ARS | Publication request: Methods for altering the flowering time in strawberries

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 30, 2010
Publication Date: August 3, 2010
Citation: Takeda, F. 2010. Methods for altering the flowering time in strawberries. HortScience. 45 (8): S230 (abstract).

Technical Abstract: The main strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) harvest season in the mid-Atlantic coast region is from May to July. Out-of-season fruit production in the region is low. Producing strawberry transplants from runner tips that were plugged in early July rather than the standard time (early August) promoted fall flowering in short-day cultivars 'Chandler', 'Carmine', 'Strawberry Festival', and 'Sweet Charlie'. Under protected cultivation, July-plugged plants bloomed earlier and produced fruit in October, November, and December. This novel technique for propagating strawberry transplants for annual plasticulture combined with production under high tunnels creates an opportunity for strawberry production in early winter and again in the spring (double cropping) in the mid-Atlantic coast region. In another study, growing transplants under photoselective nets or with red spectrum LED fixtures below the foliage but above the crown in August inhibited flowering in the fall. Flowering in plants that were grown under red- or blue-colored photoselective nets occurred in early January. LED-treated plants did not flower until February and March. The results of this study suggested that the photoselective shade net over strawberry plug plants or illuminating the crown in August affected the light signal needed for flower bud initiation, delaying flower initiation until plants are transplanted in the field. The colored nets did not affect runnering during fall months.