ARS | Publication request: Report on 2008-2009 USDA-UMD strawberry research at Wye REC

Submitted to: Wye Strawberry Twilight Meeting Booklet
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 27, 2009
Publication Date: May 27, 2009
Citation: Takeda, F., Newell, M., Lewers, K.S., Enns, J.M. 2009. Report on 2008-2009 USDA-UMD strawberry research at Wye REC. Wye Strawberry Twilight Meeting Booklet. Pg 10-11.

Technical Abstract: New management strategies are needed to produce strawberry planting materials that will fruit in off-season in the mid-Atlantic coast region. Also, a better understanding of mechanisms that control flowering in strawberries is needed to improve fall flowering in short-day type cultivars. When ‘Strawberry Festival’ plug plants were made in early July and kept in propagation trays at high density until they were planted on 28 August, fall flowering was induced in 85 percent of transplants. Red light illumination of plant crowns in August caused significant decrease in fall flowering. When transplants were grown under red colored shading fabric plants remained vegetative until January. Fall flowering was slightly improved when transplants were grown in August with reduced nitrogen in the nutrient solution. By growing July plugged transplants under protected cultivation, fruit were harvested from October to early January and again from mid March to mid May. Strawberry plants growing in open field did not produce fruit in the fall and their spring harvest did not start until mid May. The new production technique described here will allow growers to have two harvests within a year from one planting.