The effects of flower removal on summer and fall fruit production of ‘Albion’ and ‘Sweet Ann’ strawberries

Abstract

Day-neutral strawberries can produce fruit during the summer and fall when regular strawberry production has ceased. Thus, high retail value of strawberries in summer has increased demanding for summer-fall fruit production with day-neutrals. However, the information on crop management of day neutral strawberries for different cultivars and locations is limited. This study aimed to compare flower removal treatments related to those effects on harvest season extension, fruit production, berry size, plant growth in summer and fall production of ‘Albion’ and ‘Sweet Ann’ dayneutral strawberry cultivars. Frigo plants of two cultivars were planted on 7 June 2017. Totally 30 plants plot-1 were planted in a typical double-row raised beds with a 30×30 cm spacing. Cultivars were randomly plotted in four replications. The flower removal treatments included 1. no flower removal (NFR), 2. flower removal 30 days after planting (FR 30 d) 3. flower removal 60 days after planting (FR 60 d), 4. flower removal 90 days after planting (FR 90 d). In the experiment, it was examined harvest date, harvest season extension, marketable and total yield, and fruit size, soluble solid and titratable acid content. Crown number, leaf number, root, crown, leaf and total plant fresh and dry weights in the three plants removed end of summer-fall harvest season and before spring following planting were determined. There was not statistically difference between flower removal treatments in each cultivar in terms of fruit production, fruit size. The crown number was only significantly affected by flower removal treatments; flower removal 90 days after planting caused consistently the highest crown number in ‘Albion’. In addition, leaf number, fresh and dry weight in both cultivars did not show significant differences among the flower removal treatments. However, plant growth parameters such as crown number and leaf number, and plant biomass usually tended to be lower in non-flower removal treatment. © 2019 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.