The Effects of Solarization, Runner Types, Growing Substrates and High Plastic Tunnels on the Earliness, Yield and Quality of Strawberries Growing in Sea Sand Dunes 2. Strawberries Growing in the Open Fields on Sea Sand Dunes

Authors: Emine ÖZDEMİR, Nurettin KAŞKA

Abstract: Between 1989 to 1991 four strawberry varieties (Pocahontas, Vista, Tufts and Cruz) were investigated in the open fields on sea sand dunes in Alata. The effects of five different growing substrates including sand + farmyard manure + solarization ( S + FYM + So); sand + farmyard manure (S + FYM); sand + solarization + farmyard manure (S + So + FYM); sand + solarization (S + So), and sand alone (S); and three planting systems (summer (SP), fresh runner plants rooted in pots (FRPRP), and fall planting (FP)) were applied. The first fruit dates and yield per plant were determined. The first picking was delayed by winter frosts; thus, planting systems and varieties could not have effected the time of first picking. Cruz, being the earliest variety, was severly damaged by frosts, and plants from FRPRP and FP were affected more adversely by frosts. Although there was no significant difference among the growing substrates, fruit loss was higher in growing substrates containing FYM. The first fruits were observed in mid March and at the end of March. However, main pickings were usually initiated in April. The highest Yield per plant was obtained from SP and this was followed by FRPRP. The lowest yield per plant was obtained from FP. The highest yield occurred with Pocahontas and in solarized and non-solarized S + FYM growing substrates. Considering all treatments over the two experimental years, the best results was obtained from SP in Pocahontas in S + So + FYM (average yield per plant was 780.35 g). The lowest yield in all varieties was obtained from FP in S and S + So growing substrates. Vista and Tufts yielded 41.22-43.31 g per plant in S growing substrate which represent the lowest values.

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