Nutrient Management for Growth, Yield and Quality of Strawberry (Fragariax ananassa) in Vertical Hydroponics System

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out to find out nutrient management for growth, yield attributes, yield and quality attributes of strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) under vertical hydroponics tower system in  Prayagraj. The experiment was conducted in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with nine treatments and three replications during November-March (2022-23) at Experimental Farm of Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India. The data were recorded from four randomly selected plants from each replication of the treatments for 14 characters. The 9 treatments comprising of different doses in combination of macro nutrients N:P:K , micro nutrients Zn: B: Fe and organic fertilizer sea weed extract  were  given in three different stages of the crop i.e., seedling  stage, vegetative growth stage and reproductive stage .  Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) as plant growth regulator (PGR) was applied in reproductive stage of the crop at the time    of flowering for better fruit set. Aqueous solution of nutrients applied at seedling stage followed by vegetative growth  stage  and reproductive stage ,  treatment T7   comprising of  N- 7.5, 8.5 and 9.5 g/10 litres  of water at all three stages, respectively, P- 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 g/10 litres of water at all three stages, respectively,  K- 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 g/10 litres of water, at all three stages, respectively,  Zn- 0.25,0.35 and 0.45g/10 l of water at all three stages, respectively , B – 0.35, 0.45 and 0.55g/10 litres of water at all three stages, respectively, Fe- 0.65,0.75 and 0.85 mg/10 litres of water at all three stages, respectively and organic fertilizer (see weed extract) @ 8 and 10 ml/ 10 litres of water at seedling and vegetative stages and NAA @ 300 ppm was applied at reproductive stage for fruit settings was the best and recorded maximum plant height (18.42cm),plant spread area (18.58cm2), number of leaves per plant (8.21), root length (16.03cm), leaf area (47.75cm2), number of flowers per plant (14.47), number of fruits per plant (14), yield  per treatment (1.451kg) with B: C ratio (1:2.72) and quality of the strawberry as  TSS (9.330brix), titratable acidity (1.33%) and ascorbic acid (60.45 mg/100g)  followed by T6 and T5.