Strawberry (Fragaria x ananasa Duch.) is one of the most commonly grown soft fruit crop in the World. It is a herbaceous perennial species renewing aboveground parts every year. This species is a hybrid – it was created from the crosspollination between wild growing strawberries: virginiana (Fragaria virginiana) and Chilean (Fragaria chiloensis). The strawberry is grown in temperate and colder sub-tropical regions. The main advantage of strawberry is the taste and aroma of fruit, which are offered as fresh fruit, and are also used for processing (frozen fruit, juices, jams, etc.).
Strawberry plants can grow in different soil conditions. However, the most suitable for that crop are slightly acidic fertile soils with high level of organic matter and with well balanced soil water-air relations.
The specific of strawberry plant growth of summer fruit bearing varieties – fast and strong development and growth of leaves after starting the vegetation, early and abundant yielding of plants, as well as a long period of plant growth after harvesting fruit require proper nutrition and stimulation of plants. Strawberry has quite high requirements for nitrogen (N), but nitrogen fertilization should take into account the current demand of plants for this nutrient. In the spring, after starting the vegetation, nitrogen fertilization should be rather limited and supplemented by foliar feeding of plants with this nutrient, especially in critical growth stages, such as intensive growth of shoots and leaves, development of inflorescences and the beginning of fruit development. Nitrogen plays a special role after harves, when the plants initiate flower buds for the next year. For all those stages foliar fertilizers, such as: PLONVIT® NITROMAG, PLONVIT® NITRO or PLONVIT® OPTY, PLONVIT® GEL could support plants with proper dose of nitrogen and other macro- and microelements as well.
Although the requirements of strawberries for phosphorus are not high, proper supplying plants with this nutrient guarantees proper development of roots, intensive fruit colouring and their high quality. The use of fertilizer PLONVIT® FOSTAR or PLONVIT® PHOSPHO before the flowering of plants and during the growth of fruit makes the supply of this ingredient is at an optimum level even in the conditions of limited availability of phosphorus from the soil.
High yield of strawberry and high quality of berries are influenced by other macronutrients, especially potassium (K), for which the strawberry plants have the highest demand among all macronutrients. Potassium is mainly responsible for the size, taste and colour of the fruit, which is important not only for fruit offered for direct consumption, but also for processing. Foliar applied PLONVIT® KALPRIM or PLONVIT® KALI could significantly improve supplying plants with potassium (K), especially during inflorescence development and fruit development of plants grown in light soils.
Berry quality and tolerance to some fungal diseases results from calcium (Ca) availability to plants. Application of calcium activator OPTYCAL® and fertilizer PLONVIT® CALCIUM increases fruit firmness and resistance of fruit to mechanical damages.
Rapid growth and development of plants and the proper process of pollination, fruit setting and flower bud initiation for the next year after fruit harvesting require proper supply with microelements, especially boron (B), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu). Those nutrients have direct effect on a number of natural plant processes such as photosynthesis, pollination, fruit set and fruit development, sugar and acid metabolism etc. The most effective fertilizers that supply individual microelements are:
- boron (B) – MIKROVIT® BORON TURBO, MIKROVIT® BORON, MIKROVIT® BORON PLUS
- iron (Fe) – AMINO ULTRA® Fe-20, MIKROCHELAT Fe-13, MIKROVIT® IRON
- manganese (Mn) – AMINO ULTRA® Mn-22, MIKROCHELAT Mn-13, MIKROVIT® MANGANESE
- zinc (Zn) – AMINO ULTRA® Zn-24, MIKROCHELAT Zn-15, MIKROVIT® ZINC
- copper (Cu) – AMINO ULTRA® Cu-24, MIKROCHELAT Cu-15, MIKROVIT® COPPER.
High and early yielding of strawberry plants and a long growing season require supporting of plant growth which could ensure yield quantity and good quality. Therefore, foliar applications of TYTANIT® may stimulate plants for better growth and yield.
The good condition of plants throughout the growing season determines the yield of strawberry. Even short-term nutrient deficiency may have a negative impact on plant growth and yield. Therefore, it is necessary comprehensive assessment of the requirements of the plants at any stage of their development. This will allow them to be fed properly and bio-stimulate them.
INTERMAG’s wide range of products, allows you to develop your own individual foliar fertilization and biostimulation program, considering local soil conditions, crop intensity, stage of plant development and availability of various products.
All of these discussed actions significantly affect the yield increase and its quality parameters.
