced significantly more fruit than did nonconditioned control plugs in January and February, but the difference was not significant in March and April.
Fruit yield increased linearly with height in the column (approximately 40 g/plant for every 30 cm increase in column height) probably because of increasing light level. When productivity is considered on an area basis (kg/m2) and the column height effect on yield is accounted for, productivity over a 4.5-month period was 4.8 kg/m2 for controls and 7.8 kg/m2 for conditioned plugs.
Impacts
This system could be used for commercial out of season production. Conditioned plug plants offer the potential for increasing strawberry productivity and therefore the profitability of a winter greenhouse production system.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03
Outputs
Photoperiod and temperature conditioning of many California and Florida cultivars has revealed that 'Sweet Charlie' remains the most productive and highest quality cultivar in this system. Work is now in progress studying treatment of runner tips, alternative conditioning treatments and planting date. Optimization of all production factors will maximize early winter (December) production, when the greatest opportunity for maximum profit exixts.
Impacts
An economically feasible pesticide free out of season strawberry production system for the Mid Atlantic states is likely from this work.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
Conditioning experiments (photoperiod and temperature manipulation) with the cultivars Sweet Charlie, Gaviota, Earlibrite, Anaheim, Pacific, Laguna, Treasure, Aromas, Camarosa, Selva, Sunset, Seascape, Fern, Capitola, Diamonte, Oso Grande, Sequioa and Everest continued to determine the optimum treatment for maximum yield. Date of conditioning, greenhouse planting date and age of plug at conditioning is being studied. The influence of runner tip source for plug production is also being investigated.
Impacts
The development of an organic, low pesticide or pesticide free out of season production system for strawberries should be developed from this work.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/01 to 12/31/01
Outputs
Two-to-three week old `Sweet Charlie' strawberry plug plants were conditioned (seven 9-h short days without chilling (21/21oC, day/night) followed by seven, 9-h short days with chilling during the nyctoperiod (21/12oC, day/night) in September, then planted in a vertical hydroponic system for winter greenhouse production. Conditioned plugs produced significantly more fruit than did nonconditioned control plugs in January and February, but the difference was not significant in March and April. Fruit yield increased linearly with height in the column (approximately 40 g/plant for every 30 cm increase in column height) probably because of increasing light level. When productivity is considered on an area basis (kg/m2) and the column height effect on yield is accounted for, productivity over a 4.5-month period was 4.8 kg/m2 for controls and 7.8 kg/m2 for conditioned plugs. Conditioned plug plants offer the potential for increasing strawberry productivity and therefore the
profitability of a winter greenhouse production system.
Impacts
A new production system for eastern strawberry growers could come out of this work.
Publications
- Recent Advances In Strawberry Plug Transplant Technology. 2001. HortTechnology (accepted for publication). With E. Barclay Poling, and John L. Mass.
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Progress 01/01/00 to 12/31/00
Outputs
The focus of this research has been out of season production of strawberries in a vertical, hydroponic, pesticide-free production system. I have determined which cultivars (Northeastern types or Florida / California types) respond to photoperiod and temperature manipulation with respect to flowering and subsequent fruiting by studying representative cultivars of both types. Plants of `Chandler', `Fern', `Selva', `Seascape', `Earliglow', `Cavendish', `Seneca', `Sweet Charlie', `Camarosa' and `Jewel' were exposed to different photoperiod and temperature treatments then forced in the greenhouse. This provided a basis on which to further study specific cultivars, based on growth responses to treatment. `Camarosa' and `Sweet Charlie' were the most responsive to treatment and were therefore further examined for suitability to the system. The optimum photoperiod length, number of cycles and temperature conditioning for fruiting of `Camarosa' and `Sweet Charlie', the
cultivars most responsive to conditioning, are being studied.
Impacts
This project has not yet had an impact on the agricultural community.
Publications
- Durner, E. F. 1999. Winter greenhouse strawberry production using conditioned plug plants. HortScience 34(4) p. 615-616.
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