Differential Responses of Plant Growth Bioregulators on the Quality and Economic Returns of Strawberry Cultivars

Abstract

Strawberry productivity and fruit quality are influenced by cultivar selection and exogenous application of plant growth regulators. The present investigation was conducted during 2023–2024 at the research farm of Mata Gujri College, Sri Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, India, to assess the responses of Camarosa and Winter Dawn to gibberellic acid (GA3) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The experiment was laid out in a factorial randomised block design with three replications. Treatments comprised control, GA3 at 50 ppm, GA3 at 100 ppm, NAA at 50 ppm, and NAA at 100 ppm. Observations were recorded for vegetative growth, phenology, fruit size, yield, biochemical quality, and economic returns. The treatment PGR2 (GA3 at 100 ppm) recorded the highest mean plant height (21.40 cm), earliest flowering (56.67 days), number of flowers per plant (19.67), berry length (39.40 mm), berry breadth (24.47 mm), total soluble solids (11.02 °Brix), total sugars (6.16%), reducing sugars (4.04%), number of fruits per plant (18.65), and yield per plant (274.56 g). It also recorded the lowest titratable acidity (0.63%). Among the interaction treatments, Camarosa with GA3 at 100 ppm (V1PGR2) produced the highest gross income (Rs. 2,421,900 ha-1), net return (Rs. 1,982,540 ha-1), and benefit-cost ratio (4.51). The lowest economic return was observed in Winter Dawn under the control treatment. These findings indicate that foliar application of GA3 at 100 ppm, particularly in Camarosa, improved measured quality, yield, and profitability parameters under the experimental conditions of this field study.