Author
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Wang, Shiow |
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Galletta, Gene |
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Submitted to: Journal Acta Horticulturae
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 4/29/1998 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Raised bed hill plasticulture culture system has the advantages of enhanced weed control, advanced harvest, increased yield and fruit size, prevention of bed erosion and increased fruit cleanliness. However, the difference in fruit chemical composition between plants grown in hill culture and in matted row systems have not yet received much attention. Our study showed that fruit from hill plasticulture were redder and greater in pigment intensity on the surface; and less red and less in pigment intensity in fruit flesh. There were no significant differences in the brightness of fruit surface and flesh between the two cultural systems. In a cool growing season, the hill plasticulture cultural system also yielded a higher fruit soluble solid and ascorbic acid content, lower titratable acid (TA) content, and greater leaf area and chlorophyll content. In a warm season, the matted row system produced higher solid and sugar and lower acid contents than the hill culture system. This information is useful to strawberry growers who are interested in cultural pracitce and fruit quality in strawberry fruit. Technical Abstract: Different cultural systems - hill plasticulture and matted row, used on different strawberry cultivars and selections revealed that fruit from hill plasticulture were redder and greater in pigment intensity on the surface; and less red and less in pigment intensity in fruit flesh. There were no significant differences in the brightness of fruit surface and flesh between the two cultural systems. In a cool growing season, the hill plasticulture cultural system also yielded a higher fruit soluble solid and ascorbic acid content, lower titratable acid (TA) content, and greater leaf area and chlorophyll content. In addition, the total sugar, fructose, and glucose contents were higher, but the sucrose content was lower in strawberry plants grown in hill plasticulture compared to those grown in matted row. The matted row cultural system resulted in fruits with greater malic acid, citric acid and ellagic acid contents, compared to those grown in hill plasticulture. In a warm season, the matted row system produced higher solid and sugar and lower acid contents than the hill culture system. Strawberry fruit surface and flesh color, soluble solid content, sugar, TA, ascorbic acid, organic acids, ellagic acid contents, leaf area, and chlorophyll content were all highly genotype dependent. |
