Nutrient Solution for Production and Quality of Strawberry Grown in Substrate

Aims: This study determined a nutritive solution and evaluated the performance in the development, production and quality of strawberry cultivated in the substrate.

Study Design: The treatments were commercial and recommended nutritional solutions for strawberry using the methods of Castelane and Araújo (C.A.), Furlani and Fernandes Junior (F.F.J.) and the proposed solution with seven replicates.

Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was carried out in the experimental area of the Federal Technological University of Paraná, Brazil, in the period between May and December 2014.

Methodology: Agronomic variables such as yield, number of fruits, nutrient content, physiological indicators, physical and chemical characteristics of fruits were analysed.

Results: The proposed nutrient solution resulted in larger masses of fresh and dry matter (225.4 g plant-1and 27.5 g plant-1), number of fruits (40.1) and fresh fruit mass (750.4 g plant-¹), in relation to the other evaluated solutions. The proposed solution resulted in better physical and chemical characteristics such as soluble solids, reducing and total sugars, anthocyanins, flavonoids, phenolic compounds and ascorbic acid and the strawberry fruits presented an attractive colour and met the quality standards for the consumer. The highest levels of nitrogen (33.7 g kg-1), phosphorus (9.3 g kg-1), and potassium (28.2 g kg-1) in the leaf tissue were found in the proposed solution and contributed to productivity and fruit quality gains of a strawberry.

Conclusion: These results provide a nutrient base and can be adapted to other cultivars in different locations.